... you don't feel Thomas is coming across himself, as very sure of himself?
Thomas is grounded in his tradition, so if he is sure, it is because of his infinite respect for the luminous insight and wisdom of his elders.
Yours to prove, chum...
For one Thomas, it was a different "slime", and Earth, and a different environment.
That's based on what? I see no evidence for it ...
For another, you haven't checked the scripture to see that Paradise is a timeless situation, which Adam lived in pre fall?
Actually I have. The original is 'garden', not 'paradise', and Eden is 'a plain', it's a generic term. However, the garden is an
earthly paradise, not a heavenly one, as the text is quite explicit in that regard, it is quite distinct from heaven, Scripture makes that point on numerous occasions.
(Genesis 1 is the creation seen hierarchically, from above to below. Genesis 2 is the same creation viewed horizontally, from the vertical axis outward on the horizontal plane.)
But not to detract from the garden or, indeed, the creation (as dualists 'spirit v matter' tends to do), God saw His creation and, on every day, saw that it was "good", indeed in its completion, "very good". It is perfect and paradisical
in its own realm, that's the distinction.
I have expressed elsewhere that a non-Hebrew dualism is influenced by Greek thought, whereas the Hebrew account is more holistic.
In 1 Corinthians St. Paul refers to Adam as, "the first man", with respect to Jesus as the, "Last man"?
Doesn't infer anything to you about Adam?
Yes. St Paul sees Adam as "a living soul" (
psyche); and Christ, the last Adam, a quickening spirit (
pneuma)." (1 Corinthians 15:45) So the first Adam is a soul, who by Grace 'walked in the presence of God' – as God is present everywhere, we should say 'walked in the awareness of ...' and indeed discoursed with. Then Adam transgressed, and that Grace was withdrawn. Adam our father is then a soul, as we are souls, but the last Adam, of whom Jesus is the father (as it were) is the 'spiritualised soul', a state in fact more perfect, if such was possible, that the original Adam. I say this because what God 'makes anew' (cf Revelations 21:5), He makes better ...
Jesus, in Luke 23:43 tells the repentant thief next to Him on the cross, that this same day "you will be with Me in Paradise".
Yes. Heaven, not earth.
Again, showing you that Paradise is a timeless situation, Thomas.
I don't dispute that. What I do dispute is your assumption that the earthly paradise is the same as the heavenly. It isn't, were they the same, there would be no distinction.
Then, perhaps explain how Adam lived for nearly a thousand years after the Fall?
There are a number of possible explanations.
Seeing there was no death, telling us that originally there was no decay, or disease, etc.)
Well, that's what we read into it, that's not what the text says.
Hey, nobody"'s trying to force you to believe the greater Truth, if you're not interested.
I just don't believe what you believe, although I understand how the error arises.