Q: What would have happened if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life? What kind of a world would we have today? Would they still have sinned from time to time? If so, what would have been the consequence?

First, let us explain what the two trees in the Garden of Eden symbolized.

We are quoting the following excerpts from chapter 2 of our free booklet, "Human Suffering--Why...And How Much Longer?" :

"When God created the first human being, Adam, and his wife, Eve, He placed them in a garden—the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. God also created two special trees in this garden—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He told man that he was allowed to eat from all the trees in the garden with the exception of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This means that man could eat, and should have eaten, from the tree of life.

Q: How can we have complete or full joy in our lives?

In John 17:13, we read: "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they [His disciples] may have MY JOY fulfilled in them."

Q: If Satan cannot heal, how do you explain "miraculous healings," which apparently do not originate with God?

In our last Q&A, we explained that God did not give Satan or his demons the power to heal human beings. In this Q&A, we want to explain "miraculous healings," "caused" by Satan, which, upon further scrutiny, prove to be not true healings at all.

In our free booklet, "Angels, Demons and the Spirit World," we wrote the following in Part 2, "The World of Demons," on pages 42-44, 51:

Q: Can Satan heal?

The short answer is: Absolutely not. We will explain the reason for this conclusion in this and the next Q&A.

It is important to fully understand  that Satan and his demons, as well as God's holy angels, are not all-powerful. They can only do what God allows them to do. Even in the spiritual created realm, God has placed limitations, as far as power, authority and ability are concerned.

One example is when Gabriel appeared to Daniel to deliver to him a message from God. Gabriel struggled for three weeks to get past the prince of the kingdom of Persia, a very powerful demon. When the archangel Michael came to help, Gabriel was able to free himself from the demon and to reach Daniel. We read in Daniel 10:10-13, 20-21:

Q: Should all of God's ministers forgo employment with the Church and refuse to accept any monetary support from the Church?

In our last Q&A, we wrote:

"Paul, in bringing the gospel to the Thessalonians, worked: '…nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us' (2 Thessalonians 3:8-9)."

Does this mean that God's true ministers, in following the perceived example of Paul, must not seek employment with the Church of God and that they must not seek to be remunerated or otherwise recompensed by the Church for their services?

This is not what Paul is stating in 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9; nor is it what was implied in our Q&A.

Q: Acts 2:44 describes the beginning of the Church of God, and it states that everyone “had all things in common.” How does this apply, today?

As other Scriptures show, this event was unique to that time in the building of the Church of God; however, this example also reveals the type of commitment that may be needed when the necessity arises.

The context of this account happened surrounding the Day of Pentecost and then the immediate period of time subsequent—perhaps several weeks and months.

Let’s first take a look at the account as recorded in Acts 2:42-47:

Q: Please explain the passage in Habakkuk 1:5

Even though most scholars feel that the prophet Habakkuk ministered during the "death throes" of the ancient nation of Judah--just prior to their Babylonian captivity--nothing is known about the prophet, including his age or his family.

It is clear, however, that Habakkuk's writings are not limited to the time of ancient Judah. Rather, the book of Habakkuk is a prophecy about our times today. For instance, we read in Habakkuk 2:1-3:

Q: Did the Father really forsake Christ?

When Jesus was dying a terrible death on the cross, He cried out, just before He died, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). Did He really mean it? Did the Father forsake Him at that moment? If so, why? And if not, why would Jesus have uttered those words?

Some, not understanding the significance and deep meaning of Christ's words, say that He just shouted out these words to fulfill a prophecy from Psalm 22:1. They contend that Jesus repeated the words written down by David in the Old Testament, just to show that He was the Messiah.

Q: Does God suffer because of man?

Even though this might be difficult for us to understand, God does indeed suffer and experience mental pain when He sees that we suffer. Every loving father or brother would feel mental anguish when he observes that his children or brethren suffer innocently or because they go the wrong way and inflict pain upon themselves as a consequence. Even more so, God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son--the firstborn among many brethren--suffer when they see that we experience pain and anguish and despair.

Q: Was the harlot Rahab, mentioned in the book of Joshua, the same person who is mentioned in Matthew 1:5, as being an ancestor of Jesus Christ?

 The answer is yes. She was that very same person. And this is significant, as we will see.

To begin with, we should mention that Christ's genealogy, as set forth in Matthew 1:1-17, is different, to an extent, from the genealogy as set forth in Luke 3:23-38. The reason is that the genealogy in Matthew "is traced through Joseph, Jesus' legal (though not natural) father, and it establishes His claim and right to the throne of David (1:6). The genealogy in Luke 3:23-38 is evidently that of Mary..." (compare Ryrie Study Bible).