If someone is alone in a room, their existance naturally exerts absolute authority in that space. Whatever they say goes. If another person is put into that room...things change.
I've been wondering, lately, what makes humanity so special? If we believe what it says in the Hebrew Scriptures that we were created in God's image, then we must answer the question: what does that really mean?
I believe that one of its meanings, among others, is that to be created in the image of God is to have the ability to make choices and exert authority, better known as free will. Back to the example; God was alone in the room of pre-creation (Gen 1:1,2; another interesting thing to note that will come into play later is that the name for God used in these passages in Genesis is actually Elohim, which we then translated to God. Elohim is defined as a word in the plural form, so in a sense, They were alone in the room of pre-creation is more accurate). Elohim exercised absolute authority over everything, whatever was chosen by Elohim happened, no questions asked. As God was existing (there is more depth to that concept than just a state of being), Elohim began creating. Elohim began with inanimate objects, then began to create animate objects, but once it was complete, Elohim was not satisfied because none of the created things significantly resembled God's image and essence. So then humanity was created. Humanity was created in God's image with the previously God-unqiue ability of free-will: authority and sentient choice-making.
Another person entered the room.
So now, I beg the question; if God placed in humanity the gift of authority and decision making, did God willingly gift divine authority for the sake of relationship with us?
If two people are in a room and they are engaging in healthy relationship, neither one independently has absolute authority. Each one is making decisions with the other in mind because they understand that one person's decision or use of authority affects the other. They willingly give authority and choice-making powers (free will) to the other and collectively they have omnipotence over their domain.
The omnipotence of God has not ceased to exist, rather Elohim has willingly included humanity in it so that we might be in a dynamic, ever-deepening, ever-creating (another "in His image" aspect) relationship.
Rabbit-trail: What if when Jesus said a man and woman are joined together as one flesh (Gen. 2:23,24; Matt. 19:4-6), that could also be looked at in light of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride? What if, through Christ's body (intimacy) and blood (life, because life is in the blood. Lev. 17:11,14; Deut. 12:23) we are one with him, and because he is one with the rest of the Trinity, we are also one with God, just as a man and woman are? (Lest people say I am spreading cultic heresies, I will specifically make an important distincition. I am not saying that we are God, rather we are one with God. Just as a male is still a male and a female is still a female, yet they are one. Different yet unified.)
This brings new light to the concept of being the body of Christ, or humanity, even though it is fallen, still being created in God's image. What if in the same way a dillusional wife hinders the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of her and her husband's unity, so we through our actions and choices hinder the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of our and God's unity through being created in His image? If we have the previously God-unique gift/ability of free will, how bad, then, are our choices affecting all that God has created or is trying to redeem?
God has not given us a watered down version of free will, because then we wouldn't truly be made in his image, would we?
No, we have the same authority that God has through His sharing of free will with us. God and humanity are co-authors of the future! (Now, we don't have the same ability to exercise this ability/gift because we are neither infinite nor omnipresent) That's what Jesus was getting at whatn he told Peter that whatever Peter/the church 'loosed' or 'bound' (Jewish terms for accepted/decided and rejected) on Earth would be the same in Heaven (Matt 16:19;18:18,19). He was telling Peter that our choices have been given the same power and authority as God's because God has included us in his community. Again, I am not saying we are God, but we are in relationship with Him.
Also, Jesus says that when two or more agree on and then ask the Father for something it will be done. Why two or more? Does it have something to do with communal authority and wisdom and how that is manifested in the Trinity?
With that said, what are we doing?! Those who follow Jesus have been given co-authority with God over everything and the knowledge of His desire for complete redemption of the world and we're consumed with complancency from the markets of and trust in the American empire (For more on that statement, read 'Jesus Wants To Save Christians' by Rob Bell. His argument, among a lot of others; including looking at America in the context of history, reveals our empirial nature very clearly). That doesn't sound like a very healthy marriage to me.
Also, for those that would say the marriage is yet to come, I would say this: in some physical ways, yes, for it has not been fully realized in us; but we have the Holy Spirit, a part of the Trinity, in us now. In many ways, through what Christ did in his death, defeating of Death, and subsequent ressurection, we are now one with God.
Right now we are victims of bad theology, needing desperately to re-examine who Jesus is/was and the meanings of what he said, as recorded in Scripture. We also need to realize how much of an impact our choices really have on existence and that because God gave us free will, He will not stop us to a large extent, but continues to hope that we will see how bad we are letting down all creation and change so that creation may be healed and that humanity may be fully reconcilied unto her bridegroom.
Come on, church! It's time to begin anew!
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