To Christians who aren't creationists

[Drich]

The text does not exclude this interpretation.

Actually it does in the passage I left for you. God told Adam He may eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of Knowledge. The tree of life was included in that grouping. I also left a passage describing what the fruit of that tree does.

I don’t see it as very compelling, though. Most likely because I’m an adoptionist and the original sin/penal substitution dynamic is not a part of my theology. So it’s not important to me whether its literal or not.

That is the beautiful thing about all of it. This account does not have to "appeal or compel" anyone aside from those looking to assimilate the two accounts of Origins as they have been stated.

It seems to me that your approach supports the doctrine or penal substitution, but I am curious how a literal interpretation informs your life. I understand the Reformed position that because of sin, people die, and need to appease the wrath of the Father. That means the message of the Adam and Eve story is not to disobey God, which seems pretty basic and not very helpful.

How is this adaptation of creation helpful to me, as a Christian?
As a Christian I must accept and incorporate all that Christ says into my Christian faith. Christ points to the story of Adam and Eve as an actual literal event. Therefore as a Christian, I am obligated to not only take the literal interpretation of Genesis. I also have to account for the fossil record.

In an allegorical interpretation I see that when we look to our own sense perceptions for spiritual knowledge (symbolized by the tree) and confirm (eating to make part of self) the resulting thoughts into our behavior (the fruit) then we are led astray. That seems to be a much richer and useful message.

That's just it. For me and my station it is not my responsibility to reinterpret anything. Christ said it was real, now it is up to me to accept it and make it work in my life.

This is my understanding of Christianity and this is what I am bound to. If you have loosed yourself from this understanding of the faith and bound yourself to another then know you are responsiable for it.