Jesus said, “You are gods.”

This conversation Jesus had with his enemies is recorded in John chapter 10. He was quoting Psalm 82: 6. In the text of the Old Testament, the rulers and judges were considered agents of God’s revelation and his will. These leaders were not divine but represented the divine. It was their duty to share with the people God’s message in its purest form.

Some radical televangelists misquoted this concept calling themselves little gods. They tried to teach the people viewing their program that when they become Christians, they also become a god. This is the most heretical statement from someone who is supposed to be preaching the gospel. In fact, some people who are members of a cult do believe that their version of heaven translates them to a god status to rule over their own planet.

Understanding what Jesus said offers us a prime opportunity to realize proper exegetical understanding of the Bible. We must take into consideration the customs of the day, the history of the day, and the circumstances of the day. Jesus quoted Psalm 82:6 as a means to counteract the opposition of unbelieving rulers. They attacked him because he said he was the Son of God which meant that he was claiming to be God.

In the midst of their debate with Jesus, he made a powerful declaration that, “no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” How assuring is it that our salvation is not subject to review. When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who rose from the dead after being crucified, and we ask him to be your personal Savior, a miraculous transition occurs. We become one of God’s family that he has destined for heaven. Whenever you get discouraged or doubt your spiritual situation, hang onto this verse because if you were truly sincere about wanting Jesus in your heart, nothing and no one can alter that relationship.

As his representatives to the world, we are not doing so as divine beings. Instead, we are presenting the divine message to the world. In a war situation the messenger from the general is not himself a general but carries the word of the general. The message carries its weight because it is from the general. It is as if the general were standing in front of the troops giving instructions himself. The messenger is saying that God has a word for you. The word delivered is saying that the messenger has divine authority to give a sure word about eternity.