Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is not that those who believe in Christ will go to the spirit realm; it is, rather, that the Life of Christ has come from Heaven so all of the sin, corruption, and death may be driven from the material creation.

Christ came to save the physical world.

Let us think about eternal life—that which proceeds from partaking of the tree of life. Perhaps the "tree of life" is a symbolic portrayal of Christ Himself. We gain eternal life by eating the flesh of Christ and drinking His blood. There is no other source of eternal life (John 6:54,58).

The expression eternal life does not refer to endless existence in the spirit realm. All spirits have endless existence. Adam and Eve were denied access to the tree of life, yet we know that they exist in the realm of spirits to the present moment. They are not dead in the sense of being nonexistent. They, like all other deceased persons, are awaiting the Day of Judgment.

The demons have endless spiritual existence but no demon possesses eternal life.

The Lord Jesus stated that if we would eat of His body and drink His blood we would live forever.

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:58)

The "fathers" ate manna and are dead physically. It follows that they who eat of Christ will live forever physically.

Adam and Eve died a double death when they sinned. They were alienated from the Presence of God, and corruption and death entered their physical bodies. After many centuries their bodies withered and died. If they had eaten of the tree of life they would be alive today in their physical bodies whether or not they had become reconciled to God.

In His love, God would not permit Adam and Eve to gain immortal life in their bodies. They now knew good and evil and were alienated from God. They had no sin offering to make an atonement for their sin, and they did not have the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit in them to enable them to choose the good and reject the evil.

The Lord God did not wish to doom Adam and Eve as immortal sinners, as is true of Satan and the angels who followed him. God knew that at a later date He would create Christ in human beings so they always would be able to choose the good and reject the evil. Therefore God caused Adam and Eve to lose their bodies. Their bodies returned to the dust in the hope that one day they can receive back their bodies and be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:20,21).

Perhaps Adam and Eve through Christ will be forgiven and gain access to the tree of life. If they do they will receive eternal life into their personalities. The Divine Life of God will touch their spirits. Then their bodies will be raised from the dead and made alive forever.

To be continued.