An Ironic Twist

June 5

Read: 2 Peter 1:4, Genesis 3:1-7

An Ironic Twist

“…For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” - The Devil (Genesis 3:5)

Adam and Eve did not think that they were going to replace YHWH - God Most High… I do not believe they ate from the tree expecting to become like Him. Quite the contrary though, I do believe they thought that they could become like the cunning and shining one that was standing before them and tempting them… the devil himself.  The confusion across translations comes from the word (transliterated) “Elohim”. This is the word used by the devil in Gen. 3:5. It is a word that is translated as both “God” as well as “gods”. (It is actually a plural word in Hebrew.) So the Devil’s temptation is making the claim that God was withholding from Adam and Eve the opportunity to become an elohim like him. If you read Ezekiel 28, you will see how tempting that must have been because the “cunning and shiny one” that stood before them was quite impressive.

Herein lies the irony: God’s plan and desire has always been to make us like him. To put it more pointedly; God’s purpose and will has always been to make us “partakers of his divine nature”… to indeed transform us into ones who are like “gods”… like elohim. This is verbatim from 2 Peter:

“…he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:4)

We will indeed become LIKE CHRIST…Become LIKE GOD… this is the Lord’s plan for his children:

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Rom. 8:29)

“Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Cor. 15:49)

“…and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph.4:24)

“Beloved, we are God 's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

The problem is not longing to be “like gods” - that is actually God’s plan for Adam and Eve / for his children all along. The problem is that the Devil tempts Adam and Eve to take matters into their own hands. Transformation into God’s likeness comes about by OBEDIENCE to him, never through disobedience. So often the “sin” of Adam and Eve is painted as megalomania - the desire to become God Most High when in fact the greater issue is not trusting God’s process of bringing about that very thing they long for. God’s goal in making us “image bearers” is that we would truly rule with Jesus, like Jesus, and for Jesus. In fact, the scriptures teach that one day the children of God will even rule over the angels - those very same spiritual beings that the devil seeks to rule over and is one of:

“Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!” (1 Cor. 6:3, see also 2 Tim. 2:12, Dan. 7:27, Rev. 3:21, etc.)

I bet this is what the Devil was trying to sidetrack and avoid… he could not stand the idea that these “image-bearing” humans would be granted such a place with God! Traditionally in the Church, this is called Theosis - the transformation into Christ’s likeness. Some people may call it sanctification , but I find that word seems to conjure up primarily pictures of being “nice” or “good”… and not really the full picture of what God is doing. Either way - God’s plan is to transform his people into his likeness and make them partakers of his divine nature. God’s plan is to give Adam and Eve what they longed for… but only through obedience to him in his timing! God is transforming you now … today… as one of his children… into the likeness of Christ. May we trust him in this process! May we not “take matters into our own hands”. And when the Devil tries to convince us to circumvent God’s plans… may we stand firm. This is our destiny and purpose as the children of God. Love you guys. - JDP