A Definition Of Death

Death, as defined by logic and science, is the irreversible cessation of all vital functions, particularly marked by the permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity. However, the concept of death discussed in Genesis 2:17 seems to extend beyond physical mortality. When God warns against eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, stating, "for when you eat from it, you will certainly die," it raises questions about the nature of this death.  While the initial interpretation might suggest physical death, further examination reveals nuances. God mentions "On That Day" you will surely die, yet Adam continues to live physically for many years afterward. This challenges the assumption of Adam's inherent immortality before the fall. The mention of the Tree of Life introduces the possibility of physical immortality, a choice Adam could have made to eat from it and live forever in the physical realm.  Some argue that these elements are metaphorical, but adhering to God's description of a tangible tree and fruit can provide clarity. The mention of the Tree of Life suggests that physical immortality was an option for Adam, and God presented him with a choice.  As for what God defines as death, various interpretations exist. Some suggest the death of the spirit, but considering the immortality and indestructibility of the spirit as God's essence in humans, this seems implausible. The spirit, being akin to God's DNA within us, remains immortal and indestructible, even in the face of hell, as indicated in Revelation.  In Matthew 10:28, the distinction between body and soul is made, emphasizing that the soul cannot be killed by those who harm the body. However, it does not mention the destruction of the spirit, reinforcing the belief in its enduring nature.  Therefore, the concept of death in the biblical context extends beyond mere physicality, encompassing the potential for eternal separation from God or a choice for physical immortality through the Tree of Life. The immortality of the spirit remains a consistent theme throughout scripture, emphasizing its indestructible nature. 

Another Perspective 

Some suggest that, for God, a day is equivalent to 1000 years, and vice versa. While I agree with this perspective, an issue arises when examining the book of Genesis. After creating time, God establishes the definition of a day in Genesis 1:5, where He calls light "day" and darkness "night," with the occurrence of evening and morning marking the first day.  The question then arises: Did God lie when He said, "you will die on the same day" regarding the forbidden fruit? Certainly not; the challenge lies in our limited human perspective, which typically associates death solely with physical mortality. This perspective is rooted in our tendency to believe only what we can see, shaped by countless funerals and our brain's comprehension of physical death.  To understand what God meant by Adam dying on the same day, we must examine the events following the consumption of the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3:8-9. Their eyes were opened, revealing their nakedness, and they hid from the Lord. While this might suggest a sudden realization, it's crucial to delve into the meaning of the key word "realized."  "Realized" signifies becoming fully aware of something as a fact, understanding it clearly. This implies that, before this moment, Adam and Eve lacked clear awareness or knowledge of their nakedness. The knowledge of good and evil brought a shift in their consciousness, removing childlike innocence and introducing self-awareness.  Connecting the dots, the fruit bestowed the knowledge of good and evil, prompting the awareness of nakedness and the birth of "SELF" in humans for the first time. Adam, initially created as a fully grown adult with childlike innocence, experienced a transformation, introducing selfishness and the inherent flaw of human nature.  Adam's pre-fall state, marked by spiritual perception and a hybrid life, contrasts sharply with the post-fall reality. In a moment, the blanket of ignorance and selflessness was pulled away, revealing a new operating mode where his eyes were guided by the knowledge of good and evil. However, this still does not provide a clear answer to the notion of dying on the same day.

Another Perspective 

Some assert that Adam's death after the fall was losing access to the spiritual realm, but this is not accurate. Even post-fall, he maintained access to the spiritual realm, evident in his ability to see God again, given that God is Spirit (John 4:24). His capabilities remained intact, yet a significant shift occurred in his operating system, now influenced by the knowledge of good and evil, introducing the concept of operating from SELF, which was absent before the fall.  To delve into the essence of death, we look at Adam's initial response—covering himself with fig leaves. This action suggests self-reliance, a belief that he could fix everything independently, without needing God's assistance. This inclination resonates with the human tendency to approach God through personal efforts, a theme echoed throughout the Old Testament. However, the recurring message is that human actions alone cannot rectify our state, as we remain disconnected from our life source. Our fallen minds often hinder us from acknowledging our need for divine help, leading to the adoption of flawed traditions and rituals, leaving us in a state of profound despair with various manifestations of death. 
As for the efficacy of fig leaves as a solution, that remains a topic for another day. The subsequent significant action Adam took is directly tied to the concept of death—he hid from God. In other words, he chose to distance himself from God, driven by the guilt, shame, and fear instilled by the knowledge of good and evil. This fear prevented him from approaching God, and while his previous actions did not lead to death, this decision to separate himself from God resulted in death. As mentioned earlier, God presented Adam with choices, and now he chose to stay away from God due to fear and guilt.
According to God, death is the result of anything separating itself from its life source. For instance, water serves as the life source for all fishes, and the consequence of separating a fish from water manifests as its physical death. Similarly, the death discussed by God is an act of separation itself.  When Adam chose to separate himself from God in his mind, he experienced death. The manifestation of death is merely a consequence of this separation from the life source.  Another way to comprehend this concept is by examining the creation records in Genesis. God spoke to the source to bring forth life, directing the Earth to generate various land animals and speaking to the waters to bring forth creatures that inhabit them. Logically, God speaks to the source to bring life dependent on it. Thus, separating a fish from its source (water) results in death, just as placing land animals in water would lead to death. 
Now, observe closely whom God spoke to when creating humans: "Let us make human beings in our image." He spoke to Himself, using the phrase "Let us make," indicating a triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This trinity is evident from the very beginning:  "In the beginning God" - God the Father, "The Spirit of God was hovering" - Holy Spirit, "And God said, 'Let there be light'" - Word of God (Jesus).  Adam, by choosing to separate himself from his life source (the triune God), experienced death on the same day. The manifestation of death in the physical realm occurred as a consequence unfolding in time.
In my understanding of God our Father, if Adam had chosen to run to God and expressed remorse for disobedience instead of hiding, it could have altered the course of history. If God can forgive the entire mankind now, wouldn't He have forgiven Adam, His first human child, then? Certainly, He would have. However, God's plan surpasses our comprehension, though it is simple enough for us to grasp through the grace and wisdom He provides.  Every aspect has its own nature, and the nature of the knowledge of good and evil manifested fear, guilt, shame, eventually leading Adam to choose separation from God, resulting in death. While we often associate death solely with physical demise, it extends beyond that—physical death is the last visible manifestation stage of its course.  Anything lost when disconnected from one's life source is considered death, including lack, sickness, a corrupted mind, selfishness, stress, pride, shame, fear, and more. I rest my case here, hoping we've glimpsed the truth about death from God's perspective.  The good news is that we are no longer separated from our Father; we are reconciled with God through Jesus. When the Bible mentions repentance, it literally means changing the direction you're going, urging you to stop running away from your Father and turn back to Him as your life source. Until we reconnect with Him, whatever success, or wealth we amass in the physical realm renders us akin to a fish out of water. 
Even wealthy and successful individuals seek peace, sometimes opting for destructive avenues like drugs, religion, rituals, or suicide. The reason God took thousands of years to send Jesus and recorded so much history in the Bible or Torah is straightforward. After the Fall, God could only approach us through the knowledge of good and evil, necessitating real-time events as humans became beings who only believe what they see. It took thousands of years for humans to reach a point where they needed God, realizing that life without God is miserable, given the fallen belief that one can fix everything independently.  The delivery of information in text and stories is intentional, mirroring how humans accumulate knowledge. God provides us with a book to learn and accumulate the right knowledge, coupled with the Holy Spirit as a gift, offering wisdom and revelation to understand the singular truth—getting back to our Father is the only solution needed for all our problems. 

Why Jesus

There exists a profound reason why Jesus holds immense importance in the Bible. For centuries, one of the most entrenched beliefs has been our unworthiness to be in God's presence, considering ourselves too tainted. To break free from this stronghold, Jesus becomes indispensable. Without Jesus, and with our knowledge of good and evil alone, returning to our Father is deemed impossible. It is no wonder God emphasizes in John 14:6:  "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  The simplicity of this statement underscores the profound impact of the knowledge of good and evil on Adam. It led him to believe that God was angry and poised for punishment—a misconception that still plagues humanity. Today, as individuals influenced by the same knowledge, it is crucial to be unequivocally convinced that God loves us more than Himself. Through Jesus, we gain a deeper understanding of God's love, enabling us to approach Him with the endearing terms of "Abba father" or "daddy."  Jesus consistently advocated God as Father during his preaching, challenging the fearful beliefs ingrained in people—that God is holy, and we, as sinners, cannot enter His presence. Unfortunately, even today, many religious institutions operate from this limiting belief.  The significance of the veil being split at Jesus's death is symbolic. It signals that nothing hinders us from running to sit on our Father's lap. Jesus is the door, the way, and the truth. God desires our complete conviction, even stating the need to be "born again." This rebirth is not a physical or ritualistic transformation but an act of faith and belief, instilled through knowledge. It convinces our soul that we are new beings, empowering us to approach God.  Our Father exhausts all avenues to reassure us that we are perfectly able to return to Him. Every concern that holds us back has been addressed, providing the assurance we need to approach Him with confidence.    Returning to God is a simple process—understand Jesus to comprehend how much God loves you, follow His ways, and walk by faith, not by sight. By doing so, you will witness the tables turning, and one day, you will find yourself on your father's lap. It's as simple as that.  All you need to do now is believe that you are completely forgiven. There is no need to run away and hide; He is your own Dad, and He already resolved all issues when He declared, "IT IS FINISHED." Reconcile back to your life source and re-establish the relationship with your father. Stop believing that you are a sinner; God has already dealt with it. Run back to Him NOW. 

Conclusion

Before I conclude, consider that God himself possesses the knowledge of good and evil. There's nothing inherently wrong with having that type of knowledge, but God's way involves operating from an other-centered perspective. As a Father, His desire is for His children to emulate Him and do better things. While we received the knowledge of good and evil through Adam and operated from a self-centered approach, through Jesus, we learn to shift to an other-centered perspective. This shift is significant.  This is why scripture talks about renewing the mind is vital and it must be diligent.  Some people even angry on Adam as he ate the forbidden fruit,   No, do not harbor resentment towards Adam; it is all part of the great plan. Embrace the knowledge of good and evil as a fruit that facilitates this transformative shift.    For the sake of conversation, I often wonder about God creating Adam as a fully grown man. How did Adam relate to God without the organic growth process that babies like us experience? We, through time and events, organically build relationships and come to understand the love of our parents. Did Adam have a similar dynamic with God, or is the missing piece a deliberate aspect of God's plan, where the knowledge of good and evil becomes vital? This, in turn, raises the question if it's all part of God's overarching plan, because sometimes I ponder why He placed that tree in the middle of the garden—perhaps to ensure it was a daily reminder.  Additionally, why was the Lamb slain before creation? Could the great fall be within the divine plan? God's statement, "I know the end from the beginning," prompts further reflection. Does religion sometimes misrepresent this, suggesting God was surprised by Adam eating the fruit and that we are all doomed?  These questions regularly traverse my neural pathways, yet one certainty remains—I know God is a good and loving Father, and nothing detrimental originates from Him. Let's rejoice in this understanding.  I hope the broader perspective has been revealed to you, shedding light on how great and awesome our Father God truly is.