When Adam betrayed God, whom did he betray?
His Father
His Creator
His King
His Friend
Because of this quadruplee betrayal, the sons of man have had a skewed relationship with God.
Adam betrayed his father: the father relationship with God needs to be healed.
They cannot easily see and experience Him as their Father. In fact, some religions may accept God as Creator but not as Father. The entire idea of God being a loving Father is anathema to them. And there are certain portions of Christianity --uber-Calvinism, for instance-- which declare that they have a loving Father God but which paint God as Someone who creates trouble for His Children. They are able to declare that God is a Father by making Him a very stern Father who micromanages disasters in the lives of His children for some good that only He understands. There are those also who love God but somehow feel rejected or orphaned or like the unfavored child.
Adam betrayed his creator and life-giver: the creator-creature relationship with God needs to be healed.
To be a creature means we owe our existence and allegiance to someone other than ourselves. In Revelation, Jesus says "I am the first and the last." He declares that all life came from Him. In ancient times, before time, Satan came right out and said, "I don't want to be ruled over." Satan knew he was created and at least acknowledged that. But atheistic modern man goes so far as to say there is no one who rules over them or over anything.
Adam betrayed his king: the relationship between subject and king needs to be healed..and man needs to understand which kingdom he should belong to.
God is King and Christ is Lord. The old word "lord" means "owner" and we see its meaning in such words as "landlord" or "lord of the manor." A king rules over a kingdom and a realm, and subjects follow the laws of the kingdom and the king they serve. However, many people don't like the idea of owing their place in the world to God or of obedience. Even among Christians, there are many who love Jesus their savior but do not obey Him as Lord. As people who belong to another kingdom, we must obey the laws of that kingdom....even when we are foreigners on earth. But many Christians indulge regularly in fornication, adultery, theft, lying, gossiping, etc: all actions forbidden by the king of the kingdom we belong to.
Adam betrayed his friend: friendship with God must be restored.
Those who cannot easily see God as a Friend often think God keeps secrets from them. But Jesus has told us, "I have called you friends" and throughout the Bible we read that God tells His heart to His friends. A good friend sticks closer than a brother, but we often think of God as being far away. A good friend is a True Companion whose examples we long to copy, but many do not want to imitate Christ and often imitate the habits of the world, their human friends, or the devil.
However Jesus has told us.
"Call God Abba."
"I have called you friends"
Jesus came to restore our life, to preach the kingdom, to make us all kings, priests, prophets, children and friends of God.
It is a great gift and a great restoration.
His Father
His Creator
His King
His Friend
Because of this quadruplee betrayal, the sons of man have had a skewed relationship with God.
Adam betrayed his father: the father relationship with God needs to be healed.
They cannot easily see and experience Him as their Father. In fact, some religions may accept God as Creator but not as Father. The entire idea of God being a loving Father is anathema to them. And there are certain portions of Christianity --uber-Calvinism, for instance-- which declare that they have a loving Father God but which paint God as Someone who creates trouble for His Children. They are able to declare that God is a Father by making Him a very stern Father who micromanages disasters in the lives of His children for some good that only He understands. There are those also who love God but somehow feel rejected or orphaned or like the unfavored child.
Adam betrayed his creator and life-giver: the creator-creature relationship with God needs to be healed.
To be a creature means we owe our existence and allegiance to someone other than ourselves. In Revelation, Jesus says "I am the first and the last." He declares that all life came from Him. In ancient times, before time, Satan came right out and said, "I don't want to be ruled over." Satan knew he was created and at least acknowledged that. But atheistic modern man goes so far as to say there is no one who rules over them or over anything.
Adam betrayed his king: the relationship between subject and king needs to be healed..and man needs to understand which kingdom he should belong to.
God is King and Christ is Lord. The old word "lord" means "owner" and we see its meaning in such words as "landlord" or "lord of the manor." A king rules over a kingdom and a realm, and subjects follow the laws of the kingdom and the king they serve. However, many people don't like the idea of owing their place in the world to God or of obedience. Even among Christians, there are many who love Jesus their savior but do not obey Him as Lord. As people who belong to another kingdom, we must obey the laws of that kingdom....even when we are foreigners on earth. But many Christians indulge regularly in fornication, adultery, theft, lying, gossiping, etc: all actions forbidden by the king of the kingdom we belong to.
Adam betrayed his friend: friendship with God must be restored.
Those who cannot easily see God as a Friend often think God keeps secrets from them. But Jesus has told us, "I have called you friends" and throughout the Bible we read that God tells His heart to His friends. A good friend sticks closer than a brother, but we often think of God as being far away. A good friend is a True Companion whose examples we long to copy, but many do not want to imitate Christ and often imitate the habits of the world, their human friends, or the devil.
However Jesus has told us.
"Call God Abba."
"I have called you friends"
Jesus came to restore our life, to preach the kingdom, to make us all kings, priests, prophets, children and friends of God.
It is a great gift and a great restoration.
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