The Sons created to be “like Christ” are adopted Sons. Adoption is a NT term that functions in the context of specialized salvation language, usually translated ‘sonship.’ It draws meaning from the theological realities of belonging, connectedness, relationship, and inheritance established by God’s promise to human beings. The frame of reference is that of the family and foundational membership; its affirmations are derived from the ‘sonship’ of Christ, and its scope is inclusive of both men and women. Adopted relationships among humans are found in the OT (e.g., Gen. 15:1-3; Exod. 2:10; Esther 2:7, 15; cf. also the system of levirate marriage, Deut. 25:5-10) and elsewhere in Semitic cultures, but the focal point upon which the NT builds is the declared ‘adoption-sonship’ (‘election’) relationship between God and Israel and Spiritual Israel of the end-time (e.g., Hos. 11:1; Exod. 4:22). In the nt, Jesus himself is not adopted by virtue of already being the Son from eternity. People become (engrafted) heirs in ‘sonship’ through faith and are thus enabled to utter ‘Abba, Father’ (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; cf. Eph. 1:5; Mark 14:36; Luke 11:2; Matt. 6:9).
Several other references in scripture also mention this point of many Sons, like Christ, being brought to birth through God’s choosing (election). Hebrews 2:10-11 says: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing MANY SONS TO GLORY, to perfect the author of their salvation [Jesus] through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”. The Sons being brought forth through adoption are in no means inferior to Christ in that they are brought forth to complete the sufferings of their Lord. The Lord Jesus remains the author or leader of their faith and head of the Body of Christ as is altogether fitting for the first fruits or elder brother.
1 John 3:2 also emphasizes that principle: “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be LIKE HIM, because we will see Him just as He is”. Also: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV). Also John 1:12-13: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”. He’ll have that flesh and blood in a glorified body throughout eternal ages. He limited Himself to become human so He could bring many sons to glory, to walk in His deity. That’s how much He loves you!
It is a fine line, and could be considered heresy because some false religions talk about the deity that is in us. The statement could be made: “We will never partake of Deity. We will never be a part of the exalted Christ. He will always be the preeminent one.” But this does not take into account what God is doing. God does not want to have fellowship with an inferior creature. He is invading us and filling us to bring us into deity. We must not deny that. But as many as received him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God… John 1:12. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4a). “We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:17). “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him” (II Timothy 2:12). Hebrews says that both the sanctified and the sanctifier are all of one Father; therefore, He is not ashamed to call them brethren; He is bringing many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10, 11). To me this is not sacrilegious; it is the most humbling truth ever spoken. If He came down and experienced the dregs of our humanity, it was so that we could partake of the glory of what He is, and He is God.
Do you see how Satan twisted that truth to Adam and Eve? He told them that the day they ate the fruit, the day they disobeyed God, they would be just like God (Genesis 3:5). Adam and Eve bit on that, and they fell. But God is saying, “If you will obey Me, if you will be submissive to Me, you will be one with Me” (Stevens, John Robert: This Week, Volume VI (1975). North Hollywood, CA. : Living Word Publications, 1983, S. 346; This Week, Volume II (1971), S. 429.
So we have seen the first beginnings of Satan at least as he appeared on earth. There is much more detail to come as he influences man throughout the course of Biblical history. There is one thing to know about Satan. He manifests himself in many disguises and his appearance and influence are not always apparent as he does his work in secret. In the next chapters we will attempt to unveil him and the deception he works on mankind.
Satan Brings About Destruction of Mankind
Satan makes his scriptural appearance in the matter of Cain and Abel. “Now the man [Adam] had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground” (Gen 4:1-2). Cain and Abel grew up and it came time for them to bring offerings to the Lord. “Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell” (Gen 4:4-5). Why did God favor Abel’s offering over Cain’s?
Cain’s offering comes from the earth; he worked the soil (lit., ground, ’ăḏāmâh, Gen. 4:2; cf. 3:17) lining him up with God’s curse of the earth. “Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil [sorrow] you will eat of it All the days of your life” (Gen 3:17). Abel’s offering, however, lines up with man’s original purpose, to have dominion over life (cf. 1:28); he kept flocks. He also lined up with the purpose of Christ in that Christ was the “lamb of God” and thus had more spiritual insight than his brother. Abel went out of his way to please God (which meant he had faith in God, Heb. 11:6), whereas Cain was simply discharging a duty. Abel’s actions were righteous, whereas Cain’s were evil mostly because the love of God was not in his heart. (1 John 3:12). It came to be a matter of the hearts of both men. Cain’s lack of faith shows up in his response to God’s rejection of his offering of fruit (Gen. 4:5). Rather than being concerned about remedying the situation and pleasing God, he was very angry.
In that context, Cain's offering was an act of independence or rebellion. Since God does not look on outward appearance, but judges by the heart, Cain's heart was wrong before the Lord. However, in His mercy, the Lord gently counseled Cain, and gave him a way out, saying that "...if you don't do well, sin is crouching at your door; and its desire is for you but you must master it" (Gen 4:7). God was saying essentially that, since he was now aware of sin (sin means in Hebrew "missing the mark") that he could find a happy countenance by mastering that sin and doing the right thing, the thing that pleased God. But Cain had by this time given himself over to sin; Satan the creator of sin.
Cain did not take the Lord's advice. Cain was jealous of his brother and rose up and killed him. Since Cain was the firstborn son of Adam, he probably felt Abel was going to usurp his place of honor,