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3 Provocative Theological Branches

What informs us, forms us. ~ Michael Cartwright

Countless trees were abundant in Eden, but God only named two of them.

Now wind the clock forward from the beginning of time to its end. Please note only one of these trees is named in the new heaven - the Tree of Life. The Tree of Knowledge will be not be there. It will never be available again to form disciples, for it informs all believers to this day.

The Tree of Knowledge has grown a massive bough since Eden and offers a canopy for all mankind. Its shade envelopes the world and whispers deceitful promises. Surely its boldest claim is that from its leaves healing is found? None can escape the immense canopy. Many draw ever closer towards the Tree of Knowledge and stop, reclining against its comfortable trunk.

Christians are as blindly vulnerable to its deceits as those who don't worship Jesus at all.

Below are three provocative theological branches:

  1. The Tree of Knowledge has taught Christians to replace the teaching and healing breath of the Holy Spirit with theology. The Tree of Knowledge still teaches Christians to distrust that which is experiential, spiritual or unable to be measured. A.W.Tozer penned a helpful reply - a man with an experience is never at the mercy of man with an argument.
  2. The Tree of Knowledge has conducted a masterful stroke, a handsome deceit (don't forget - deceit is its true skill) within all streams of Christianity. It has replaced the Holy Spirit of Jesus the Christ and made theology as the only arbiter and revealer of truth.
  3. The scepter of the Christian scholar's kingdom is theology, but the scepter of Jesus' kingdom is righteousness. (Hebrews 1:8)

To this day the Tree of Life remains largely unseen and ill-considered, but it eternally outlasts the good and the evil of the Tree of Knowledge. 

The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – GIVEN BY ONE SHEPHERD. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)

There are not two sources of wisdom.

Christians who tend well the garden of their soul deliberately place an axe into the trunk of the Tree of Knowledge, while energetically watering the Tree of Life in their lives.

In the heavenly garden at time's end there will be only one source of knowledge - the Tree of Life, and its leaves alone are for the healing of the nations.

On each side of the river of life stood the Tree of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

Today's Soul Snippet:

'The quest for holiness is always bound up with a quest for true knowledge of God.' ~ anon

ENJOY too - 14 Reasons Why Faith Is Indecent To The Church

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Posted in The Two Trees;