Is becoming like God good or evil?Is becoming like God good or evil? I would like to restrict giving God any other attribute except for knowing good and evil in this thread. Just for...
Is becoming like God good or evil?
I would like to restrict giving God any other attribute except for knowing good and evil in this thread. Just for simplicity.
I have two quotes I would like you to consider.
“Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.”
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Knowing good and evil is the same as developing or gaining a moral sense. This is something that all governments and religions wish to develop in us and seems like a good idea to me.
If being perfect like God means that we must have the knowledge of good and evil, then Adam and Eve had to eat of the tree of knowledge ---- if they were to accomplish what most seem to think is a worthy goal. Morals. As God says in Eden, such is to have your eyes opened. A good thing IOW.
In the Jewish view, A & E did the right thing and they name it our elevation. In the Christian view, they did the wrong thing and call it our fall.
Is becoming as Gods, in the moral sense, good or evil?
If evil, please explain what is evil about developing a moral sense and following scriptures that tell us to be as Gods.
Regards
DL
4 Answers
wannam | High School Teacher | (Level 3) Educator
In response to post #3, people who try to become God-like because they hunger for power or control are not God-like at all. I think when the Bible suggests that we should seek to be God-like, it is talking of the other qualities you mentioned like kindness and generosity. God is not controlling. He offers us suggestions and recommendations but he does not demand that we follow them. I think of the Garden of Eden much in the same way I think of a child growing up. Yes, it is a part of life but sometimes it is a sad part. Children are innocent, pure, and happier because they do not know and have not experienced many of the darker parts of life. Adam and Eve felt shame, fear, and many dark emotions after they learned of the knowledge of good and evil. They were no longer care free and happy. Was it inevitable? Probably. Does that make it right? I don't know.
litteacher8 | High School Teacher | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator
This is an interesting question. I think that people who try to become like God in order to have control are tipping the scale on the evil side. People who want power, and want to make everyone do their bidding, cannot be good. However, people who want to model their behavior after God and be a servant of mankind, look out for others, be kind, forgiving, and generous, are good in my book.
larrygates | College Teacher | (Level 1) Educator Emeritus
The problem with your quote seems to be more with semantics than interpretation.
God's comment about Adam and Eve should be restricted to the comment that they now knew "good and evil." The prevailing belief is that before the two consumed the forbidden fruit, they lived in an innocent state, without knowledge of good and evil. Genesis says that they were both naked, and were unashamed. God apparently wished to protect them from this knowledge; however after the fall, this was no longer possible.
As far as the quote to "be perfect," this does not mean that Christians should become as God; but rather they should aspire to be Godly. John Wesley posed two questions to new ministers in the Methodist Church: Are you going on to perfection; and do you expect to achieve it in this life. Perfection was/is a goal, not a command.
To seek perfection is not to become as God but to become as God-like (Godly) as possible. God's comment about Adam and Eve implies that they know knew more about good and evil than he had originally anticipated, again, not that they became as God. So to become Godly is good; to aspire to be God (or "as God") is evil.
greatest-i-am | (Level 1) Honors
This is an interesting question. I think that people who try to become like God in order to have control are tipping the scale on the evil side. People who want power, and want to make everyone do their bidding, cannot be good. However, people who want to model their behavior after God and be a servant of mankind, look out for others, be kind, forgiving, and generous, are good in my book.
And to do that they need the knowledge of good and evil. Right?
Regards
DL