"Created for Relationships"
RELATIONAL
We are the only element of God’s creation that has the ability to understand and know God, not only on an intellectual level but also on a personal, relational level. We have been granted this “reason” so that we can, at all times, freely CHOOSE to worship God. If God created us without this “gift”…if we were somehow all pre-programmed with one setting to worship God, then to what extent would our lives magnify our God? If we were entirely powerless to do anything but worship God at all times because God programmed us as “robots,” then how would that bring any glory to God whatsoever?
“Choice” must be allowed. We humans must possess the choice to freely love, serve, and worship God in all that we do, or…….not! Only in this way can we purely and effectively display God’s splendor. This is the “relational” aspect of our creation or “imago dei.”
God’s intention was to create subjects who would voluntarily, willingly, cheerfully delight in a personal relationship with Him. So a relational or social God is part of His nature (like the characteristic of “creativity”). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live in perfect harmony with one another. They enjoy each other thoroughly. Perfect love exists between all three.
This ability to enter into a personal relationship with the Creator is a part of our “imago Dei” (image of God). God created us to fellowship with Him. You see how our purpose in life continues to unfold as we delve into God the Creator, His purpose for creation, and His nature?
We get a glimpse of that original relationship between God and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:8 (NKJV) “And they [Adam and Eve] heard the sound [or voice] of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” What a rich and deep fellowship they enjoyed together in the perfect paradise. The picture is one of God who is out taking a stroll through the garden in the “cool” or literally the “wind or breeze” of the day, which probably refers to evening time. We are not sure if the sound was God’s voice or footsteps or His thunder. But they recognized (like a friend) the approaching presence of God. It is possible that God was present in human form, but it is not necessary to see the passage this way. The point is, there was an intimate, loving, friendly bond that existed between God and Adam and Eve.
This was God’s purpose in creation. This continues to be His purpose for us. He wants to restore us to that intimate, personal relationship with Him like He had with Adam and Eve before the fall.
RELATIONAL
We are the only element of God’s creation that has the ability to understand and know God, not only on an intellectual level but also on a personal, relational level. We have been granted this “reason” so that we can, at all times, freely CHOOSE to worship God. If God created us without this “gift”…if we were somehow all pre-programmed with one setting to worship God, then to what extent would our lives magnify our God? If we were entirely powerless to do anything but worship God at all times because God programmed us as “robots,” then how would that bring any glory to God whatsoever?
“Choice” must be allowed. We humans must possess the choice to freely love, serve, and worship God in all that we do, or…….not! Only in this way can we purely and effectively display God’s splendor. This is the “relational” aspect of our creation or “imago dei.”
God’s intention was to create subjects who would voluntarily, willingly, cheerfully delight in a personal relationship with Him. So a relational or social God is part of His nature (like the characteristic of “creativity”). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live in perfect harmony with one another. They enjoy each other thoroughly. Perfect love exists between all three.
This ability to enter into a personal relationship with the Creator is a part of our “imago Dei” (image of God). God created us to fellowship with Him. You see how our purpose in life continues to unfold as we delve into God the Creator, His purpose for creation, and His nature?
We get a glimpse of that original relationship between God and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:8 (NKJV) “And they [Adam and Eve] heard the sound [or voice] of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” What a rich and deep fellowship they enjoyed together in the perfect paradise. The picture is one of God who is out taking a stroll through the garden in the “cool” or literally the “wind or breeze” of the day, which probably refers to evening time. We are not sure if the sound was God’s voice or footsteps or His thunder. But they recognized (like a friend) the approaching presence of God. It is possible that God was present in human form, but it is not necessary to see the passage this way. The point is, there was an intimate, loving, friendly bond that existed between God and Adam and Eve.
This was God’s purpose in creation. This continues to be His purpose for us. He wants to restore us to that intimate, personal relationship with Him like He had with Adam and Eve before the fall.