the apple concept

A: The Apple Concept is an understanding that behind my human choices and sins, the things that separate me from "who" God intended me to be, is an underlying sense of worthlessness, an inner feeling of not enough -- and a belief that "this __________ will make me better."

"This" is uniqe to each person and can be a powerful career, a beautiful home, an acceptable image, etc...

 

---

Q: Is the lie of not enough really a lie? I thought we had to recognize we are not enough without Jesus in order to be "saved." 

A: Making this point clear is the goal of the Apple Concept and our hope as authors. We NEED Jesus because, in believing the lie, we sin and fall short of God's intention for our lives. He is the remedy, the atonment for our sin. No one escapes the inevitable sin-cycle since we are born into a broken world where the lie of not enough is predominantly believed and practiced. However, a distinction should be made between our NEED for God to save us and our WORTH to Him. The Apple Concept makes this distiction and shows how Jesus' death and resurrection represents both sides of the message, paying the penalty for our sin and proving we have worth to our Father in heaven! Jesus did not die to save worthless people, and although we need Him and live for Him, Jesus death should also show us our worth in His eyes. Break the cycle of worthlessness and receive God's love.

 

---

 Q: Is the Apple Concept something new?

A: The presentation is new. The examples used to communicate the point are new, but this is the intended message of Jesus. God is unchanging and never wavers in truth. People's misinterpretations have distorted those truths. The Apple Concept makes faith applicable in our everyday lives by showing how we fail to see our choices as choices – and how we fail to recognize some of those choices as sin. The idea of sharing insights story-style as they were learned, rather than writing a how-to or some other more familiar style of book is also new. 

 

---

Q: Will people become selfish if they learn The Apple Concept?

A: Without understanding who we are, we resort to doing what is expected or demanded or even refuse to do anything at all. These behaviors are selfish, as we seek to find validation or value through external sources. We are being self-serving by expecting our relationships, jobs, homes, appearances, etc... to supply us with a sense of worth. When we come to understand that we are created by God, valued and loved -- we look within to find the value God has placed there. So, it is actually selfish to live any way other than obeying God by being the individual He created you to be! Showing who we really are is often difficult because it requires us to stand against certain family, societal, religious, or cultural molds as our lives become unique expressions of worship to the One who made us, but it is also where true beauty, real fulfillment, and honest relationships thrive and prosper!  

 

---

Q: I've always been told that original sin was pride – is this something else?
A: The Apple Concept explains the motivation preceding Eve’s choice to disobey God. Thinking she knew what would make her better was prideful – but before she could be tempted by something to make her better, she had to believe she NEEDED to be better. The Apple Concept goes beyond explaining what Eve did and tells why she did it. We can apply this to our lives today and begin to choose life, light, obedience, and love. It helps us understand why Jesus needed to come and what he provided for us.
 

Q: Why are there no direct scripture references in The Apple You Were Fed? 

A: We infused the idea of certain verses into the story to communicate the point of those verses without the feeling of proof text – textbook, preaching. It is more of a conversation. Because of the wealth of Bible knowledge of our Christian brothers and sisters, certain verses sometimes trigger automatic thought patterns. We avoided those auto pilot reactions by presenting the verses from other angles and common conversation.

For personal questions directed to Kimberly and Andrea in relation to the book and readers, visit the Newsletter. Thanks!  

Submit your questions and comments on the Contact Us Page  or via Email: theappleyouwerefed@gmail.com