生命树的原则和善恶知识树的原则，可在全本圣经中看到。圣经中一切消极的事物都在知识树的线上，一切积极的事物都在生命树的线上。我称第一条线为知识线，第二条线为生命线。我们若顺着这两条线，就贯通全本圣经。
首先，人受引诱去吃知识树，结果人堕落了。堕落之人的后裔全然不倚靠神，他们依赖自己的知识。按照创世记第四章，人类发明了第一次的文化，这文化一直发展，直到变成挪亚时代败坏的世界。在挪亚的时候，神用洪水审判了地。挪亚的后裔成了另一个族类，但这族类仍旧不倚靠神。至终，人类出现了第二次的文化，就是竖立巴别塔和巴别城的文化。于是神呼召亚伯拉罕离开那堕落的族类。由此我们能看到这两条线的发展。严格的说，生命线是由堕落而蒙救赎的亚当开始，再继续经过亚伯、以诺、挪亚、亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各、和许多以色列人。在这条生命线上有挪亚的帐棚、亚伯拉罕的帐棚、帐幕和圣殿。知识线是由该隐开始，继续经过所有不敬虔的人。
在新约中我们看到同样的两条线。虽然旧约和律法原初是在生命线上，但是犹太宗教徒只把它们当作知识对待，将它们放在知识线上。法利赛人用知识的方法使用旧约。当主耶稣来时，那些宗教首领全都在知识线上，只有主耶稣自己是在生命线上。然后主把祂的门徒带到生命线上。在五旬节那天，祂的门徒把许多人带到生命线上。
你在那一条线上呢？生命线或是死亡线？要记得神是坦率不掩饰的。因为生命是神，所以生命也是坦率不掩饰的。相反的，死亡是诡秘的。死亡并不明白显出是死亡，乃显出是知识。生命就是生命，它的内容、性质、结果都是生命。死亡是知识。每一个人都喜欢知识，甚至连小孩子都渴望知识。他们一个问题接着一个问题，使我们疲倦。你若回答一个问题，他们的反应是多问几个。连许多基督徒都贪求知识。知识本身是一个好的辞，但是在知识的背后和下面，却是死亡。那字句杀死人，因为字句是知识。甚么时候圣经和活的神分开了，圣经的字句就杀死人。
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Two Principles & Tow Lines – 2 Cor. 3:6
The principle of the tree of life and the principle of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil can be seen throughout the entire Bible. All negative things in the Bible belong to the line of the tree of knowledge, while all positive things belong to the line of the tree of life. I call the first the line of knowledge, and the second the line of life. If we follow these two lines, we can trace through the entire Scripture.
First, man was tempted to eat from the tree of knowledge, and as a result, man fell. The descendants of fallen man did not depend on God at all; they relied on their own knowledge. According to Genesis 4, humanity invented the first culture, which continued to develop until it became the corrupt world of Noah’s time. In Noah’s time, God judged the earth with a flood. The descendants of Noah became a new race, but they still did not rely on God. Eventually, humanity developed a second culture, marked by the building of the Tower and City of Babel. Then God called Abraham out from that fallen race. From this, we can see the development of the two lines. Strictly speaking, the life line began with Adam who, though fallen, was redeemed. It then continued through Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and many of the people of Israel. On this line of life, we find Noah’s tent, Abraham’s tent, the tabernacle and the temple. The line of knowledge, on the other hand, began with Cain, and continued through all the ungodly people.
In the New Testament, we see the same two lines. Although the Old Testament and the Law were originally on the line of life, the Jewish religionists treated them merely as knowledge, placing them onto the line of knowledge. The Pharisees used the Old Testament in a knowledge-based way. When the Lord Jesus came, all the religious leaders were on the line of knowledge, only the Lord Himself was on the line of life. Then, the Lord brought His disciples onto the line of life. On the day of Pentecost, His disciples brought many onto the line of life.
Which line are you on – the line of life or death? Remember, God is open and unhidden. Because life is God, life is also open and unhidden. In contrast, death is secretive. Death does not openly appear as death — it appears as knowledge. Life is simply life — its content, nature and result are all life. Death is knowledge. Everyone loves knowledge, even little children long for knowledge. They ask one question after another until we grow weary. If you answer one question, they respond by asking even more. Even many Christians crave knowledge. The term “knowledge” itself sounds good, but behind and beneath knowledge is death. “The letter kills,” for the letter is knowledge. Whenever the Bible is separated from the living God, the letters kill.