The Doctrine of Perfection
"You are Gods" (?) . . . Psa. 82:6
Can this be true? If not, why is it in scripture? Is it a reference to our potential? How can a man ever imagine that he can become God? Man is a physical life form with a very short life span. To become God would require unbelievable changes which suggests why most people would not believe it. Is there anything in scripture to support this?
Perfection
God is perfect (Mat. 5:48). Man is not. The differences would appear to be insurmountable. Some say that Christ did everything for us, so we don't have to worry about it. Are we expected to change? Is it even possible?
"Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat. 5:48).
"The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master." (Lk. 6:40).
"Finally brethren, . . . Be perfect, . . . and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
(2 Cor. 13:11).
"And he gave (gifts, v. 8) . . ." [e.g. the gift of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38, 8:20,10:45].
"For the perfecting of the saints, . . . "
"Until we all come . . . unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" (Eph. 4:11-13).
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
(2 Tim.3:16-17).
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; . . ." (Heb. 6:1).
We are expected to become perfect. According to Christ, perfect in the same way God is perfect (Mat. 5:48).
The Mind Of God
Men do not think like God. Even God says so. Are we expected to learn to think differently?
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: . . . For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:7-8).
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" (Phil. 4:5-6).
It would appear from man's literature and culture that perhaps man's highest thought is to be a spirit being with wings, something like an angel. Christ (who, when he was Christ, was a human) had thoughts much higher than that. When our children grow up (achieve "fullness of stature") they become our equals in strength and abilities but we are still the parents and they are still our sons and daughters. And the commandment that they honor us is still in effect. The Father will always be the Father. Christ will always be the Firstborn and the commandment to honor our Father will always be in effect.
Paul wrote about "the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. 3:15). This "hope" is of things not revealed by printed books or the voices of preachers or by human reasoning, but by the Holy Spirit.
"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside you, what he (God) has prepared for him that waits for (God)." (Isa. 64:4).
"But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.
But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things we also speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [See also Isa. 28:9-10.]
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:9-14).
There is understanding that comes by human reasoning. There is a more perfect understanding that comes by God's Holy Spirit. The difference is that the former considers the latter to be foolish.
It is a different way of thinking.
"But he that is spiritual(-ly minded, led by the spirit, Rom. 8:14) judges (discerns) all things, yet he himself is judged (discerned, understood) by no man.
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:15-16).
The man who is spiritually minded (actually led by the Holy Spirit, not just pretentious) understands spiritual truths, but those who do not have the Holy Spirit do not understand either the man or the truths. No man ever instructed the Eternal. But we have the mind of Christ, if we are being taught by God's Holy Spirit*. The first step involves being teachable. It means being led by God's spirit in place of being led by human reasoning. Human teachers will reason that doing that is foolish. There is a conflict between human reasoning and God's spirit which cannot be arbitrated.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom. 8:7).
Human reasoning has to yield, not to the human reasoning of others, but to God's spirit. Paul told us to have the "mind of Christ" not the "mind of another man".
[*We shall address the nature of God's Spirit and how it teaches us, separately.]
Physical and Spiritual Appearance
In Genesis, God ordained that every creature was to consistently and continually reproduce itself. Is God reproducing himself?
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good." (Gen. 1:24-25).
The word kind is from the Heb. miyn (4327), meaning a sort or species. Each species was to reproduce after its own sort or kind. What species are we?
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over (the earth and everything in it).
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:26-27).
The word image is from the Heb. tselem (6754), which means a shade or shadow, a resemblance. The word likeness is from the Heb. demuwth (1823), which also means resemblance or likeness.
God created us so that we already look like him.
We are physical and therefore temporary. God is spirit and eternal. He is greater than we are. We are a shadow of him, a shadow of what we are to become. We shall change from physical to spirit but our image will remain the same, that of our Father.
" . . . for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return." (Gen. 3:19).
"For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place . . ." (Isa.57:15).
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (Jn. 3:6).
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And he (Christ) said unto him, . . . if you will enter into life, keep the commandments." (Mat. 19:16).
" . . . God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:" (Rom. 2:5-7).
". . . we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Phil. 3:20-21).
When Christ was human, he looked just like everyone else around him. So much so that Judas had to physically point him out to the "chief priests and elders" (Mat. 26:47-50).
As a human, he asked the Father for a "glorified" body.
Christ prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was." (Jn. 17:5).
Christ was "glorified" after his resurrection. If we are to look like him, will we also have this "glorified" appearance?
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is." (1 Jn. 3:2).
A Glorified Appearance
John experienced a vision of Christ in all his glory.
". . . I saw . . . one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and (wearing a gold vest). His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters."
". . . and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength."
". . . and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that lives and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen: . . ." (Rev. 1:12-18).
"His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns . . . And he was clothed with a vest . . ." (Rev.19:12-13).
"And he showed me . . . the throne of God and the Lamb . . . And they (those who serve God) shall see his face; . . ." (Rev. 22:1-4).
David wrote, "As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness." (Psa. 17:15).
"But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you." (1 Pet.5:10).
"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory." (Col. 3:4).
"Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; . . . " (1 Tim.6:16), in other words, a brilliance which physical humans cannot approach.
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (like us) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: . . ." (Heb. 2:9-11).
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is." (1 Jn. 3:2).
According to these scriptures we shall have the same glory and appearance as Christ.
The Nature of God
Will we have the same nature as Christ and our Father? Is that different from our present or former nature?
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Pet. 1:4).
"Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Eph. 2:3).
[Some seem think of the Old Testament as primarily the story of a God preoccupied with either threatening or executing wrath upon humans. This negative view is a reverse of the true picture. The Old Testament is a story of a God who so loved humanity that he was willing to give up his only begotten son so that all humanity could have eternal life (Jn. 3:16) but who was continually provoked (Deu. 9:7) by his "children" who obeyed their human "nature" rather than God and who exercised "wrath" upon each other (Gen. 6:5-6).]
So we currently have "human nature" which needs to be replaced by "divine nature".
The Greek word translated here as nature is phusis (5449) which means growth, by germination or expansion, also native disposition and by extension, a genus, sort or kind. The Latin genus, for kind or class, is the equivalent of the Greek genos which means race or family. Genos comes from the Sanskrit word jan, to beget. A species is a class of individuals having some common characteristics or qualities.
Genus and species are words humans use to separate and classify plants and animals within groups called families. Classification is the process of grouping together those beings or things which most closely resemble each other.
Genesis 1 (discussed above) shows that we resemble God.
Eph. 3:14-15 shows that we are members of God's family.
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," (Eph. 3:14-15).
To Abraham and his descendants, the Hebrews, the word "name" meant more than just a label or an appellative. When God sent Moses back into Egypt to lead Israel out, Moses asked him a question.
"And Moses said unto God, . . . when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers has sent me unto you; (and they ask) What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
. . . and he said, Thus shall you say unto them children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you." (Ex. 3:13-14).
Instead of responding to Moses with something like, "Tell them, Joe sent me.", he uses a form of the "be" verb, saying, "Tell them, 'I Am' has sent me."
He uses his "nature" of "self-existence" and "eternalness" as his name which had a great immediate significance in view of what he was about to accomplish through Moses.
Throughout scripture God uses his name and his nature or attributes interchangeably (Ex. 34:14). To him they are the same. When human names are or become inaccurate, God changes them, e.g. Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, and Jacob/Israel. See also Isa. 62:1-4.
This helps us to understand that when we are baptized in or into "the name of Jesus Christ", we are not being symbolically reborn or rebirthed into a word but into a new nature, the nature of Christ and of his Father.
The "new name" of Rev.3:12, doesn't necessarily mean that you will be no longer called "Larry", "Moe", or "Shirley", but it does show that you will have a new nature, the nature of God your Father.
The Name Of God
Will we share the name of God?
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," (Eph. 3:14-15).
"Him that overcomes, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Rev. 3:12).
Will we share the name of the Son of God?
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14).
"For the earnest expectation of the (creation) waits for the manifestation of the sons of God." (Rom. 8:19).
"For it became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Heb. 2:10).
"He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I shall be his God, and he shall be my son." (Rev. 21:7).
"Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: . . . Beloved, now are we the sons of God . . ." (1 Jn. 3:1-2).
If we are Christ's, then we are the Father's, and the Father already refers to us as "the sons of God", or to be more grammatically correct, "the Sons of God".
The Spirit of God
Will we share God's spirit?
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38).
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (Jn. 3:5-6).
Obviously, baptism by water or immersion into the spirit of God does not immediately change us from physical beings into spirit beings. But if we become truly converted, yielding to God's nature in place of our human nature, then life as a spirit being will ultimately be a reality. Much of the New Testament is dedicated to explaining this in detail.
In John 3, Christ imitates his Father, speaking of those things which are not yet, as though they already were (Rom. 4:17). If we are led by God's spirit, then Christ and our Father consider us "spiritual" even though we are still physical.
The Inheritance of God
God created everything, therefore everything belongs to him.
"I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me." (Jer. 27:5).
He will give it and everything in it to Christ.
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev. 11:15).
Will we share this inheritance?
"He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I shall be his God, and he shall be my son." (Rev. 21:7).
". . . What is man that you (God) are mindful of him? or the son of man, that you visit him?
You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands (See also Gen.1:26-28):
You have put all things (in the earth) in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him." (Heb.2:6-8).
Man does not yet have dominion over all of space, or any part of the spirit world. But the implication here is for a future total dominion.
"I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, . . .
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
"But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." (Dan. 7:13, 14, 18).
Speaking of Potential?
Was Christ, God?
"In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of him, . . . ". (Jn. 1:1,2,14,15).
According to this, Christ was called "God" before he was physically born as a human.
[The precise nature of Christ before his human birth, during his life on earth and after his resurrection are beyond the scope of this article and will be addressed separately.]
Is God an optimist? Does he think positively?
Speaking of Abraham, "(As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not, as though they were." (Rom. 4:17).
Abram (Heb. "high father") was 99 years old and his wife was 90 and childless when God changed his name to Abraham (Heb. "father of a multitude"). Abraham was 100 and Sarai was 91 when Isaac was born (Gen. 17, 21). But God changed Abram's name to Abraham while he was still childless. God called Abraham about 1921 BC. When Jacob took the family into Egypt 215 years later, there were only 75 members including wives (Acts. 7:14). When the family came out of Egypt in 1491 BC, they numbered probably between 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 (Num. 1:45-47).
While they were still childless and while it was physically impossible for Sarai to have children, God began calling Abram, "father of a multitude". That's how he addressed him for the rest of Abraham's life. If Abraham had disobeyed, God would not have fulfilled his promises. The new name reflected his potential. The reality didn't come to pass until centuries later.
When he says, "You are Gods.", is he referring to our potential?
"Know you not that we shall judge angels? . . ." (1 Cor. 6:3).
Only God the Father and Christ are above the angels now. To "judge" (Gk. krino) means to distinguish or decide (mentally or judicially) which requires that one have authority. In any wealthy family (and God does own everything) a governess or nanny supervises the family children when they are small. But when they are fully grown they have authority over all the household staff including bodyguards and advisors.
Do we have the potential to be like God the Father?
"Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat. 5:48).
Is that what Christ, our example, did?
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form* of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness** of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:" Phil. 2:5-9).
*The Greek word morphe (Strong's 3444), translated here as form, means "shape".
**The word likeness is translated from homoioma (3667) which means form or (abstract) resemblance and is also translated as shape. The two words are equal and interchangeable.
So the two concepts are "the shape of God" and "the shape of men".
Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, . . .", in other words, follow Christ's example.
He said, "Christ Jesus: Who, being in the shape of God, . . .". Christ Jesus was not "Christ Jesus" before his birth, only afterwards, when he was a man and not a spirit being.
Christ Jesus, a man in the shape of God, "thought it not robbery to be equal with God:".
[All our quotations are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.
Some versions, RSV, NEB, NAS and NIV, completely reverse this statement to indicate that equality with God is impossible to attain and is not something we should seek.
The JB version goes a totally different direction, referring to Christ's willingness to give up his previous position to become a man.
Newer versions or translations (we use the term loosely) sometimes help us to understand things which are awkward in King James English. At the same time, contrasting the different versions can help us to recognize when someone stops translating words and begins interpreting ideas according to their personal opinions or that of their employers.
When the results show opposite and opposing views, then someone has obviously been tinkering with the message.]
[Why bother to change this scripture? Perhaps because the idea of total equality of all men before God conflicts with hierarchal church systems in which a priesthood stands between God and men. While equality is preached in the churches, actual practice shows a pecking order, and attitudes among the religious "pros" seems to project this status quo into the kingdom of God. When equality is preached, it only seems to apply among the membership and below the leadership. Christ died to give us access directly to God, eliminating the need for middlemen and hierarchies.]
A Shared Priesthood
Before God instituted the Levitical priesthood, his intentions for Israel were that every one would be a priest.
"And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; . . .
And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. . . . " (Ex. 19:3, 6).
There was no mention of rituals or sacrificing animals at this time. The point was that God wanted a direct relationship with every individual. The people refused to hear God and insisted that God go through Moses to speak to them. (Ex. 20:18-21). Later, the Levitical priesthood and rituals were instituted as a teaching tool, but they still didn't get the point.
David understood that the sacrifices which God desires include repentance, humility, thanksgiving, joy and righteousness (Psa. 40:6; 51:16-17; 27:6; 107:22; 4:5).
Christ fulfilled the required sacrifice for our sins. (Eze. 18:4, 20).
He was our Passover sacrifice (Eph. 5:2).
Christ also became our High Priest when he presented himself at God's throne on our behalf. He opened the way for us to approach directly to God's throne with our living sacrifices. (Heb 7,8).
Christ is our only High Priest. No other intermediary human priests are necessary.
When we offer the sacrifices which David mentions, directly to God, we are serving as priests in the same way that Christ presented himself to God.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Rom. 12:1).
"Jesus Christ . . .
And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; . . . " (Rev. 1:5, 6).
"And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10).
"Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him . . ." (Rev. 20:6).
Above The Angels?
Will we be "equal" to the angels or not?
"Know you not that we shall judge angels? . . . " (1 Cor.6:3).
"For unto the angels has he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak." (Heb. 2:5).
In Luke 20, some Sadducees, who did not believe in any resurrection, asked Christ a question about divorce, re-marriage and the resurrection. Christ answered that marriage was instituted for humans, and that resurrected beings do not marry nor give their children in marriage. In this context, he also said that those who are resurrected cannot die "for they are equal to the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Lk. 20:27-38).
The reference to equality is within a statement about having eternal life, not about rank.
The word equal is translated from the Gk. isaggelos (2465) like an angel, and is a combination of isos (2470), similar, and aggelos (32) a messenger, esp. an angel.
Christ said we shall be like the messengers or angels in that we shall have eternal life.
Angels are not to be worshiped (Col. 3:18).
". . . I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
Then he said unto me, See you do it not: for I am your fellowservant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." (Rev. 22:8-9). (See also, Rev. 19:10).
A distinction is made between "angels" and "sons".
(Christ) "Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
For unto which of the angels said he (God) at any time, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
And again, when he brings the firstbegotten into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.
And of the angels he says, Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
But unto the Son he says, Your throne, O God (Christ), is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom." (Heb.1:4-8).
God the Father (Heb. 1:1) calls the Son, "God" and instructs the angels to worship him.
". . . Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Pet. 3:21-22).
A Shared Throne
Will we share Christ's throne and his reign? How does this affect God's throne?
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev. 11:15).
"Jesus Christ . . .
And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; . . . " (Rev. 1:5, 6).
"And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10).
"And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev. 20:4).
"Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him . . ." (Rev. 20:6).
". . . and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev. 22:6).
"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. 3:21).
"And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; . . . even as I received of my Father." (Rev. 2:26-27).
"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you." (Rev. 3:9).
The word worship is translated from the Greek proskuneo (4352) meaning to fawn or crouch to, to prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore).
"You are Gods" ...Psa. 82:6
Can this be true? If not, why is it in scripture? Is it just an exaggeration? Not according to Christ. But the Jews of his time didn't believe it either.
Christ said, "I and my Father are one."
"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me?
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone you not; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God.
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, You are Gods?
If he called them Gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Say you of him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blaspheme; because I said, I am the Son of God?" (Jn. 10:30-36).
Most "Christians" will not deny that Christ is the "Son of God." But what about the rest of Christ's statement here? He said "the scripture cannot be broken" which some apply to all scripture and many will apply it at least selectively. But picking and choosing doesn't seem to be an option here, since "the scripture" Christ quotes directly is, "You are Gods" (Psa. 82:6).
Some may say, "Well, it's in Psalms, which in both Hebrew and Greek means "music", so it's just a song lyric.". However, Christ said, "Is it not written in your law, . . .". So he gave it the same weight as "law". Although the Jews argued over the possibility of Christ (a "man") being "God", and were mad enough to stone him, they did not deny that it was in the "law".
The Jews did not argue over "you" referring to humans, nor to "Gods" being plural. They did not argue Christ's claim that "the scripture cannot be broken". [The word broken is translated from the Greek word luo, (pron. loo'-o) meaning "to loosen, break up, dissolve or destroy", Strongs' 3089.]
Some may notice that the KJV has "gods" (uncapitalized) while we have used "Gods" (capitalized) above. We did that not to be deceptive, but to illustrate a point. Hebrew, like all languages, changes over time. Classical or Biblical Hebrew dates from 1200 to 200 BC. Its written form did not use capitalization for any words. The Hebrew word (expressed by the Roman letters) "Elohim" can be written in English as Gods, gods, or GODS (capitalized, all lower case or all upper case). When the scripture was translated into English, words were capitalized according to the understanding or opinion of the translators of the 17th Cent. AD.
So whether the word is capitalized or not doesn't prove anything except the opinion of someone living 1,600 to 2,600 years after the fact.
There is another way to look at this. Biblical Hebrew was written with no punctuation. All punctuation was added by the translators according to their understanding and opinions based upon the context. If an apostrophe were added to "Gods" (a plural noun used as an adjective), it becomes "God's" (a singular* noun showing possession). This "editing" would maintain a true statement ("You are Christ's and Christ is God's" 1 Cor. 3:23). It also lends itself to being a double entendre of which there are many in scripture.
The problem with this "editing" is that it would make Christ to appear foolish, or ignorant of scriptural intent when he quotes it in Jn. 10. This is not the answer because it contradicts what Christ said in Jn. 10 and what the Jews did not dispute.
* [The Hebrew elohim is technically plural, and is used as a plural (Gen. 1:26) but it is also used in some scriptures in the singular (Ex. 31:6). This doesn't help us answer the questions.]
So much for the technical aspects, but what about the concept? We are physical beings with a limited life span. Why does God call us "Gods"?
The Hebrew word "elohim" or "elohiym" is used to refer to the true God (Gen. 1:1, 26-27), to physical idols (Ex. 20:23), devils (Deu. 32:16-17), imaginary gods (Jer. 7:9), and to us (Psa. 82:6). The statements of Psa. 82:6 and of Christ in Jn.10 are not condemnatory. They are positive statements. God is not comparing us to idols of wood and stone, to fallen angels, or to figments of imagination. Only one option remains. God is referring to us with a term that describes his existence.
All of the scriptures above support this.
Devils are angels which followed Lucifer in rebelling against God. In attempting to exalt themselves above God, they made themselves "gods". We accomplish the same thing as long as we cling to our human reasoning rather than becoming teachable, "as little children" (Lk. 18:17). In our vanity, we reason that our human reasoning is superior and thereby exalt ourselves above God. In our foolishness, we make ourselves "gods". Only if we accept what human reasoning labels foolishness, which is God's wisdom, can we actually fulfill God's expectation for us (1 Cor. 1:17-27; 2:5-6, 13-14, 3:18-21).
"And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mat. 18:2-3).
Ducks beget more ducks. A son of a duck is another duck. God begets sons. A son of a God is a God.
More Than One God?
There is much debate among "Christian" religions over the existence of one, two or three Gods. No one argues over the Father being God. The Father calls his Son, "God" in Heb. 1:4-8, and Psa. 45:6-7.
Jn. 1:1-2, 14, shows that the "Word" which became Christ, was "God" before he became "flesh". Scriptures show that the Holy Spirit is God's power and not a third personality. The angels are not called "gods".
Are there more than two Gods?
In Genesis we see two beings called "God".
"And God (Elohim, a plural noun) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: . . . " (Gen. 1:26).
"And the Lord said, . . .
Go to, let us go down and there confound their language, . . ." (Gen. 11:6-7).
Scriptures also show us that God is a "family" with many members.
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," (Eph. 3:14-15).
"For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, . . .
For the body is not one member, but many." (1 Cor. 12:12-14).
Christ described a unity between the Father and himself.
"I and my Father are one." (Jn. 10:30).
Christ prayed that we would become a part of this unity which is a family.
". . . that they may be one, as we are.
That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.
And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:" (Jn. 17:11, 21-22).
How large is this family?
"For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory . . . " (Heb. 2:10).
Who is in charge?
"God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods. (or Gods) (Psa. 82:1).
One commentary renders this as God judging among the rulers of the earth but human rulers are called "lords" (Heb. adon, ceren, baal, or baalim).
"God" and "gods" here are both from the Heb. elohim (430) a plural noun.
Since false gods or idols, are "nothing", to say that "God judges nothing" would be meaningless and perhaps insulting.
The word congregation (Heb. edah, 5712) means an assembly or family and is used to refer to those actively involved in a covenant with God.
Being judged by God can be avoided if we "choose life" (Deu. 30:15, 19).
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." (1 Cor. 11:31).
"Higher Thoughts"
God says his thoughts are "higher" than ours. Some may see Psa. 82 as just another song. In view of all of the scriptures above, perhaps there is more to be understood here.
1. "God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods.
2. How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?
3. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4. I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
5. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
6. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
7. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth: for you shall inherit all nations."
This could be read as a prayer for God to deliver the poor, fatherless and needy, and a condemnation of the wicked.
In view of all of the scriptures given above it could also be understood as follows.
1. (Each of you) stands in the congregation of the mighty Father; he judges among you.
(and/or) each of you judge among yourselves.
2. How long will each of you judge (yourself and others) unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?
3. (You should)defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4. I (the Father) have said, (all of) you are gods, and all of you are children of the most High (Father).
5. But you shall die like men, and fall like human rulers (even the greatest leaders die).
6. (Each of you should) deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of the wicked.
7.(The wicked) are ignorant of truth and lack understanding, they walk in evil, the world is upside down (from what God intended).
(and/or) (Some of you) are ignorant of truth and lack understanding, you walk in evil, the world is upside down.
8. (Since the Father already owns the earth and everything in it, he cannot "inherit" it. An "inheritance" is promised to Christ and to us.)
Arise (a reference to Christ's resurrection), O God (Christ), judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations.
(and/or)
(You) arise!, (a reference to our resurrection or being changed) O God ("You are Gods"), judge (discern righteous judgment in) the earth, for you shall inherit all nations.
"I have said, You are gods. . ." (Psa. 82:6).
"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods."
. . . and the scripture cannot be broken;" (Jn. 10:34-35).
"Be(come) you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat. 5:48).
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