Stewardship Of The Physical Body
As long as we indwell our natural bodies, there is no getting away from the realities of the impact that they have on our experience here on Earth.
Like virtually everything else that effects the spiritual life, we can choose to listen to the voice of the fallen nature within us that is inherently hostile towards God and the things of God; we can choose to listen to what Man-made "religion" has to say; we can listen to what human viewpoint has to say; we can listen to what the ever-changing body of secular science has to say; or we can choose to listen and apply what God has to say, based on what can be v-e-r-i-f-i-e-d in His Word.
Verification is an important part of Biblical discipleship. Through "Scripture picking," that is to select verses that when taken alone or out of context appear to support our opinions while being ignorant or denying other verses of Scripture that provide balance or tell the "whole" story, the Bible can be made to appear to say just about anything that one desires. The devil has been a master at putting an evil spin on what God had or had not said (Genesis 3/Luke 4).
With that being said, let's begin this part of our study of stewardship by taking a look at what the Bible has to say concerning the timing and physical origins of the natural body of human beings.
Step one requires a brief history of the circumstances, timing, natural environment, and purpose for the creation of Man.
Contrary to what many have been misled to believe, it did NOT take God six days to "create" the Earth spoken of in Gen. 1: 1. Planet Earth, in its c-r-e-a-t-e-d form, was produced i-n-s-t-a-n-t-a-n-e-o-u-s-l-y by the spoken word of God (Psalms 33:90/Gen. 1: 1).
At some point in eternity past, but before the Creation of Man (Jer. 4:23), the Earth referenced in Genesis 1:1 was inhabited by angelic beings. Following an angelic rebellion led by Satan (Isa. 13: 14), the surface of the Earth; its terrestrial creatures, and the angelic cities that were on it, were destroyed by God (Jer. 4:26).
This resulted in the atmosphere around earth to become dark and its surface void of any type of structure. It is interesting to note that fossil evidence and scientific theory relating to the environment at the onset of what secular science refers to as the Ice Age support the Biblical account of this event in that it was instantaneous and global.
Scripture does not reveal how much time passed from the instant that God created the Earth to the devastation of its surface.
There ARE secrets (Duet. 29: 29) that God chooses to withhold from Man in order to require and generate an act of faith (Heb. 11: 6). It is by divine design that the existence of God will never be proven or disproved by science. Many notable scientists who have tried have become persons of faith in the process, or at the very least, acknowledging a "great power and intelligence" behind the creation and established order of the physical universe.
Again, the six "day" period of time referenced in Gen. 1: 2-31), followed by a "day" of rest (Gen. 2: 2), does NOT refer to the "c-r-e-a-t-i-o-n" of the earth, but to its divine "r-e-s-t-o-r-a-t-i-o-n" of the Earth that had already been created (Gen. 1: 1), but whose surface was destroyed by God (Jer.4:26).
Like the human soul, the first of which that was about to be created (Gen. 2: 7), the spiriutal life of an angel never dies. Angels that followed Satan in his revolt were the first species of beings to be secured in Hades until their appointed time of judgment, whereas the devil and some of the fallen angels and evil spiritual beings were/are allowed (by God) to continue to engage in spiritual warfare AFTER the new participant (Man) was created. To the extent that God allows, Satan and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil are permitted to offer alternative choices so that Man has REAL choices to make.
The free will given to Man gives us the freedom of WHAT to choose, but not the freedom from having to make choices!
The Earth was restored in preparation for its next inhabitant and participant in this ongoing conflict in the spiritual realm; Man.
The Bible does not tell us why God chose to spend six days to restore the world, but I believe that this was to demonstrate to the fallen angels God hand in restoring the world that they lost. Regardless, the important thing to acknowledge is the difference between the instantaneous "creative" work of God documented in Gen. 1:1 and the "restorative" work that came further along and documented in Gen. 1: 2-31, and all that took place in the spiritual realm and on the surface of the Earth in between these two great events.
Scripture does not elaborate on just how much time was involved in each "day" of the six days involved in the r-e-s-t-o-r-t-i-o-n process, but we can conclude that at least the first few "days" were not necessarily 24 hr. solar days, as solar days did not come into existence until the 4th "day" of restoration.
Accordingly, there is a difference between the light/heat source spoken of in Gen. 1: 3 and Gen.1:14 -16 (4 "days" later) when the sun and moon and their function was established.
Keep in mind that written Scripture did NOT begin to come into existence until around 1500 BC, and was completed until around 96 AD. It was written in "language of accommodation" that could be understood by Man at that time, but can still reveal truths to Man no matter how much contrary and ever-changing information from a secular "education" (Col. 2:) one may choose to entertain.
The secular-science age estimates of the Earth and the stellar universe at large do NOT contradict Scripture, when Scripture is accurately interpreted and applied. Where some schools of thought in the secular science world and Scripture differ greatly is when and by what means Man was created and placed on this Earth.
Because of the differences in these schools of thought, when all is said and done, one has to choose one to the exclusion of the other. Again, the "missing" information is by divine design to require and generate faith and not a deficiency in Scripture as the critics of the Bible would have us believe.
When the Bible speaks of "Man", it is referring to a the human life form that began with Adam. If there were or were not other creatures inhabiting the Earth with similar physical characteristics (skeletal structures, number of eyes, ears, etc.) as the human species that descended from Adam is, in the final analysis, of no concern.
The diabolical objective in promoting such debates is to distract our attention from what the Bible actually teaches concerning the origins of the devil, as well as the origins and purpose of Man.
What separates "Man" from all other "natural" creatures, is that Man has a spiritual dimension that was/is created in God's "never-ending" likeness (Gen. 1:26). Like the angels that came before us, Man was also given free will to make moral decisions in order to participate in the ongoing spiritual conflict.
Other natural creatures have brains and make choices that are based on their natural instincts, or on the basis of seeking rewards vs. avoiding discipline, but do NOT make moral choices. A dog, for instance, can be trained to expect praise and reward for making a violent attack just as much as it can for learning to beg, sit, or roll over.
Animals and humans can develop the means to have a mutually hostile or a mutually bonding interaction and relationship with each other. Both Man and animals can be conditioned to be aggressive or receptive. At the same time, this does NOT change the nature of either Man or beast, and both are capable of something trigger its dark side.
* * *
The fact that the Earth is older than Man is a no-brainer, as even common sense teaches us that there had to be already be a place with a life supporting environment in which Man was to be placed. Just how much older the Earth is in comparison to Man, can only be estimated. In the end, such knowledge would change nothing, other than to require less faith for one to believe, bringing less glory to God (John 20: 29).
As long as we indwell our natural bodies, there is no getting away from the realities of the impact that they have on our experience here on Earth.
Like virtually everything else that effects the spiritual life, we can choose to listen to the voice of the fallen nature within us that is inherently hostile towards God and the things of God; we can choose to listen to what Man-made "religion" has to say; we can listen to what human viewpoint has to say; we can listen to what the ever-changing body of secular science has to say; or we can choose to listen and apply what God has to say, based on what can be v-e-r-i-f-i-e-d in His Word.
Verification is an important part of Biblical discipleship. Through "Scripture picking," that is to select verses that when taken alone or out of context appear to support our opinions while being ignorant or denying other verses of Scripture that provide balance or tell the "whole" story, the Bible can be made to appear to say just about anything that one desires. The devil has been a master at putting an evil spin on what God had or had not said (Genesis 3/Luke 4).
With that being said, let's begin this part of our study of stewardship by taking a look at what the Bible has to say concerning the timing and physical origins of the natural body of human beings.
Step one requires a brief history of the circumstances, timing, natural environment, and purpose for the creation of Man.
Contrary to what many have been misled to believe, it did NOT take God six days to "create" the Earth spoken of in Gen. 1: 1. Planet Earth, in its c-r-e-a-t-e-d form, was produced i-n-s-t-a-n-t-a-n-e-o-u-s-l-y by the spoken word of God (Psalms 33:90/Gen. 1: 1).
At some point in eternity past, but before the Creation of Man (Jer. 4:23), the Earth referenced in Genesis 1:1 was inhabited by angelic beings. Following an angelic rebellion led by Satan (Isa. 13: 14), the surface of the Earth; its terrestrial creatures, and the angelic cities that were on it, were destroyed by God (Jer. 4:26).
This resulted in the atmosphere around earth to become dark and its surface void of any type of structure. It is interesting to note that fossil evidence and scientific theory relating to the environment at the onset of what secular science refers to as the Ice Age support the Biblical account of this event in that it was instantaneous and global.
Scripture does not reveal how much time passed from the instant that God created the Earth to the devastation of its surface.
There ARE secrets (Duet. 29: 29) that God chooses to withhold from Man in order to require and generate an act of faith (Heb. 11: 6). It is by divine design that the existence of God will never be proven or disproved by science. Many notable scientists who have tried have become persons of faith in the process, or at the very least, acknowledging a "great power and intelligence" behind the creation and established order of the physical universe.
Again, the six "day" period of time referenced in Gen. 1: 2-31), followed by a "day" of rest (Gen. 2: 2), does NOT refer to the "c-r-e-a-t-i-o-n" of the earth, but to its divine "r-e-s-t-o-r-a-t-i-o-n" of the Earth that had already been created (Gen. 1: 1), but whose surface was destroyed by God (Jer.4:26).
Like the human soul, the first of which that was about to be created (Gen. 2: 7), the spiriutal life of an angel never dies. Angels that followed Satan in his revolt were the first species of beings to be secured in Hades until their appointed time of judgment, whereas the devil and some of the fallen angels and evil spiritual beings were/are allowed (by God) to continue to engage in spiritual warfare AFTER the new participant (Man) was created. To the extent that God allows, Satan and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil are permitted to offer alternative choices so that Man has REAL choices to make.
The free will given to Man gives us the freedom of WHAT to choose, but not the freedom from having to make choices!
The Earth was restored in preparation for its next inhabitant and participant in this ongoing conflict in the spiritual realm; Man.
The Bible does not tell us why God chose to spend six days to restore the world, but I believe that this was to demonstrate to the fallen angels God hand in restoring the world that they lost. Regardless, the important thing to acknowledge is the difference between the instantaneous "creative" work of God documented in Gen. 1:1 and the "restorative" work that came further along and documented in Gen. 1: 2-31, and all that took place in the spiritual realm and on the surface of the Earth in between these two great events.
Scripture does not elaborate on just how much time was involved in each "day" of the six days involved in the r-e-s-t-o-r-t-i-o-n process, but we can conclude that at least the first few "days" were not necessarily 24 hr. solar days, as solar days did not come into existence until the 4th "day" of restoration.
Accordingly, there is a difference between the light/heat source spoken of in Gen. 1: 3 and Gen.1:14 -16 (4 "days" later) when the sun and moon and their function was established.
Keep in mind that written Scripture did NOT begin to come into existence until around 1500 BC, and was completed until around 96 AD. It was written in "language of accommodation" that could be understood by Man at that time, but can still reveal truths to Man no matter how much contrary and ever-changing information from a secular "education" (Col. 2:) one may choose to entertain.
The secular-science age estimates of the Earth and the stellar universe at large do NOT contradict Scripture, when Scripture is accurately interpreted and applied. Where some schools of thought in the secular science world and Scripture differ greatly is when and by what means Man was created and placed on this Earth.
Because of the differences in these schools of thought, when all is said and done, one has to choose one to the exclusion of the other. Again, the "missing" information is by divine design to require and generate faith and not a deficiency in Scripture as the critics of the Bible would have us believe.
When the Bible speaks of "Man", it is referring to a the human life form that began with Adam. If there were or were not other creatures inhabiting the Earth with similar physical characteristics (skeletal structures, number of eyes, ears, etc.) as the human species that descended from Adam is, in the final analysis, of no concern.
The diabolical objective in promoting such debates is to distract our attention from what the Bible actually teaches concerning the origins of the devil, as well as the origins and purpose of Man.
What separates "Man" from all other "natural" creatures, is that Man has a spiritual dimension that was/is created in God's "never-ending" likeness (Gen. 1:26). Like the angels that came before us, Man was also given free will to make moral decisions in order to participate in the ongoing spiritual conflict.
Other natural creatures have brains and make choices that are based on their natural instincts, or on the basis of seeking rewards vs. avoiding discipline, but do NOT make moral choices. A dog, for instance, can be trained to expect praise and reward for making a violent attack just as much as it can for learning to beg, sit, or roll over.
Animals and humans can develop the means to have a mutually hostile or a mutually bonding interaction and relationship with each other. Both Man and animals can be conditioned to be aggressive or receptive. At the same time, this does NOT change the nature of either Man or beast, and both are capable of something trigger its dark side.
* * *
The fact that the Earth is older than Man is a no-brainer, as even common sense teaches us that there had to be already be a place with a life supporting environment in which Man was to be placed. Just how much older the Earth is in comparison to Man, can only be estimated. In the end, such knowledge would change nothing, other than to require less faith for one to believe, bringing less glory to God (John 20: 29).
Genesis 1: 2 reveal that the surface of the Earth was covered with water at the time that the restoration process began. God created the first man (Adam) from the dust (dirt) of the Earth that one time had been covered by sea water. Secular science have found similarities between the basic chemical makeup of a human body and sea water.
After the Earth was restored and prepared, then God c-r-e-a-t-e-d the first male human being (Adam), and later c-r-e-a-t-e-d the first female human being (Eve) from the rib of Adam. All other human bodies (with one exception to be explained later) were NOT created, but were r-e-p-r-o-d-u-c-e-d through the reproduction process that God established, or in more recent times, as a result of artificial insemination that accoplishes the same natural objective.
The divine order calls for the making of the body and THEN the placement of the soul (Gen. 2: 7) into it. This has not changed. John 3: 6 makes a clear distinction as to what part of us is/was reproduced and what part of us is created by God. The human part (the body) of this process begins a conception and ends at BIRTH. The divine part of this process takes place at BIRTH when God creates and places the soul into the body when it comes forth, simultaneously with the reception of its first BREATH of life.
Allow me explain the "one exception". In order for the humanity (human body) that the Lord Jesus Christ was to receive at the First Advent to qualify as the spotless Lamb of God, it required that the passing down of the sin nature, that takes place at CONCEPTION (Psalms 51:5), be circumvented. The sin nature is passed down through the male partner in the human reproduction process to the humanity of the next generation. This principle is reiterated in (1Cor. 15:22), in that it was through one man, Adam (not Adam AND EVE) that the spiritually dead status is passed down to each one of us.
Mary conceived what would become our Lord's humanity at the First Advent (Luke 2: 11) via the power of the God the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 35). Women receive the fallen nature via thier own biological fathers as do men, but are not involved in passing it down to the offspring.
This is how and why Mary could and was used of God to conceive, carry, and bring forth at birth that would become the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ; whereas Joseph could not. Note that the later offspring (Matt. 13: 55) of Joseph and Mary DID receive the fallen nature.
There IS biological life in the human FETUS that begins at conception that is then supported by the biological life of the carrying mother, but the independent, natural life of the human body begins (if) and when the body receives its first BREATH of natural life. Biological life is RE-produced by Man.
The natural, biological life that the body receives with its first BREATH of life terminates at physical death, transforming the body into a corpse.
The soul, with its never-ending form of everlasting life, that had been created in God's likeness (Gen. 1: 26), begins when the soul is created by God and placed in the body simultaneously with the body's first breath at BIRTH. The soul departs the body at physical death of the body, but c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e-s to live. There are NO souls in any corpse, grave, tomb, casket, or urn. Such things ONLY contain the human remains in one condition or form.
The everlasting life of the soul means that we (our souls) live on for all of eternity, but does NOT, in itself, assure us where or how life after (physical) death will be experienced. It is if/when one is "born again - John 3: 5, 7" during his/her time here on EARTH that one receives the "eternal life - John 3: 16" of God and a regenerated human spirit (Titus 3: 5), It is by doing so that one is assured that he/will be spending eternity in fellowship with God.
Life after death is NOT a question of IF, but a matter of WHERE and HOW life after death will be experienced.
The timing of the creation and placement of the soul does NOT justify abortion. Like many other multifaceted issues, there is much to be considered when evaluating what God does or does not approve of under the circumstances in any one given situation.
For some folks, issues of self-defense concerning the natural life of the mother and/or involuntarily conceiving outside of the plan (marriage) of God, (e.g.; rape/incest/molestation) can weigh in on the "appropriateness" of any given action.
My personal OPINION is that the only time an abortion could be considered is when the life of carrying mother is placed in legitimate jeopardy. I thank God that as a man, husband, and father, I never found myself in a position to have to make that call.
In situations where the natural life of the mother is not in jeopardy, but there are other extenuating circumstances (conception via rape/incest/molestation), adoption could be considered. Under such circumstances, the biological mother of the child was a victim of a sin of someone else, and should be treated as a victim and not as a perpetrator.
There is NO Biblical justification for abortion for convenience. But before passing personal judgment on those who do engage in a sinful abortion, keep in mind that we are ALL in the same boat of sinners (James 2: 10) and in need of God's forgiveness. We do not all commit the same sin, but we all sin. Interesting to note that (Prov. 6: 17) places the SIN of looking down one's nose on another is mentioned in the same verse as murder, both actions being among the forms of sin that God hates (Prov. 6: 16).
With the exception of the sin of disbelief, there is NO sin that can keep a soul out of Heaven. Telling people that God will NEVER forgive someone for committing ANY other sin is not merely false, but amounts to blasphemy in that is implies that faith in the blood of Christ can fail to produce all that God has declared it did.
At the same time, there IS divine discipline (Hebrews 12: 6) that takes place HERE on Earth for ANY sin that one chooses to engage in, here on Earth. The first step in resolving ANY sin issue with God begins with entertaining the process documented in 1John 1:9.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1: 9 NASB)."
A Christian does not need there to be secular law requiring or prohibiting anything in order for him/her to know and to do what glorifies God. Many attempts to "legislate" morality has done more harm than good as they provided the forces of evil the opportunity to legalize under secular law the very things that the "Christian do-gooders" were trying to oppose.
A more accurate ENGLISH interpretation of Duet. 20:10 would read, "Thou shall not murder", as it does in the NASB translation. Murder is a sin and a crime. To kill and to murder both end with a dead body, but killing in some cases is neither a sin nor is it a crime.
Scripture (Eccl. 3:3) teach that there are times to "kill", but there are never times to "murder". Among the Biblically endorses circumstances that justify "killing," are serving in the military and/or law enforcement, accidental death, executing capital punishment, and self defense. When the continuation of a pregnancy places a real present threat to the life of a mother, the self defense argument surfaces. The taking of life is never to be one's first option, but there are times when such circumstances call for it, and one's duty to comply.
Historically, to qualify as "murder" under (most) secular systems of law, the action must be with malicious intent and the victim must have a human body that is physically alive at the time that act took place. In recent years, some systems of secular law has gone on to define a "murder" victim to include a fetus after reaching a developmental stage in which there could be a legitimate expectation for survival, if separated from the womb of the mother.
According to Scripture, the human fetus becomes a human being when the fetus simultaneously receives its first breath of natural life and a soul at BIRTH. The body becomes a corpse when the soul departs at the moment of physical death of the body.
The spiritual difference between a live human fetus and a live human being is that there is a SOUL in the body of a living human being, but not (yet) one in a human fetus. According to Scripture, the soul enters a biologically alive fetus at birth, transforming what was a fetus into a human body. According to Scripture, there is NO longer a soul in a corpse (John 19:30, etc.). At that point, what was a human body becomes a human corpse.
God provided the means (spontaneous abortion/miscarriage/still born) for the natural termination of ANY human fetus for which His will does not call for the placement of a soul at birth. To the extent that it is within the control of a woman carrying a live fetus, she is accountable for the stewardship of the fetus she is carrying. The male that fathered the fetus, to the extent that he has any say or control, is equally responsible for the stewardship of the developing fetus.
* * *
Man was created for the primary purpose of glorifying God in the midst of this ongoing struggle between the forces of good and evil. As of the time of the restoration of the planet and the creation of Man, much had already taken place in this conflict that had NOTHING to do with Man.
It is hard for Man, being the self-centered, time oriented, and Earthly focused being that he is to comprehend there being a time when He did not even exist, or what place in eternity future he is destined to entertain. The devil knows this, and has done a good job of hiding and/or disputing what God has revealed to us in His Word, concerning events in eternity past, present time, and in the future to come. The devil primarily accomplishes this by cashing in on Man's fixation with natural issues of the here and now.
When I studied for ordination, I was amazed on just how much information the Bible does have to offer concerning the events of Eternity Past that took place PRIOR to the creation of Man. Without a clear understanding of such things, the believer is almost certain to entertain one of the devil's alternatives, being deceived into thinking that what he/she does by his/her human abilities in the flesh IS fulfilling the primary purpose for which God created him/her.
There is a time and place for the production of human good, but even the greatest example of it or the greatest quantity of it will NOT produce a single millisecond of eternal life necessary to live in fellowship with God when we pass from this world and enter the eternal state.
Like so many fellow Christians, I was under the assumption that the post salvation "Christian" thing to do was to do my part in making the "devil's" world (Luke 4: 6) a "better place to live. While the production of human good provides the logistical needs for family and/or self, and does contribute to one's society, the production of human good has got NOTHING to do with spirituality.
Many atheists and unbelievers provide for families and succeed in the production of human good , but will never the less find themselves in the lake of fire if they are never born again. The primary purpose that the LOCATION of where one produces human good is to provide the time and place for the believer to be an ambassador for Chris (2Cor. 5: 20).
God has a plan (2Sam. 12: 23) to address those who do not reach the age or stage of moral accountability, but the stewardship of the body in most cases is one of the things that sets the stage for the eventual presentation of the Gospel and the opportunity to respond to it.
Once saved, good stewardship of the body can contribute to the availability of a individual to serve the purposes of God. Note however, that hospital stays and even end-time nursing home residence may be a part of where God wants us to be at any given to time to serve as His ambassador!
Some of the most influential ambassadors of Christ had to or will have to deal with serious handicaps that would have caused many believers to become embittered towards God and the things of God.
At the present time, I know of a pastor overseas who was blinded as a result of injuries received in a civil war in his country. His wife, who has been his "eyes" is presently undergoing a serious heart operation. When I think of the challenges that some believers go through, what the Lord has asked of me in my walk with Him is not all that much.
There is a lot more information available than what is simply stated and encapsulated in the opening words of Genesis 1: 2. In fact, until one chooses to secure such Biblical information, it is easy to see how those who are ignorant of such things will draw the errant conclusions that many "religious" bodies have made and continue to promote to this very day concerning the details, timing, and purpose for the creation of Man was/is.
The pre-existing angelic realm had been given free will, but Satan (and the angels that followed him in his revolt) made the wrong choices. The fall of the devil and the angels was not based on disbelief in God, as they lived with God in Heaven before their Fall. Satan was created by God as a high-ranking cherub (angel) that among other things, serves as guardians (Gen. 3:24). In the case of Satan, prior to his revolt, he served in this capacity in the very throne room of God (Ezek. 2: 14).
It was there that Satan developed the evil desire, to be (worshiped) like God (Isa. 14: 14/Ezek. 28:14)
The sin of Satan and the angels was the sin of independence. Satan's declaration of independence and intentions were clearly documented in Isaiah 13: 14.
The Heaven or Hell disposition, as it pertains to MAN, is not based on performance, but like the angels, it does involve the exercise of the free will that God gives each soul. Man is accountable to the extent that God and the things of God were made known to him/her in the course of one's time here on Earth.
What we choose to do (or don't do) as stewards of the body that we received at birth has a lot to do with the post (after we are born again) salvation spiritual life.
As important as prioritizing the spiritual issues of life is, God gave Man temporal work to do (Gen. 2:15).
It is while we are going about our daily routines that we are to glorify God no matter where we are or what we are otherwise doing. All one has to do so confirm WHERE God wants him/her to be any given moment in time, is to shut and reopen one's eyes, and there is your answer! However, developing the discernment to perecive WHAT God wants one to do is a matter of how well one has developed his/her individual soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Idle hands and an idol soul is what gets a lot of us in trouble. The issue with temporal activity, is that even when it produces good, the human good it produces must not be confused with the production of divine good (Gen. 4: 1-5/1Cor. 3: 12-15).
We spend at least half of our conscious time on Earth in a workplace. One's workplace, be it in the home or outside of the home, is an area that Satan and the (Eph. 6: 12) forces of evil will target for attack (Eph. 6: 16). Within Adam's workplace (The Garden) was also the means for his ultimate downfall.
After the Earth was restored and prepared, then God c-r-e-a-t-e-d the first male human being (Adam), and later c-r-e-a-t-e-d the first female human being (Eve) from the rib of Adam. All other human bodies (with one exception to be explained later) were NOT created, but were r-e-p-r-o-d-u-c-e-d through the reproduction process that God established, or in more recent times, as a result of artificial insemination that accoplishes the same natural objective.
The divine order calls for the making of the body and THEN the placement of the soul (Gen. 2: 7) into it. This has not changed. John 3: 6 makes a clear distinction as to what part of us is/was reproduced and what part of us is created by God. The human part (the body) of this process begins a conception and ends at BIRTH. The divine part of this process takes place at BIRTH when God creates and places the soul into the body when it comes forth, simultaneously with the reception of its first BREATH of life.
Allow me explain the "one exception". In order for the humanity (human body) that the Lord Jesus Christ was to receive at the First Advent to qualify as the spotless Lamb of God, it required that the passing down of the sin nature, that takes place at CONCEPTION (Psalms 51:5), be circumvented. The sin nature is passed down through the male partner in the human reproduction process to the humanity of the next generation. This principle is reiterated in (1Cor. 15:22), in that it was through one man, Adam (not Adam AND EVE) that the spiritually dead status is passed down to each one of us.
Mary conceived what would become our Lord's humanity at the First Advent (Luke 2: 11) via the power of the God the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 35). Women receive the fallen nature via thier own biological fathers as do men, but are not involved in passing it down to the offspring.
This is how and why Mary could and was used of God to conceive, carry, and bring forth at birth that would become the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ; whereas Joseph could not. Note that the later offspring (Matt. 13: 55) of Joseph and Mary DID receive the fallen nature.
There IS biological life in the human FETUS that begins at conception that is then supported by the biological life of the carrying mother, but the independent, natural life of the human body begins (if) and when the body receives its first BREATH of natural life. Biological life is RE-produced by Man.
The natural, biological life that the body receives with its first BREATH of life terminates at physical death, transforming the body into a corpse.
The soul, with its never-ending form of everlasting life, that had been created in God's likeness (Gen. 1: 26), begins when the soul is created by God and placed in the body simultaneously with the body's first breath at BIRTH. The soul departs the body at physical death of the body, but c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e-s to live. There are NO souls in any corpse, grave, tomb, casket, or urn. Such things ONLY contain the human remains in one condition or form.
The everlasting life of the soul means that we (our souls) live on for all of eternity, but does NOT, in itself, assure us where or how life after (physical) death will be experienced. It is if/when one is "born again - John 3: 5, 7" during his/her time here on EARTH that one receives the "eternal life - John 3: 16" of God and a regenerated human spirit (Titus 3: 5), It is by doing so that one is assured that he/will be spending eternity in fellowship with God.
Life after death is NOT a question of IF, but a matter of WHERE and HOW life after death will be experienced.
The timing of the creation and placement of the soul does NOT justify abortion. Like many other multifaceted issues, there is much to be considered when evaluating what God does or does not approve of under the circumstances in any one given situation.
For some folks, issues of self-defense concerning the natural life of the mother and/or involuntarily conceiving outside of the plan (marriage) of God, (e.g.; rape/incest/molestation) can weigh in on the "appropriateness" of any given action.
My personal OPINION is that the only time an abortion could be considered is when the life of carrying mother is placed in legitimate jeopardy. I thank God that as a man, husband, and father, I never found myself in a position to have to make that call.
In situations where the natural life of the mother is not in jeopardy, but there are other extenuating circumstances (conception via rape/incest/molestation), adoption could be considered. Under such circumstances, the biological mother of the child was a victim of a sin of someone else, and should be treated as a victim and not as a perpetrator.
There is NO Biblical justification for abortion for convenience. But before passing personal judgment on those who do engage in a sinful abortion, keep in mind that we are ALL in the same boat of sinners (James 2: 10) and in need of God's forgiveness. We do not all commit the same sin, but we all sin. Interesting to note that (Prov. 6: 17) places the SIN of looking down one's nose on another is mentioned in the same verse as murder, both actions being among the forms of sin that God hates (Prov. 6: 16).
With the exception of the sin of disbelief, there is NO sin that can keep a soul out of Heaven. Telling people that God will NEVER forgive someone for committing ANY other sin is not merely false, but amounts to blasphemy in that is implies that faith in the blood of Christ can fail to produce all that God has declared it did.
At the same time, there IS divine discipline (Hebrews 12: 6) that takes place HERE on Earth for ANY sin that one chooses to engage in, here on Earth. The first step in resolving ANY sin issue with God begins with entertaining the process documented in 1John 1:9.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1: 9 NASB)."
A Christian does not need there to be secular law requiring or prohibiting anything in order for him/her to know and to do what glorifies God. Many attempts to "legislate" morality has done more harm than good as they provided the forces of evil the opportunity to legalize under secular law the very things that the "Christian do-gooders" were trying to oppose.
A more accurate ENGLISH interpretation of Duet. 20:10 would read, "Thou shall not murder", as it does in the NASB translation. Murder is a sin and a crime. To kill and to murder both end with a dead body, but killing in some cases is neither a sin nor is it a crime.
Scripture (Eccl. 3:3) teach that there are times to "kill", but there are never times to "murder". Among the Biblically endorses circumstances that justify "killing," are serving in the military and/or law enforcement, accidental death, executing capital punishment, and self defense. When the continuation of a pregnancy places a real present threat to the life of a mother, the self defense argument surfaces. The taking of life is never to be one's first option, but there are times when such circumstances call for it, and one's duty to comply.
Historically, to qualify as "murder" under (most) secular systems of law, the action must be with malicious intent and the victim must have a human body that is physically alive at the time that act took place. In recent years, some systems of secular law has gone on to define a "murder" victim to include a fetus after reaching a developmental stage in which there could be a legitimate expectation for survival, if separated from the womb of the mother.
According to Scripture, the human fetus becomes a human being when the fetus simultaneously receives its first breath of natural life and a soul at BIRTH. The body becomes a corpse when the soul departs at the moment of physical death of the body.
The spiritual difference between a live human fetus and a live human being is that there is a SOUL in the body of a living human being, but not (yet) one in a human fetus. According to Scripture, the soul enters a biologically alive fetus at birth, transforming what was a fetus into a human body. According to Scripture, there is NO longer a soul in a corpse (John 19:30, etc.). At that point, what was a human body becomes a human corpse.
God provided the means (spontaneous abortion/miscarriage/still born) for the natural termination of ANY human fetus for which His will does not call for the placement of a soul at birth. To the extent that it is within the control of a woman carrying a live fetus, she is accountable for the stewardship of the fetus she is carrying. The male that fathered the fetus, to the extent that he has any say or control, is equally responsible for the stewardship of the developing fetus.
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Man was created for the primary purpose of glorifying God in the midst of this ongoing struggle between the forces of good and evil. As of the time of the restoration of the planet and the creation of Man, much had already taken place in this conflict that had NOTHING to do with Man.
It is hard for Man, being the self-centered, time oriented, and Earthly focused being that he is to comprehend there being a time when He did not even exist, or what place in eternity future he is destined to entertain. The devil knows this, and has done a good job of hiding and/or disputing what God has revealed to us in His Word, concerning events in eternity past, present time, and in the future to come. The devil primarily accomplishes this by cashing in on Man's fixation with natural issues of the here and now.
When I studied for ordination, I was amazed on just how much information the Bible does have to offer concerning the events of Eternity Past that took place PRIOR to the creation of Man. Without a clear understanding of such things, the believer is almost certain to entertain one of the devil's alternatives, being deceived into thinking that what he/she does by his/her human abilities in the flesh IS fulfilling the primary purpose for which God created him/her.
There is a time and place for the production of human good, but even the greatest example of it or the greatest quantity of it will NOT produce a single millisecond of eternal life necessary to live in fellowship with God when we pass from this world and enter the eternal state.
Like so many fellow Christians, I was under the assumption that the post salvation "Christian" thing to do was to do my part in making the "devil's" world (Luke 4: 6) a "better place to live. While the production of human good provides the logistical needs for family and/or self, and does contribute to one's society, the production of human good has got NOTHING to do with spirituality.
Many atheists and unbelievers provide for families and succeed in the production of human good , but will never the less find themselves in the lake of fire if they are never born again. The primary purpose that the LOCATION of where one produces human good is to provide the time and place for the believer to be an ambassador for Chris (2Cor. 5: 20).
God has a plan (2Sam. 12: 23) to address those who do not reach the age or stage of moral accountability, but the stewardship of the body in most cases is one of the things that sets the stage for the eventual presentation of the Gospel and the opportunity to respond to it.
Once saved, good stewardship of the body can contribute to the availability of a individual to serve the purposes of God. Note however, that hospital stays and even end-time nursing home residence may be a part of where God wants us to be at any given to time to serve as His ambassador!
Some of the most influential ambassadors of Christ had to or will have to deal with serious handicaps that would have caused many believers to become embittered towards God and the things of God.
At the present time, I know of a pastor overseas who was blinded as a result of injuries received in a civil war in his country. His wife, who has been his "eyes" is presently undergoing a serious heart operation. When I think of the challenges that some believers go through, what the Lord has asked of me in my walk with Him is not all that much.
There is a lot more information available than what is simply stated and encapsulated in the opening words of Genesis 1: 2. In fact, until one chooses to secure such Biblical information, it is easy to see how those who are ignorant of such things will draw the errant conclusions that many "religious" bodies have made and continue to promote to this very day concerning the details, timing, and purpose for the creation of Man was/is.
The pre-existing angelic realm had been given free will, but Satan (and the angels that followed him in his revolt) made the wrong choices. The fall of the devil and the angels was not based on disbelief in God, as they lived with God in Heaven before their Fall. Satan was created by God as a high-ranking cherub (angel) that among other things, serves as guardians (Gen. 3:24). In the case of Satan, prior to his revolt, he served in this capacity in the very throne room of God (Ezek. 2: 14).
It was there that Satan developed the evil desire, to be (worshiped) like God (Isa. 14: 14/Ezek. 28:14)
The sin of Satan and the angels was the sin of independence. Satan's declaration of independence and intentions were clearly documented in Isaiah 13: 14.
The Heaven or Hell disposition, as it pertains to MAN, is not based on performance, but like the angels, it does involve the exercise of the free will that God gives each soul. Man is accountable to the extent that God and the things of God were made known to him/her in the course of one's time here on Earth.
What we choose to do (or don't do) as stewards of the body that we received at birth has a lot to do with the post (after we are born again) salvation spiritual life.
As important as prioritizing the spiritual issues of life is, God gave Man temporal work to do (Gen. 2:15).
It is while we are going about our daily routines that we are to glorify God no matter where we are or what we are otherwise doing. All one has to do so confirm WHERE God wants him/her to be any given moment in time, is to shut and reopen one's eyes, and there is your answer! However, developing the discernment to perecive WHAT God wants one to do is a matter of how well one has developed his/her individual soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Idle hands and an idol soul is what gets a lot of us in trouble. The issue with temporal activity, is that even when it produces good, the human good it produces must not be confused with the production of divine good (Gen. 4: 1-5/1Cor. 3: 12-15).
We spend at least half of our conscious time on Earth in a workplace. One's workplace, be it in the home or outside of the home, is an area that Satan and the (Eph. 6: 12) forces of evil will target for attack (Eph. 6: 16). Within Adam's workplace (The Garden) was also the means for his ultimate downfall.
As stewards of the body we received, we have the responsibility of maintaining its safety, health, and condition, to the extent that our individual circumstances allow.
Excessive eating, drinking, smoking, drug/alcohol abuse, lack of physical exercise and inappropriate sexual activity are among the ways in which we can CHOOSE to fail in this area of stewardship.
You're not likely to this verse on a plaque hanging on the wall of the fitness or nutrition center, but 1Timothy 4:8 (NASB) tells us that, "bodily discipline is only of little profit...". Here, moderation should be the rule of thumb. One would be wise to acknowledge that the timing and circumstances of one's Earthly departure may have nothing to do one's health or physical condition at the time, but in the meantime one can reap the maximum heath benefits that physical exercise and nutrition promotes until that time comes.
There are many persons in relatively great shape that die every day from causes that had nothing to do with their physical health at the time. Others, such as professional athletes are in the best shape one can be, but drop dead due to some health issue that had laid dormant and undetected.
If our circumstances allow, being selective as to what chemicals we ingest, and what harmful elements in certain environments we expose our bodies to can go a long way in the practicing good stewardship.
There are some activities that we CHOOSE to engage in that increase the risk of accidental trauma that can result in serious personal injury or death. God did NOT design the human body to fly, swim great distances, or travel along the ground in or on mechanized means of transportation. While I am not suggesting that we are doing anything wrong by making use of such inventions, we ARE choosing to place ourselves in harms way when we do.
Our physical bodies have an appointment with death and a destiny of dust, unless anyone of us are among those who are still here on Earth when the Rapture takes place (1Thess. 4: 15. 16).
Scripture (1Cor. 2: 16) teach that during the dispensation of the Church Age, the bodies of believers becomes a temple of God the Holy Spirit on the day one is born again. When people and spiritual beings see what we are doing with "temple" of which we have stewardship, do they see something being used to promote SELF, the DEVIL or GOD?
Within these same bodies, however, there is our soul that God created and placed there at birth, and the fallen sin nature that was passed down to it at conception. By exercising the free will that God gives each soul, we choose, at any given time, to do what pleases self, God, or the fallen sin nature.
Granted, God is more concerned about what He sees in the soul structure in the inside than the overt appearance of our bodies, never the less, our body language and countenance reveals much about who or what is in control of our thoughts and actions.
Keeping things in balance, one would be better off now and in eternity by spending more time in the mirror of God's Word than in front of the mirror on the wall.
Disciples are commanded (not an option) to present their physical bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12: 1) for the glory of God. In order for anything to be a true sacrifice, one must surrender something of personal value. We do that when we deny what SELF or the FALLEN nature in us would want to do in order to do what God would have us to instead.
Choosing what our eyes will look at; what our hands will do; where out feet will take us, to Whom or what our knees will bend and our heads will bow; what our tongues will say, and when and with whom we share our sexual experiences, are all ways in which we CHOOSE to glorify God, self, or the devil.
As relatively temporary as our physical bodies may be, what we do with them reveals much about what is going on in the soul structure inside.
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Excessive eating, drinking, smoking, drug/alcohol abuse, lack of physical exercise and inappropriate sexual activity are among the ways in which we can CHOOSE to fail in this area of stewardship.
You're not likely to this verse on a plaque hanging on the wall of the fitness or nutrition center, but 1Timothy 4:8 (NASB) tells us that, "bodily discipline is only of little profit...". Here, moderation should be the rule of thumb. One would be wise to acknowledge that the timing and circumstances of one's Earthly departure may have nothing to do one's health or physical condition at the time, but in the meantime one can reap the maximum heath benefits that physical exercise and nutrition promotes until that time comes.
There are many persons in relatively great shape that die every day from causes that had nothing to do with their physical health at the time. Others, such as professional athletes are in the best shape one can be, but drop dead due to some health issue that had laid dormant and undetected.
If our circumstances allow, being selective as to what chemicals we ingest, and what harmful elements in certain environments we expose our bodies to can go a long way in the practicing good stewardship.
There are some activities that we CHOOSE to engage in that increase the risk of accidental trauma that can result in serious personal injury or death. God did NOT design the human body to fly, swim great distances, or travel along the ground in or on mechanized means of transportation. While I am not suggesting that we are doing anything wrong by making use of such inventions, we ARE choosing to place ourselves in harms way when we do.
Our physical bodies have an appointment with death and a destiny of dust, unless anyone of us are among those who are still here on Earth when the Rapture takes place (1Thess. 4: 15. 16).
Scripture (1Cor. 2: 16) teach that during the dispensation of the Church Age, the bodies of believers becomes a temple of God the Holy Spirit on the day one is born again. When people and spiritual beings see what we are doing with "temple" of which we have stewardship, do they see something being used to promote SELF, the DEVIL or GOD?
Within these same bodies, however, there is our soul that God created and placed there at birth, and the fallen sin nature that was passed down to it at conception. By exercising the free will that God gives each soul, we choose, at any given time, to do what pleases self, God, or the fallen sin nature.
Granted, God is more concerned about what He sees in the soul structure in the inside than the overt appearance of our bodies, never the less, our body language and countenance reveals much about who or what is in control of our thoughts and actions.
Keeping things in balance, one would be better off now and in eternity by spending more time in the mirror of God's Word than in front of the mirror on the wall.
Disciples are commanded (not an option) to present their physical bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12: 1) for the glory of God. In order for anything to be a true sacrifice, one must surrender something of personal value. We do that when we deny what SELF or the FALLEN nature in us would want to do in order to do what God would have us to instead.
Choosing what our eyes will look at; what our hands will do; where out feet will take us, to Whom or what our knees will bend and our heads will bow; what our tongues will say, and when and with whom we share our sexual experiences, are all ways in which we CHOOSE to glorify God, self, or the devil.
As relatively temporary as our physical bodies may be, what we do with them reveals much about what is going on in the soul structure inside.
===========================================================
Click HERE TO GO TO Doctrine of Stewardship Part 4 (Link under construction)
Click HERE TO GO TO...more doctrines/presentations
Click HERE to go to Home Page