Weekly Devotional 1-6-25 Only Man
Of all creations only man was created in God’s image; “ 26 Then God said, ‘Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and]let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.’ 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis1:26-27).
Much has been written about man being so created but, it is not the purpose of this devotional to consider those writings. Our purpose is to ask and answer this question; “How could man, created in God’s image, after His likeness, become so evil? The short answer is man became other than he was created. When tempted by Satan to become like God Adam and Eve fell into sin and rejected God’s authority over them. He had imposed only one prohibition; they were not to take of the forbidden fruit (Genesis. 2:15-17). Taking the forbidden fruit would open their eyes to a whole new experience of life. They would be as wise as God, or so they were told. That, however. was not the result. Instead of being wise like God, they became unwise in their thoughts. Instead of experiencing God as they had they were now distanced from Him. They in fact tried to hide themselves from Him (Genesis 3:8). Upon taking the forbidden fruit they became motivated by new desires. Instead of worshipping God they now were overtaken by pride, lying tongues, hearts bent on wicked schemes and a readiness to do evil. All of these traits were mani-fest in their son Cain when he rose up against Abel, his brother and killed him (Genesis 4:1-10).
Such hatred and vitriol was not exclusive to Cain for we read from Genesis 6:1-5 “1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Moving ahead to the Testament we read from Galatians 5:19-21 “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
From these passages then we learn that man (Represented by Adam-man’s federal head) was not created this way. He was created with righteousness, in the image of God, but he certainly became other than he was created. Did this take God by surprise? No, because we read from Revelation 13:8b that the Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) was slain from the foundation of the world that some of man (some persons) would be reunited with God through His propitiation. John 3:14-18 puts it this way: 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that just as Moses was instructed to create a bronze snake and place it on an erected pole for the salvation of those who had bitten by poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:8-9), He must also be lifted up for the salvation of those whom would recognize that they were sinners in need of divine inter-vention for their salvation.
God always had man in mind, man’s fall, and His restoration of man to a righteous state. To a state where fellowship could exist between them once again. Paul addressed this in his letter to the Ephesians. Consider chapter 2 verse 1-10 of that letter………….
“1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
All of mankind, Jew and Gentile because of sin are dead toward God until God moves on their behalf, restoring them to spiritual life. It is by grace that the evilness of man is over-come. Thankyou Father, Son, and holy Spirit.
Steve
stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man