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By Revelation the Mystery was made Known to me
(Ephesians 3:3)
(Ephesians 3:3)
1. God’s Eternal Plan
God has a plan. This plan has everything to do with man. The Bible calls this plan God’s economy. God’s plan explains explicitly man origin, destiny and the purpose of man’s existence. God desires to express Himself through man. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers;... (Romans 8:29). For this purpose, He created man in His own image. And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;...(Genesis 1:26). God’s creation of man is different from His creation of all other things. Just as a glove is made in the image of a hand to contain a hand, so also man is made in the image of God to contain God. By receiving God as his content, man can express God! But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
2. The Three Parts of Man
To fulfill His plan, God made man as a vessel. God “should make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy...even us" (Romans 9:21-24). We are vessels to contain God! Our vessel has three parts: body, soul, and spirit. And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The body contacts and receives the things of the physical realm. The soul, the mental faculty, contacts and receives the things of the psychological realm. And the human spirit, of the innermost part of man, was made to contact and receive God Himself. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness (John 4:24). Man was created not merely to contain food in his stomach, or to contain knowledge in his mind, but to contain God in spirit. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
God has a plan. This plan has everything to do with man. The Bible calls this plan God’s economy. God’s plan explains explicitly man origin, destiny and the purpose of man’s existence. God desires to express Himself through man. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers;... (Romans 8:29). For this purpose, He created man in His own image. And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;...(Genesis 1:26). God’s creation of man is different from His creation of all other things. Just as a glove is made in the image of a hand to contain a hand, so also man is made in the image of God to contain God. By receiving God as his content, man can express God! But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
2. The Three Parts of Man
To fulfill His plan, God made man as a vessel. God “should make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy...even us" (Romans 9:21-24). We are vessels to contain God! Our vessel has three parts: body, soul, and spirit. And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The body contacts and receives the things of the physical realm. The soul, the mental faculty, contacts and receives the things of the psychological realm. And the human spirit, of the innermost part of man, was made to contact and receive God Himself. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness (John 4:24). Man was created not merely to contain food in his stomach, or to contain knowledge in his mind, but to contain God in spirit. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
Therefore, man is indeed God’s vessel to contain Him for His expression. The Bible subdivides this vessel into three parts—the spirit, the soul, and the body.
The BODY is simply the physical body, belonging to the physiological level, contacting the things of the material realm, and is the most superficial part.
The BODY is simply the physical body, belonging to the physiological level, contacting the things of the material realm, and is the most superficial part.
The SOUL is the mental faculty, belonging to the psychological level, contacting the things of the mental realm, and is a deeper part.
The SPIRIT is the deepest part of man, belonging to the spiritual level, and contacts the things of God directly.
For problems of the body one may see a doctor. For problems of the mind one may visit a psychiatrist. Yet only God can solve the problems of the SPIRIT!
God’s Eternal Economy
God wants to enter into your spirit, to become your content and your full satisfaction. This is the purpose of your human life.
You are not merely created to contain food in your stomach, or to contain knowledge in your mind, but you are created to contain God in your spirit!!
3. Man’s Fall
Unlocking the Mystery of the Good and
Evil Natures of Man
Evil Natures of Man
A. The Two Natures of Man
Since man was made in the image of God, he possesses a good nature that matches God’s nature, with virtues such as truthfulness, goodness, loveliness, wisdom, kindness, and fortitude.
Since man was made in the image of God, he possesses a good nature that matches God’s nature, with virtues such as truthfulness, goodness, loveliness, wisdom, kindness, and fortitude.
However, there is also an evil nature within man which wars against his good nature. Throughout history, both in the East and West, those who understand human nature acknowledge the existence of this evil nature which the Bible calls SIN.
B. Sin
Because sin is within man, he is unable to carry out his good intentions.
Because sin is within man, he is unable to carry out his good intentions.
No one likes to be greedy, jealous, or murderous. No one likes to be boastful, arrogant, or deceitful. No one likes to be irritable, lustful or licentious. No one likes to murmur, complain, or curse.
Nevertheless, man cannot escape his evil nature.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but to work out the good is not (Romans 7:18).
But if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it out but sin that dwells in me (Romans 7:20).
This is a portrait of fallen man.
C. The Fall of Man
Sin entered into man and caused him to fall. Sin caused man’s spirit to be deadened:
Sin entered into man and caused him to fall. Sin caused man’s spirit to be deadened:
And you, though dead in your offenses and sins...
(Ephesians 2:1).
Sin caused man to rebel:
(Ephesians 2:1).
Sin caused man to rebel:
And you, though once alienated and enemies in your mind because of your evil works,... (Colossians 1:21).
Sin caused man’s body to sin:
Do not let sin therefore reign in your mortal body so that you obey the body’s lusts;... (Romans 6:12).
The fallen man is like:
A damaged camera with a broken lens which cannot take pictures, but rather takes in blurred images.
The fallen man is also like:
The fallen man is also like:
A beautiful vessel that accidentally fell into the trash can still retaining its form but covered and filled with garbage.
Before man could receive God as life into his spirit, sin entered into him (Romans 5:12). Sin deadened his spirit (Ephesians 2:1), made him an enemy of God in his mind (Colossians 1:21), and transmuted his body into sinful flesh (Genesis 6:3; Romans 6:12). Thus, sin damaged all three parts of man, alienating him from God. In this condition, man could not receive God.
D. Man Cannot Save Himself
Throughout human history, man has made many attempts to defeat or escape sin, but has discovered that:
Throughout human history, man has made many attempts to defeat or escape sin, but has discovered that:
Good works cannot save him from sin.
Education cannot save him from sin.
Ethics cannot save him from sin.
Chanting cannot save him from sin.
Religion (going to church) cannot save him from sin.
This picture of man simply depicts the battle between his good and his evil nature.
Education cannot save him from sin.
Ethics cannot save him from sin.
Chanting cannot save him from sin.
Religion (going to church) cannot save him from sin.
This picture of man simply depicts the battle between his good and his evil nature.
Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, I need You.
Thank You for dying for me.
Lord Jesus, forgive me.
Cleanse me from all my sins.
I believe You rose from the dead for me.
I receive You right now as my Savior and life!
Come into me! Fill me with Your life!
Lord Jesus, I give myself to You for Your purpose.
Thank You for coming into me with Yourself as life. Amen!
Thank You for dying for me.
Lord Jesus, forgive me.
Cleanse me from all my sins.
I believe You rose from the dead for me.
I receive You right now as my Savior and life!
Come into me! Fill me with Your life!
Lord Jesus, I give myself to You for Your purpose.
Thank You for coming into me with Yourself as life. Amen!
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