Who Do We Think We Are?
2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Speculations and Lofty Things… I sometimes have to giggle at myself when I put on my “It’s All About Me” self and look into my magical mirror.
“How did I get so perfect?” Perfect enough to see all of the flaws I DO NOT have! But, then again, I’m looking for YOUR flaws to compare with my flawlessness.
Paul knew this about me… 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, He knew it about all humans – even the important ones… or by any human court; He especially knew it about himself… in fact, I do not even examine myself.
I don’t always giggle… because,”BOY!HEH!”, I can STILL be seriously excellent at KNOWING IT ALL! For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted;
Speculations and Lofty Things… Who DO we think we are?
Psychologists would probably diagnose me as having a Narcissistic (an excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one’s physical appearance – according to dictionary) Personality. As, I believe most of us in this world today would deserve the same diagnosis.
When Jesus came into my life, He diagnosed my problem as the same SIN nature as and from those whom I inherited it, Adam and Eve. Sin, the core and basis of all narcissism… Lust of the flesh… Lust of the eyes… Pride of Life… (When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate (Genesis 3:6-8). Adam and Eve, the first man/woman created represented all men/women/children to come. They were the first from whom all the rest of us descended. They were the prototype.
Adam and Eve, who had access and full permission to enjoy the perfect garden that existed to abundantly sustain all of creation, chose to eat from from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and their eyes were open. One of only two trees that were NOT to be consumed by humans… the Tree of Life (eternal life) and the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil (God and false god – i.e Satan – an angel who decided he could be God).
Well, we might ask, “WHY WERE THESE TREES THERE, if we weren’t suppose to enjoy them?” Why tempt us poor little innocent victims? If something is so dangerous for someone you claim to love, why would God allow it in His kingdom? I’m just saying… maybe judging God a little????? Because I certainly WON”T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE for just weeds in HIS garden!
Who do we think we are?
Interestingly enough, before Eve considered disobeying the rules of Paradise, Satan led them to question the goodness of God and lied to them about the consequences of choosing to make up their own rules.
Hello… I was wondering… Genesis 2:1-3:5 “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
He said/she said… The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”
!!SURELY not… The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing (note that this isn’t just knowing about – this is being fully aware of who, what, where, when, how, why – in other words – knowing = in control of) good and evil.”
Just one little apple… the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise
Who wouldn’t want to be all they could be? She took from its fruit and ate. She never intended to make Satan her god or replace her Creator God, she just wanted her full share of the god-pie with a little help from her partner – Adam.
And thus, mankind’s nature changed from God-centered to ME-centered and the world no longer had The Perfect and His Perfect Image Bearers, to sustain and care for it.
The world is now in the hands of Satan to seek, kill, and destroy, God’s now IMPERFECT image bearers who falsely believe we still hold the keys (knowledge is power) to the kingdom.
Knowledge is power…They KNEW God! They knew God in ways you and I can only imagine. They walked with Him… and talked with Him. They learned from Him and ruled His creation with Him. They had full access and full permission to enjoy all the fruits of God’s Paradise EXCEPT for two trees, both of which were they were fully informed/trained/warned about. They were created in the IMAGE OF GOD (just as we are) and given the gift that no other creature (not even the angels) was given – the gift of FREE WILL… the ability to decide and choose the path and therefore whom we wish to follow (i.e. love and cherish).
True, before their sin they did not “know” evil. They did not know evil hated them. They did not intimately know the difference between good and evil. They did not know the consequences of being spiritually separated from the The Image they bear.
They did not know they would no longer be able to go out and come in… the keys to God’s Kingdom remain with God.
Adam and Eve found out who they were, apart from the goodness of The Perfect… the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked (no place to keep the keys)… they hid, rather than seeking Their Perfect God, they attempted to excuse (the woman YOU gave me!), cover themselves (with vegetation), and bully (he/she DID IT!) their way back into their former position of royalty in creation.
Who do we think we are?
Do we think WE ARE NAKED! We will one day be clothed again in perfection but until that day, along with the image of God, we bear the imperfection that still chooses wrongly. The perfect gift of free will, groans within us as we battle against an enemy who wishes to steal, kill and destroy us. Though God had EVERY RIGHT to revoke our ability and freedom to choose between good and evil (for that really is the only choice), He did not. He still willingly allows us to CHOOSE whom we love and therefor whom we serve.
Whom we serve and love is the essence of who we are. NOT who we THINK we are, but WHO WE ARE.
Choose you this day whom you will serve… Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Until heaven comes… take every thought captive… if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
Who Do I Think I Am?
This one thing I know take every thought captive to it…
As long as I remain hidden in Christ, I am no longer naked!
Still imperfect… but… not naked!
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.