It is assumed by most that God intended to create a “perfect” world.
Moreover, many contend that Adam & Eve were created perfect
and
walked in a perfect relationship with God.
Could it be that God had no intention of
Yet, what Scripture supports the contention that God fashioned a “perfect” creation?
Upon completion of His creation, God considered all that He made, including humankind as being “very good,” not perfect [Gen.1:31]. It could be said that this is a matter of semantics. However, is it reliable to interpret Scripture to say something that it may not say?
Was Satan “perfect?”
Most would say that Satan was perfect until he chose to rebel against God. However, why would a flawless creature in a perfect relationship with God scheme to overthrow His authority? We must consider, from where did such pride manifest? How did this sin enter into God’s creation, if in fact it was created “perfect” as one typically defines perfection?
Many teach, including those who authored my study Bible’s footnotes, that, “the great deceiver clothed himself as a serpent, one of God’s good creatures.” If this were accurate, why would God “allow” Satan to use one of His “perfect” creatures to deceive humankind? If Satan did not “take on the form of a snake” but is that ancient serpent as Revelation 12:9 says, where did he get his craftiness [Gen. 3:1]? Did he conjure it up or did God truly create all things? Job 5:12 tells us, “He thwarts the plans of the crafty!” Unless it was a part of God’s plan, why didn’t He do so here? “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it” [Lam. 3:37]? Can we rightly argue that this does not include Satan’s words of deception?
How is it construed that Adam & Eve were created perfect?
Does “created in His image” [Gen. 1:27] mean perfect, like God? God speaks to His people through Isaiah [46:5] saying, “To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?” Obviously, Adam and Eve were not made exactly like God! Unlike humankind, the perfect Creator does not have the ability to sin! In their “very good” state, Eve was deceived and Adam succumbed to evil. Can this rightly be considered “perfect?”
From what Scripture do we surmise that Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God?
Can we even correctly conclude that God regularly walked with Adam and Eve simply because God was walking in the garden in cool of the day [Gen. 3:8] upon which they sinned?
If in fact, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with their Creator, why would they seek something more? What more would there be? Would a perfect person not be able to recognize the evil one or be willing to listen to his lies? If perfect, would Eve have not noticed the deception and rejected it? Demonstrating loyalty to a cunning serpent which led Adam to separation from his Creator is hardly an indication of perfection!
Could it be?
designing a “perfect” universe with “perfect” creatures?
Or did He make a mistake?
Could it be that God’s “very good” creation was fashioned perfectly for His plan, but was purposefully lacking something? If not, where would the need for a Redeemer, planned before creation [Eph. 1:3-4], fit in?
Could it be that the “very good” state of Adam and Eve meant that they were suited for what God intended them to do? Or did God error when He fashioned their hearts which were obviously more inclined toward evil than good? Should we consider instead that the intentions of the Creator, through Adam’s and Eve’s sin, was to reveal His love and sovereignty to the powers and principalities of His universe? Or can we justly argue against the written Word, “They did what Your power and will had decided before hand should happen” [Acts 4:27-28]?
Most would agree that God created all things. However, they will argue that He didn’t create sin. How then do we explain its existence? Most would agree that God is sovereign over all things, yet will argue that Adam & Eve had free will. Scripture tells us however that God does as He pleases with what is His!
- Consider Eve and the serpent. “In His hand is the life of every creature and breath of all mankind; both deceived and deceiver” [Job 12:10].
Consider Adam’s physical and spiritual death. God told Adam, “when you eat (not if) you will surely die [Gen. 2:17]! Some explain this away by concluding that God foreknew that Adam would choose to disobey. Yet, “Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind” [Job 38:36]? “He who forms the hearts of all” [Psalm 33:15]! Scripture tells us that, “The Lord brings death and makes alive” [Samuel 2:6]!
In considering Adam’s “disobedience” as the greatest disaster of all, how do we explain Amos 3:7, “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord do all these things?” We rightly understand light and darkness in other sections of Scripture to mean both physical and spiritual. Can we ignore that deduction in light of the formation and disaster of sin? “They stumble(ed) because they disobey(ed) the message which is also what they were predestined for” (1 Peter 2:8)!
Is it true that the Creator “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” [Eph. 1:11] or is it not? According to Daniel 4:35, “He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth!” Can we rightly argue that this does not include, Adam, Eve and Satan? Or do we surrender our understanding to the difficult Word that, “God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled” [Rev. 17:17]?
Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie
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