I'm sorry if someone else addressed the above, as I haven't read all the thread yet. But I'm wondering if you meant that we are somehow divine here, or are you simply saying we are immortal? Just seeking clarification.
The definition of "theos" is God. The root word implies more than simply being immortal. ALL of God is immortal. Our spirits only are immortal, to start. The concept of God also encompasses a singularly unique unwavering divine perfection. We are not perfect. We will never be wholly divine like the Lord is. Case in point: Believers will some day be perfected. God, on the other hand, has never "been" perfected as He has always been perfect. I know, I know. Picky, picky. But I know people who actually believe we can someday become "gods" ourselves, so when I see something that even resembles the potential of inadvertantly implying we can become divine, I feel the need to explore and clarify the possibility of such a wrong notion having any truth to it.
Thank you for asking Tikingclocker. We are gods, or we are created in the image of the Father, being born of the Word, being His offspring. If God were going to have children, then each seed produces after it's own kind, and we are in the god class with our Father as His Children.
What throws folks off is they can't wrap their head around a class of something and a unique of something but of the same class. There is only One Lord God. None like Him before are after or ever. He Made all things for and because of His Son whom had always been with Him before the earth was made. We are made in their image, like them.
God gave the earth to the Children of men, the Heaven, even the Heavens belong to the Lord. We were suppose to be gods of this World and follow the example of our creator. He gave us authority on earth, and we allow a wicked disobedient angelic being have what God gave to us.
We are not going to change into some "god" later, or be the Father. We rule with Jesus, He remains the head, and He will give it all back to the Father that all may be in one after the 1,000 years. John said, even as Jesus is, so are we in this world. If we can get a hold of that, knowing we are His body and where we are at, He is there, then more miracles would happen. I am grasping the concept, have seem miracles, but we can get more understanding.
So, we are God's Children. When God calls us Children, He meant we are like Children to Him. That removes the idea of us being our own god, but it does not mean we can't be perfect like our Father in Heaven is, and be like Him as He made us to be that way.
If by nature we where not like them, then, by nature we could not be like him and take no fault for our actions. You don't beat a dog for being a dog, or get mad at the dog for not meowing. Man's nature is like the Father, and will be judged according.
I hope that clears some stuff up. Satan is called god of this world, but only by definition, he is no god of mine and a big zero in my book.
Be blessed.
Mike.
