Jeshurun's Mind: Spiritual Food

The Uniqueness of God's Relationship with Man

God's relationship with man is the most unique in all of His creation. Apart from man whom God created using His own Hands, everything else He created by Word of His mouth. Towards the end of creation, specifically on the sixth day, God is seen expressing His desire and plan to establish a relationship between man and Himself.

“...And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26-27, KJV).

Man's purpose was to reflect his Creator's character and rule over the rest of creation. While acknowledging the magnificence of the work of God's hands, David was amazed by the most superior position in which God had placed man.

“...When I consider your heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:3-5, KJV).

The Almighty Creator held man in highest esteem. He put everything under man's feet, thus bestowing upon him a huge responsibility.

“...Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:6-8, KJV).

But despite the fact that he had the monopoly of enjoying the greatest privilege, man fell short of showing appreciation and reciprocating God's love for him. He transgressed God's command when he ate the forbidden fruit. The consequences were dire for all the parties involved, that is, the serpent, the woman (Eve), and the man (Adam). Besides the serpent being cursed above all livestock and wild animals, enmity was put between its offspring and the woman's offspring. 
 

To the woman, God said:

“...I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3:16, KJV).

Adam was not spared either because of listening to his wife:

“...Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns and thistles, shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:17-19, KJV).

In spite of what Adam and Eve had done, which made them realize they were naked, God's compassion for them did not diminish in any way.

“...Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21, KJV).

Even after man had fallen, God still strongly desired to restore the initial relationship He had with the former. His unconditional love for mankind was manifest when He sent His only Son to die for man's sins in order to save the world. Whereas death came through Adam, life came through Jesus Christ.

“...Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Roman 5:18-19, KJV).

Whoever believes in Christ shall pass from death into everlasting life.

“...For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17, KJV).

It would be foolhardy not to acknowledge, accept and receive in our hearts the only Mediator between God and man.

“...For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6, KJV).

Christ alone has the power to give anyone the right to become God's child.

“...But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, KJV).

Being called children (sons) of God is not a slight thing! It is the greatest love that the Father can lavish us with!

“...Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1, KJV).

In a nutshell, God intended us to have a special Father-child relationship with Him. He takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner but rather desires that all men be saved.

“...For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have (desires) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4, KJV).

He calls everyone to repentance because He does not anyone to perish. This underscores the integral role that repentance plays in cementing our relationship with God.

“...The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, KJV).

It is of utmost importance we realize that the basis of God's relationship with us is love. He is the one who initiated the process of saving us while we were still sinners. He loved us first before we even knew Him to the extent of loving Him.

“...Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10, KJV).

For our relationship with God to continually grow stronger, we must be willing to obey His commands, trust in Him wholeheartedly at all times, and let Him control every circumstance of our lives. We must also not forget that a formidable relationship is built on excellent communication. This means we must, on a daily basis and as many times as we can, speak to Him through our thoughts, meditation and prayers. He, in turn, will respond to us through His Word, His Holy Spirit and His true servants.