You Will be Like God, knowing Good and Evil
“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.” (Genesis 3:5 NKJV)
What did Satan Mean?
I thought man was made in God’s image and likeness already so how could Eve become like God? I think that in the context, he was offering her the right to decide what was right and what was wrong. Instead of relying on God, she was given the illusion that she could “make her own decisions” and even tell others what was right and what was wrong. I think we have all inherited that desire from her and Adam after he chose to also disobey rather than to lose his bride. Paul says Adam was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14).
What Sin singular did the Lamb of God Take Away?
In John 1:29 we read, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Notice he doesn’t take away the sins plural but the sin singular in this passage. I believe that sin is this basic inherited need to be in charge. The Bible says that believing is obeying the Gospel, which means that faith involves submission and unbelief involves disobedience. John 3:36 makes this distinction in the original language. Romans 10:16 says, But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”
What is true Repentance?
I believe that repentance produces faith and the repentance that we need is the willingness to say God is right even when that makes me wrong. I realize that the word repent may mean different things in different contexts, but when it comes to our relationship with God, it means that we believe God and we allow the Holy Spirit using the word of God to change our minds as to the way of salvation and as to the way we worship after we are saved.
I have been listening to other denominational church services when I can just to try to figure out why there are so many disagreements on how to be saved and on how to worship after we are saved. I have come to the conclusion that very few people have ever “come to an end of themselves” in their relationship with God. Most church services honor tradition or some other accepted teaching by someone who supposedly knows more about the Bible than we do.
Disagreements
People who claim to be Christians do not agree on the way of salvation neither do they agree on moral truths, nor do they agree on Church order when we come together to worship. It is no wonder that those who are watching us have no interest in joining us. Most people can read their Bible and they know what the basic message is. They know that as Christians, we have ways of explaining away all the truths with which we do not agree. I have heard the people who do not claim faith in the Bible, tell me that we who claim to be saved don’t obey the Bible so how can we say we are saved? They know that many “churches” have become a club that is more concerned with pleasing the congregants than with pleasing God.
Are we Really Free?
We have just passed another independence day celebration in the United States. I am reminded that the Lord tells us, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:34-36 NKJV).” Did freedom from Britain leave us “free?” No, we voluntarily set up a new government and all citizens are subject to it. Likewise when the Son sets us free from the slavery of “sin or unrighteousness or the devil,” according to Romans 6 we become slaves to righteousness or Christ. Obviously Christian are now “sons” but we have a new master.
The Question that We Need to Answer Truthfully
The question is, “Are we telling HIm how to run the show down here on earth or are we letting HIm tell us?” Are we still plagued with the desire to be “as gods”, knowing or determining what is good and what is evil?
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of July 5, 2026
If you would like further conversation about the issues in these meditations, contact me at collinsbd@yahoo.com and I will try to accommodate you with a virtual Bible Study.