As a man, “thinks in his heart, SO IS HE…” (Pro. 23:7)
When God created mankind He said, “LET US (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make man in OUR IMAGE, according to OUR LIKENESS; let them HAVE DOMINION OVER ALL the earth…“ (Gen. 1:26) Then God told them, “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE.” (Gen. 2:17)
The “Functional View” interprets the image, (tzelem) of God is where we ACT ON GOD’S BEHALF to represent God in the created order. “Now then, we are ambassadors (presbeuō: to act as a representative) for Christ…” (2 Corin. 5:20) “For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we HAVE THIS TREASURE (of Christ living in us) in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US.” (2 Corin. 4:6-7)
So, there are Adam and Eve CREATED IN THE IMAGE AND LIKNESS OF GOD, His AMBASSADORS with the treasure of God’s presence in their lives. Satan comes to them and says, “God told you that you could no eat of the “tree of Life” “Then the serpent said to the woman, “YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE. For God knows that in the day you eat of it YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4-5) But, wait, they were already created, “in God’s image and likeness.” (Gen. 1:26)
So, Satan had to CHANGE THE WAY EVE THOUGHT about all this, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, SHE TOOK OF ITS FRUIT AND ATE. She also GAVE TO HER HUSBAND with her, and HE ATE. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife HID THEMSELVES from the presence of the LORD…” (Gen. 3:6-8)
IN THESE LAST DAYS SATAN WANTS TO DIVERT OUR THOUGHTS AWAY FROM BIBLICAL TRUTH…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham