Decoding Dispensations | Dr. Randy White
Having studied the benefits of the Edenic Dispensation in our last session, today we learn the lies of Satan that led to a removal from Eden.
Consequences of the Fall
The Fall in Genesis 3 marked humanity's separation from God when Adam and Eve disobeyed by eating from the forbidden tree. This introduced the curse, changing humanity's standing before God but not its inherent nature. Rather than altering mankind's nature, the Fall changed our position—separating us from God's presence.
This separation had two key consequences: First, humanity lost access to Eden, the tree of life, and direct communion with God. This created a universal need for a Savior to restore this broken relationship. Second, mankind became unable to achieve reconciliation with God independently, requiring His grace for salvation.
This fallen state affects all humanity, not through individual sins, but through our separated status. Our primary need is not better behavior but reconciliation with God—possible only through His intervention.
Satan’s Continuing Lies
The heart of Satan’s deception was “Yea, hath God said” (Gen. 3:1). And from this deception there are two lies that Satan used. The lies introduced in Eden (Genesis 3:1-5) form the foundation of false religions and theological errors that persist to this day.
“Ye Shall Be as gods”
In Genesis 3:5, the serpent's promise "Ye shall be as gods" uses the plural Hebrew word "elohim." While often translated as "God" in modern versions, the plural form and context suggest "gods" is more accurate, matching similar usage in Exodus 20:3. This deception introduced the idea that humans could achieve divinity themselves.
This concept of human divinity remains a core deception in false religions today. It appeals to desires for self-exaltation and manifests in various forms: Mormonism's teaching of human progression to godhood, New Age self-realization, Hindu concepts of divine merger, and Eastern Mysticism's inner divinity beliefs.
This deception extends beyond religion into secular thought. Secular humanism elevates humanity as the ultimate authority, while transhumanism seeks god-like mastery through technology.
The "ye shall be as gods" lie distorts humanity's true relationship with the Creator, replacing submission to God with self-exaltation.
This deception represents Satan's ongoing strategy against God's truth, highlighting why precise biblical understanding matters in exposing these falsehoods.
"Ye Shall Not Surely Die"
Satan's second lie in Eden denied death as a consequence of disobedience. When he told Eve "Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:4), he contradicted God's warning about death as punishment for sin (Genesis 2:17).
This denial of death's consequences persists in various belief systems today:
Hedonism: Lives for present pleasure, ignoring spiritual consequences.
Universalism: Claims all will be saved, denying eternal separation from God.
Reincarnation: Teaches endless cycles of rebirth, contradicting the finality of death and judgment.
Spiritism: Claims ongoing interaction with the dead, denying death's reality as separation.
Animism: Teaches that spirits inhabit nature and influence the living, contradicting biblical death.
Annihilationism: Claims the wicked cease to exist, denying eternal consequences.
The lie "Ye shall not surely die" continues deceiving people about death's reality and eternal consequences. Scripture teaches that death is real and salvation comes only through Christ.
Conclusion
The Edenic Dispensation set key patterns in humanity's relationship with God. Satan's two lies—humans becoming gods and sin having no consequences—still fuel false beliefs today. This dispensation shows us:
-Humanity's original perfect relationship with God
-Satan's deceptive strategies that persist today
-The Fall's universal impact
-Our need for restoration
Though brief, this period profoundly shapes our understanding of salvation and sin. Even with perfect conditions and direct access to God, humanity chose independence.
We should not close without a reminder that this initial failure is matched by an ultimate triumph. The conditions of the first dispensation—perfect fellowship with God in a paradise setting—find their mirror in the seventh dispensation, the Eternal State. What was lost in Eden will be gloriously restored and eternally secured through Christ's redemptive work. In the New Jerusalem, believers will once again have direct access to the tree of life (Revelation 22:2), unhindered fellowship with God, and a perfect environment unmarred by sin. This time, however, these blessings will be permanent, secured by Christ's finished work and our glorified state.
