03: Man: God’s Handiwork – Thought Starters
God Made Us
[Thought Starters for Man: God’s Handiwork October 17, 2012]
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
1. Better and better, or worse and worse. Which is it? Think of all the advances in human life today. Open-heart surgery for an inborn infant? Travel to Mars in a space ship smart enough to look around and take pictures? The transformation of information thanks to the computer? The removal of diseases such as polio from the world? Gains in life expectancy? Isn’t mankind getting smarter? healthier? Aren’t we enjoying the benefits? Why do we make such a vivid protest against those who say we’re slowly evolving into marvelous creatures? What is at stake with the creation model opposed to the evolution model?
2. Human origins. Now that you’re here on earth, alive and functioning, what difference does it make where you came from? How do our origins guide our lives? What is it about evolution that makes some people feel better? What blessings does belief in creation bring? How does the Creation belief modify the way you care for your body or guide your thought patterns? Why did God let Satan meddle with our genes so that we are no longer perfectly formed?
3. God’s plan. Is work a curse that we’ll never have to think about in the earth made new? If so, then why did God give Adam and Eve work to do even before they sinned? What work did He assign to His just-made human beings? How did Adam and Eve work to take care of the job God gave them? After sin, did men and women continue to have a work plan made by God for each individual? In what ways were you and I made “in the image of God”? Do we look like God? Think like God? In what ways is being made in God’s image a blessing to us?
4. Relationships. Why do you think Jesus created the world before He created mankind? Did Adam live long enough before Eve was created to feel lonely? Why did God choose to create woman from the body of man? What did Adam think about this new creation placed by his side? Did they have any problem following God’s command to become “one flesh?” Why or why not? How concerned is God about the way we build and maintain relationships with other human beings?
5. The fall. Do you ever cry out to God, “Why, Lord? Why do You keep allowing sin and suffering in this world?” Instead of “the fall,” what do evolutionists believe is going on in the world? How do you answer an evolutionist who believes mankind is still evolving into an ever more perfect state? Does evolutionary thought have any benefit to the ordinary human being? What about the idea that we were created in the image of God? Does that belief affect our daily living? How? Of what benefit is the theory of evolution to Satan and his plan?
6. Restored. We all deserve the curse of eternal death. Why does God offer us eternal life? We are riven with sin. Why does God want to live with us through eternity? Given that we have fallen so far from God’s vision of perfection, why does God even bother with offering us a way to be restored again to His plan? Does He want to put up with our selfish ways through eternity? Do you carry on a constant warfare against evil ways in your life? Or have you mastered sin and sent it scurrying away? How can you and I be confident in our daily lives that God has provided for our salvation and that His love envelopes us every day? every hour?
7. Into eternity. Can you and I once again live a life that reflects the image of God? How? Since we have all been tainted with sin, how will the unfallen beings be able to relate to us? Will they be afraid to be our friends for fear we’ll tumble to disgrace and start things all over again? Are we permanently marred by sin? Can we be cured of our selfish ways and enjoy fellowship with those who inhabit the universe without sin? Do you still have sin in your life? Does God offer you freedom from every sin? Forever?
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Joyce you ask a very intriguing question in part 2, "Why did God let Satan meddle with our genes so that we are no longer perfectly formed?" There are a lot of things we simply don't know and the extent to which Satan can go is one of them. We do know that God has a strong leash on Satan as we can see in his dealing with Job and with the four angels holding back the winds of destruction (Rev 7:1-3).
What I can gather from the Bible is that Satan is a deceiver and a liar who works on our mentality in order to get us to think and do what we shouldn't. I also understand through several avenues that he also destroys physically through disasters so he apparently is allowed to have a lot of control over the environment.
What bothers me about his possible genetic control is that evolutionists are trying to connect our mental abilities along with social behavior and morals to the chemical makeup of our DNA. While that may seem quite innocent it carries with it rather profound implications theologically. If what we do is determined by our DNA then we are really not responsible for what we do and that is not biblical. For that reason I believe that even though Satan has the knowledge and technology to physically manipulate our DNA God has greatly restricted him in that area.
There are, however, ways that our genetic makeup can be influenced since organisms do respond to environmental conditions. His tremendous influence on man to destroy his environment and create dangerous lifestyles can do an amazing amount of damage and cause long term degeneracy of health. If a person doesn't think so then just ask an alcoholic or a hard core drug addict. One can even review the statistics on lifestyle in industrialized nations and compare what counties are having the most problems with heart disease along with other major organ problems including general obesity and diabetes.
I think when we say that Satan did it; it is only a half truth. The other half is that we made the choice to listen to him.
We are dealing with a master manipulator. Satan's intelligence is beyond our comprehension. Remember he was God's most special angel. Since the fall Satan has worked many miracles through man's intellect to make them think that we can be like the most High God as well. But man can't even begin to imagine the power they are up against the One True God. That's why evolution will continue to run into dead ends. That's why it will be so beautiful when the secrets of the universe will be revealed to us when we make it to heaven. Taught by the greatest teacher of all time: Jesus Christ. For now just trust and obey my friends. Isn't it amazing though as we follow God's instruction book (The Bible) we are closer to God and some of the mysteries begin to unfold.... Our Father is giving us a glimpse of what's to come. ...and it all makes sense. Not like any failed human theories. If you don't believe me just look around. Have things got better over time or worse? Kind of shoots the whole idea of things slowly improving through evolution in the foot. We have to pray for those that have fallen asleep to the truth. In the end good will triumph.