00:00:04,350 --> 00:00:11,309 THE MYSTERY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE 1. MAN

00:00:08,639 --> 00:00:14,399 HAS GOD'S IMAGE Please read the

00:00:11,309 --> 00:00:17,600 following verse: "And God said, Let us make

00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:22,500 man in our image, after our likeness...."

00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:24,900 Genesis 1:26 a God's creation of man is

00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:28,230 different from His creation of all

00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:32,278 other things. He created man in His own

00:00:28,230 --> 00:00:34,649 image. A glove is created according to

00:00:32,279 --> 00:00:37,950 the likeness of a hand with the

00:00:34,649 --> 00:00:42,030 purpose of containing the hand. Likewise,

00:00:37,950 --> 00:00:46,410 man was created in the image of God with

00:00:42,030 --> 00:00:50,460 the purpose of containing God. 2. MAN IS A

00:00:46,410 --> 00:00:53,279 VESSEL Now read the next verse: God

00:00:50,460 --> 00:00:57,480 "should make known the riches of His glory

00:00:53,280 --> 00:01:03,030 upon vessels of mercy...even us." Romans 9:

00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:06,240 23-24 We are vessels of God. God wants

00:01:03,030 --> 00:01:09,390 to be our content. As bottles are made to

00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:12,750 contain water, we are made to contain God.

00:01:09,390 --> 00:01:15,900 It is no wonder that knowledge, wealth,

00:01:12,750 --> 00:01:19,049 pleasure, and accomplishment can never

00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:24,299 satisfy you, for you were created to

00:01:19,049 --> 00:01:27,150 contain God! 3. THE PARTS OF MAN Please

00:01:24,299 --> 00:01:29,939 continue by reading the next verse: "May

00:01:27,150 --> 00:01:36,659 your spirit and soul and body be preserved

00:01:29,939 --> 00:01:39,689 complete." 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Man is

00:01:36,659 --> 00:01:43,439 God's vessel. The Bible divides this

00:01:39,689 --> 00:01:47,939 vessel into three parts—the spirit, the

00:01:43,439 --> 00:01:50,960 soul, and the body. See diagram below: The

00:01:47,939 --> 00:01:54,889 BODY is simply the physical body,

00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:57,600 belonging to the physiological level,

00:01:54,890 --> 00:02:00,000 contacting the things of the material

00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:05,219 realm, and is the most superficial part.

00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:08,759 The SOUL is the mental faculty, belonging

00:02:05,219 --> 00:02:11,190 to the psychological level, contacting

00:02:08,758 --> 00:02:14,579 the things of the mental realm,

00:02:11,190 --> 00:02:17,670 and is a deeper part. The SPIRIT is the

00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:20,910 deepest part of man, belonging to the

00:02:17,670 --> 00:02:24,239 spiritual level, and contacts the things

00:02:20,910 --> 00:02:27,329 of God. For problems of the body one may

00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:30,480 see a doctor. For problems of the mind one

00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:34,830 may visit a psychiatrist. Yet only God

00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:36,420 can solve the problems of the spirit. 4.

00:02:34,830 --> 00:02:39,870 GOD'S ECONOMY

00:02:36,420 --> 00:02:43,160 God wants to enter into man's spirit, to

00:02:39,870 --> 00:02:46,680 become his content and his satisfaction.

00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:49,350 This is the purpose of human existence!

00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,200 You are not merely created to contain

00:02:49,350 --> 00:02:54,680 food in your stomach, or to contain

00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:59,720 knowledge in your mind, but you are

00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,720 created to contain God in your spirit.