Did you know the Bible calls some people gods? And did you know that Jesus quoted the Psalm that says so? Yes, this is true, God did indeed call people gods, according to Scripture. So does this mean that we have god-like powers? Is this the correct interpretation and application of these verses? The right answer is "no."
There are many false teachers out there today who teach this heretical doctrine—that we are gods with a little "g." They build their twisted theology around this belief to support their "God-ordained" ministries, complete with extravagant and lavish lifestyles that betray the Gospel. Then they proceed to mislead others into thinking that they, too, are little gods and have a certain power and status to embrace and develop.
Below are examples of how these teachers arrive at their conclusions, but each teaching is then refuted by the truth...
Genesis 1 & 2
Some false teachers go all the way back to the creation account in Genesis to support their theory that we humans are little gods. Their basic line of reasoning starts off well: The Creator, God, made everything on the earth and purposed for it to reproduce and multiply after its kind. A tree is to produce a tree, and a horse is to produce another horse—each species begets its own kind.
Next, the false teachers go on to note that God made humans in His own image; He didn't make a tree or horse in His own image, but only humans. Therefore—and this is where they err—since only we are made in His image, we must be little gods, because He is God. Since a tree produces little trees, God produces little gods, so their reasoning goes. Yes, some actually teach and believe this!
But there are several problems with this interpretation: a.) Being made in the image of God does not mean that we are little gods; it simply means we reflect (or should reflect) His character and some of His attributes like rationality and free will; b.) Scripture says God made man, not little gods (Genesis 1:26-28); c.) Mature human beings beget little human beings, not gods; d.) There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4); there is no room for little gods (1 Corinthians 8:4).
gods in Psalm 82
Another book misused to try and validate the false view that we are little gods is the book of Psalms, specifically Psalm 82:6. It states, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;" and this is, in fact, the Psalm that Jesus quoted from when He was talking to the Jewish rulers. This Psalm's context could and should be understood in order to arrive at the correct conclusion regarding the phrase "you are gods."
Psalm 82 describes God's anger and judgment towards the unjust, corrupt, and unmerciful rulers of the land. God commands them to practice justice, defend the weak people's rights, and rescue the weak and needy. He indicates that these rulers are walking in darkness and have no knowledge or understanding—perhaps understanding of how God Himself is the defender of the very people they oppress!
Then God says that He calls these rulers gods and sons of the Most High, but that they will die like men. This last phrase clues us in understanding that God is declaring that these unjust rulers are mere men. The Scripture sometimes calls kings, princes, and rulers "gods," simply because they hold much power over people's lives (as God does)—God holds them greatly responsible for their actions towards the people. This fact, however, does not mean that they are literally little gods.
John 10:34
The verse most often used by false teachers who believe and teach the doctrine of "little gods" is John 10:34. Here, Jesus Himself calls people "gods" when He references the Old Testament Scriptures. But who does He call gods, why did He use that phrase, and what does that mean for us?
As we have already seen above, Jesus is quoting Psalm 82:6 from the Old Testament. In John 10:34, He was talking to the Jews, most likely the rulers or Pharisees, who were about to stone Him for calling Himself the "Son of God"—which they they took to mean that He was claiming to be God (John 10:33). He was indirectly calling them "gods" because they were the rulers of the Jewish people, but that was not His point.
Jesus used this phrase as part of an argument from the lesser to the greater; in other words, since God calls mere men "gods" (the lesser) because they are rulers, then it is fitting for Jesus, whom the Father Himself directly sent (and so is greater), to call Himself the Son of God. This kind of argumentation is common in Jewish writings. In essence, Jesus was saying, "I am greater than those whom My Father merely called gods because God Himself sent Me, and therefore I am His Son—I share His divine nature" Jesus used this phrase to argue His own divinity, not to declare that we are gods.
Conclusion
So, are we little gods? It seems clear that this heretical teaching, promoted by false teachers (especially of the Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel camps), is false and therefore should be rejected. God alone is God, and He did not create little gods when He made humans. We are His creation, made in His image, yes, but we do not possess any kind of godly powers—unless you count rationality, free will, creativity, and the ability to invent things to be powers, which is a bit of a stretch to conclude.
While we are indeed very special creations of God, we are nonetheless creatures, and not gods—even if with a little "g." Calling human beings little gods invites all sorts of erroneous teachings and beliefs that will only serve to elevate man and demote the Lord Almighty. We must maintain that, although we are made in His image, only Christ is the exact image and representation of the Father—and only Jesus is God.
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