Concerning general knowledge of god’ moral law. Do you think that it equates to conscience? Is there a higher law to conscience? I am a little unsure of how god would be able to hold one responsible to a general law. I wonder what would have been the incentive for Adam and Eve to obey God’s command unless consequences were not in place for them to view as an example. Suppose I told you that in the day that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die. How would you conceive death’s meaning? Where’s the example? If people are given a general revelation of god from nature then nature can only be an immature command. I think however there is allot of weight that can be attributed to the (my calling this immature) natural world to back up this original command, if it is viewed in its raw circumstances. So allot can be said about the natural world of death and decay being displayed before their eyes so that they would have no excuse about what it means to die. Death serves a useful purpose then in warning us of our own mortality. Death serves more purposes by bringing us into existential questioning about our own mortality. This I perceive as a good thing. So in our first parents case how would they understand their own mortality. They would need a more complete understanding and so to be sure they did not misconceive of the consequences of disobedience. Is then the natural world different from the law of grace in its explaining the fullness of truth? I think so. But in the absence of special revelation I see Paul saying that people would still be in good hands in obeying a general law of revelation. If that revelation is only in part then we have nature to guide us. The problems associated with partial revelation after the resurrection is that it leaves out large societies of peoples throughout the world who did not know of this special revelation after christ's death up until the colonizing of the Americas not to mention those before christ's death So the conscience is of more value than we might understand. If it becomes a law unto itself to one person then it must be verified to be true to all persons within the group in which that person resides. But now we have a more complete revelation. And this revelation is apparently has a particular procedure. It seems to me that when I look on how the gospel is preached in the text it shows the Spirit at work convicting people of sin and convincing people of the truth. The bible says we who are dead in trespasses and sins are unable to come to god unless he draws us. This is the anthropomorphical idea. The doctrinal idea would be that of His Sovereign will to save us. This leaves out our meriting any grace. So faith must come into play on our part and it must not be a work per se. This seems to work even without the second covenant. We might expect a Mesoamerican Indian who lived one thousand years ago explaining saving faith to another using the general revelation thereby exhibiting faith in a transcendent being.

It is not God's Will that saves us...it is our own.

God came to this world as a man to show us the Truth, to transcend the grave, open the Way to Heaven and begin His Church. Before then there was no Way to God.
Christianity is God's Church on Earth. Once you fully accept Christ and understand what it means to be Saved, you are.
He made it easy for us because He wants us all to be with Him. Still we manage to deny Him.
So sad.

Christ showed us that death is not the end. We are made in God's image and that part of us transcends death.

Coming to terms with one's mortality is like you said an existential event. I realized that 25 years ago(I am 68 now) and have come to terms with it. For one who is young a day is like a penny. For some one like me each day is like a golden coin.

YES I agree. But what are the important existential questions that one must come to terms with beyond the grave? Are there any?

Let's assume that there is spiritual life after death. Since we live in the here and now then it is our responsibility to do our best to assure that we have a good afterlife.

The best way in my opinion comes from Christ's parable about the Good Samaritan. Actions speak louder than words.

Also did not Jesus say take up your cross and follow me? That means that all of us have to carry our own weight.

The last Day of Judgement we will experience an existential moment of the most profound nature. It is the most critical time for all eternity. If we follow the example of the good Samaritan and willing to carry our own wieght we will be added to the book of eternal life. If not we will be cast into eternal oblivion which is death.

Our will is thoroughly depraved; we are selfish creatures. If we believe in the salvation of God in Christ because we want to save ourselves from hell, our motives are selfish and do not impress our righteous creator. Jesus said he who desires to save his life (soul) will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt 16:25) God will judge the motives of our hearts, not our behavior, per se. If we give all our wealth to the poor, with the intent to gain God's favor, we just demonstrate our self-centeredness to him, and he calls that sin. When Christians start thinking they are better in God's eyes than non-believers, they have missed the whole point of salvation through grace. Grace begins when we realize the only thing we can say to God in righteousness is "Thank you!". But even this attitude must come from the realization that we not only are unworthy, but that there is nothing we can do to become worthy. We are totally at God's mercy, as is everyone else who has ever lived. (Romans 9) Do you thank God for your faith, or is it your own faith that will save you? Do you ever ask God to show you your sinfulness, or are you above sin? In my own heart, I can only see God's light in contrast to my own darkness; but if I'm not willing to search out my own darkness, then I will see my darkness as light, and hypocrisy will rule my heart. But the more aware I am of sin working in me, by contrast I will be able to better understand the difference between sin and righteousness.
Jesus taught us that sin was a condition of the heart first, and behavior second. We are not sinful because we commit sin, but rather we commit sin because we are sinful.
May God have mercy on us all, for we are sinful flesh. Those who are not afraid to face their own darkness, but rather trust the Blood of Christ for salvation, are true harvesters.
www.theevolutionofman.org

Only the love in our hearts for our fellow man will survive the grave. The more we give ourselves to others in this life, the more life we have after death. I believe the death of our boby is God's final judgement on our sin. We lose our sin, like the shedding of a cocoon, through the death of our flesh.
Were it not for the fear of death, Life would shourely lose some glamour.
We are here to differentiate from our source, as His Bride. After a period of necessarily choosing our own path so we birth as a new Life, which happens through death, we suddenly are born into a reality we have been creating all our earthly lives!

Our personal faith is not a gift or a work per se but an essential necessity in our cooperation with the spirit of god in our election as saints into the body. To say we are totally depraved is a misnomer which many mistakenly have read into the reformers tenants of faith. It should be understood that when the term total depravity is described is rather means that we are totally depraved in all the aspects of our nature but not totally depraved in each. If our wills to make a moral choice were totally dependent on God's will then we would no longer be free moral agents. This latter understanding has been adopted by Calvinists and others who agree that God has determined all things before the creation of the world and believe that we are unable to make a decision to accept the gospel. However, those who say we are dead in trespasses and sins have missed the mark! We may be dead in trespasses and sins but WE ARE NOT UNCONSCIOUS! We still have the use of our wills as they have not been lost in the fall by our first parents.. Are we to think god does not require us to live upright and moral lives? The bible says in many ways and in many places that we all will give an account of our moral choices > 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat ...
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or.

Are we to be worthy of our high calling? And he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38

Are we to make an effort for our salvation? Luke 13:24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door ...
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, an

Are we not called to overcome?
"He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. Revelation 21:7

Are we unable to work out our salvation by exercising our wills to do his will?
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. ... Jonah 3:10

Is faith alone in our Christian walk?
In James it says, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone," (and " . . . so also faith without works is dead," James 2:24)

... Below I have listed the première text that outlines the moral freewill choices many have made to come to God by faith as they worked with god as partners in his plan of salvation.
HEBREWS Chapter 11 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Note
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Have you not read the following:

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (New International Version)

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[a]

This passage says it all concerning our physical bodies that like Christ body we will be raised in newness of life and glorified like His body.

Remember that there is a resurrection in the future and like Mary's respone to Jesus in John she verifies that indeed her brothers body will be raised and reunited with his spirit.
John 11:20-30 (English Standard Version)
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.

DOES DEATH SERVE A USEFUL PURPOSE? Yes, it does; ABSOLUTE FREEDOM.