Intelligent Partners with God

The first man, Adam, was not a slave, for God called him to intelligent partnership. When God wanted the animals to be named, He said, “Adam, come here and look at these animals. Tell Me what you think they should be named.” In Hebrew, a name is always indicative of one’s nature. So, in naming the animals, Adam had to understand their natures and their relationships to one another. Whatever Adam called an animal, that was its name. God did not name the animals; He told Adam to do that. But God gave Adam the insight and the wisdom that he needed to complete the assignment. Likewise, in our new relationship with God in Jesus Christ, we are not slaves; rather, we are intelligent partners with God.

John 15:15 is an astonishing statement:

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (NIV)

Jesus held nothing back. If there is something we do not know, it is because we have not availed ourselves of what is revealed. But the real problem comes in doing what we already know. Jesus acted on everything the Father showed Him; if we would do the same, the same revelation would be made available to us.