What fruit did Adam and Eve eat in the garden?

The Bible does not specifically say what kind of fruit it was other than it was from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Some have speculated it was an apple because the Latin word for apple is malus, which is similar to the word for evil. Yet others believe it was a fig because, they argue, apples don’t grow in that part of the world. We truly don’t know what kind of fruit it was. People have come to accept it as an apple because, in the English language, the word “apple” is etymologically (or the source word, root word) a generic term including all fruits, berries and nuts.

Is it true that if you deny God or stop acting like a Christian, you're not one?

Wow, this is a deep question … The Bible is very specific regarding this topic. If you “profess” to be a Christian and claim you are saved, but knowingly fail to live by Jesus’ teachings, God does not take that lightly. Notice I emphasize “knowingly.” If someone isn’t saved and doesn’t know who Jesus is, that person is living life ignorantly. Basically, they don’t truly know what’s biblically right or wrong. In essence, they are denying God. Sadly, they are perishing without even realizing it. But, if you know Jesus and you know His teachings, you cannot claim ignorance. And, if you willfully violate His standards … look out. I’m going to give you a Scripture that literally changed my life and it’s Hebrews 10:26-27, which reads:

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

When people profess to know Jesus but then willfully act against His teachings, they are considered enemies of God! I didn’t want to be the guy that claimed he was saved and then knowingly did bad things, believing that because I was “saved” I was somehow protected by God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. I think this verse makes it very clear that once you know something is wrong but you continually do it anyways, there is no sacrifice left. The Book of Romans, chapter 6, also addresses this and states very forcefully on two different occasions that being saved doesn’t allow a person to keep sinning (basically turning their back on God and not acting like a Christian). Romans 6:1 and 6:15 are firm in their positions.

Finally, another verse that literally scared me into acting right, not just outwardly but in my heart, is Matthew 7:21-23. In this verse Jesus separates people by true and false disciples when he says:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

I didn’t want to be seen as someone that just acted like he was a Christian … going to church, teaching in TRACK, or leading a small group … but not really loving Jesus with all my heart and submitting to His authority. I didn’t want Jesus to look at me and tell me He never knew me.

Now, having said all that, does that mean if you make a mistake and sin, God’s going to turn His back on you? NO! We are imperfect beings; we make mistakes. Sometimes we even willfully disobey God. But, if you don’t continually and habitually disobey God and you are truly sorrowful and repentant, you will be forgiven. God knows your heart. He knows if you’re truly repentant or just trying to get away with something. And that’s the key.

Are we truly sorry and repentant or are we just sorry we got caught? Do we truly want to change or are we just pretending we want to change because it’s the “Christian” thing to do? Well, God knows for sure where your heart is and what your motives are.

Why do people say “God bless you” when people sneeze?

There are a lot of myths surrounding this practice but the one that kept reoccurring in my research is the following:

In English-speaking countries, it is common for at least one person to say "Bless you" after someone sneezes. The traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (540-604 AD) became the Pope just in time for the start of the plague in 590 AD (rumor has it that his predecessor died from it). To combat the plague Gregory ordered everyone in the land to pray for God's intercession. When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague.

From there, it just became a custom to say “God Bless you” whenever someone sneezed!

Where did Noah put the poop of the animals?

Wow. That is a very interesting question! The truth is that the Bible doesn’t really say. But, we do have a few ideas …

Prior to the Great Flood, there is no clear indication in the Bible that animals ate meat or were violent and vicious. In fact, God commanded Noah to load the ark with every kind of food which is edible for his family and for the animals (Genesis 6:21). Since they didn’t eat meat, they likely ate fruits and vegetables. Not everyone agrees about all this, but let’s go with it for this question.

It wasn’t after the flood that man apparently was allowed to eat meat (Genesis 9:2-3) And, God commanded that animals were then also allowed to meat. God warned the animals, however, that if they ate a human, they would have to answer to God for it (Genesis 9:5).

So, because animals and man did not eat meat prior to the flood, their poop wasn’t contaminated with blood (the Bible calls it “lifeblood “) and probably not any other biological impurities either.

So, having said that, (and I am completely guessing here) they probably did two things with the poop: 1) They threw the excess poop overboard into the water were it degraded naturally; or 2) they used it as fertilizer for their plants and crops to grow additional fruits and vegetables!

How can I love God and other people like God loves us?

That is a very awesome question! And the honest truth is, you can’t! I have to tell you that up front so that you don’t put so much pressure on yourself because the truth is NO ONE can love as unconditionally, immensely and infinitely as God can.

The reason is because God’s love is perfect. He can’t ever not love us! He can’t hate us. He can’t get sick of us. His love is unconditional. The Holy Bible uses a Greek word, “agape,” to describe God’s love for us. There isn’t even an English translation for it. It’s basically a deep, deep, unconditional love for us.

So, why can’t we love God or others like that? It’s because of our sin nature. This is the sin that was handed down from us from the time of Adam and Eve, Our sinful nature puts conditions on our love … sometimes even with God! We are imperfect beings so we can’t love perfectly. At some point will get mad or hurt and pull our love back just a bit. God doesn’t do that.

But, does that mean we shouldn’t love God or people? Absolutely not! In fact, when asked by His disciple s what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Do you see what Jesus says? Not love the Lord with all His heart but our own! Our own imperfect hearts … the hearts that sometimes break, the hearts that sometimes grow tired of loving and the hearts that sometimes falter because of anger. So, we’re to love God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind. We’re to love God as best we can. Then, we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves.

So, how can we do that? Through prayer. Through service. Through random acts of kindness. Remember what Jesus says:

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21)

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12)

“This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:17)

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

God bless you!

Who did Cain marry? And don’t you think it would be weird if Seth married his sister?

If Adam and Eve were the first people, then when Cain was banished, who did Cain marry? Wowee, what an awesome question!!! And, this question has been asked many times before by many different people in the past and was even part of the very important historical Scopes trial in Tennessee in 1925. Back then, poor William Jennings Bryan failed to answer the question adequately from the opposing lawyer, Clarence Darrow, which cast doubt on Christianity (A little history trivia for you!).

But, we know the answer because we can look to the Holy Bible for the answer. In order to do that, we must accept as true that Adam and Eve were the first people on this Earth, okay? We know it to be true because it says so in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament. We also know that Adam lived to be 930 years old! During that time, Adam and Eve had a number of children. Even though the Bible only mentions Cain, Abel and Seth by name, it also says that he had many other children: “After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:4) Remember also that God commanded that Adam and Eve “be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28)

So, Cain’s wife was probably either another daughter of Adam and Eve or a close relative. The Hebrew scholars believe that Cain’s wife was his sister, based on the Hebrew word ishshah. Remember, that back in those days it was not weird or uncommon to marry your sister or close relative. The same situation applies to Seth. He also, most likely, married his sister or niece. It wasn’t until Moses came along in the Book of Leviticus (Chapters 18-20) that God made the law forbidding close relatives to marry.

Of course, we look at it today and think, “Ewwwwww!” But, that’s because we live in a different time and with different standards and laws prohibiting such practices. We look at the beginning of the human race and we tend to apply today’s laws or today’s problems that are associated with close relatives marrying and try to interpret Genesis based on our present situation. But, we must look at it from a Biblical historical standpoint and the customs and practices of that time.

Remember, too, that back then Adam and Eve were created perfectly by God. There was no sin on Earth when they were created. There were no impurities in the gene pool, so to speak. So, the chances were that their children, and maybe even their grandchildren, were a purer race and could create a human population without fear of birth defects.

Is Leviathan exaggerated? How does it have “fiery breath?”

It’s interesting that Leviathan, which is actually mentioned six times in the Holy Bible, is described in such vivid detail in the Book of Job (Job 41:1-35). But, Leviathan is also mentioned in the Psalms and in Isaiah. Many Bible scholars have argued over what Leviathan was. Some argue it was a crocodile, some argue that it may have been a type of dinosaur, and others have argued that it was, in fact, some sort of creature that we commonly refer to as a dragon. A dragon?? Is that even possible?

Did dragons exist? Well, hmmm … Satan has been described as “the dragon.” And, in the book of Isaiah, chapter 27, Isaiah declares that the Lord will punish and slay Leviathan. Isaiah calls him the “monster of the sea.” In the King James translation, Leviathan is described as that “crooked serpent” and that “dragon in the sea.”

Dragons, throughout history, have been described as “fire-breathing.” In this case, it may have been true fire or, and here’s where it gets tricky, it may have been a description of the evil speech coming from the mouth of the dragon. Remember, the dragon could be a representation of Satan - and Satan is the Prince of Lies and represents everything bad in this world. So, Leviathan’s “fiery breath” could be the lies, the hate and the anger that Satan spews from his mouth.

It could also, quite literally, be fire. Leviathan could have been a fire-breathing dragon that existed in the sea. We just don’t know for sure. Is the description of Leviathan literal? Is it descriptive? Is it exaggerated? Or is it spot on? Again, we truly don’t know for sure.

I do know one thing, when I get to Heaven I am going to ask Job (who clearly saw Leviathan) what in the world was he describing!