LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING - HOW TO BE A MAN - HOW TO BE A WOMAN - 1

There is your view, there is my view and then there's God's view. It is taken for granted that most everyone of adult age and reasoning comprehends what it means to be a man or woman. One common definition found in the dictionary and the minds of most people is a male or female individual of the human race, of adult growth or years. This is the generally understood meaning. God's definition of a man or woman differs somewhat from this. It is the purpose of this series of posts to explore, understand and inspire appreciation for God's view of manhood and womanhood and to create a desire to be as He intends that human beings should be through the grace of Christ. The word man as used in many Bible verses often refers to mankind or the human race and therefore includes both men and women.

While scientific teachings acknowledge no specific objective or ultimate plan for the human race, God makes clear that He made man and woman for a purpose. The fulfillment of this purpose was to be the aim and joy of human beings. It is failure to recognize and conform to God's purpose for life that leaves human beings empty and without a compass in this world ever seeking to fill the void with inadequate and often self-destructive substitutes. There are literally thousands upon thousands who can explain the purpose of life with no more than the words "to be happy."

Many misunderstand the object for which they were created. It was to bless humanity and glorify God, rather than to enjoy and glorify self. Only by understanding God's purpose for creating human beings and giving us life can we truly see that the plan of salvation encompasses more than simply forgiveness of sin. It includes restoration from sin's power as well.

When Adam came from the Creator's hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. "God created man in his own image" (Gen. 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image--the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator

Above all lower orders of being, God designed that man, the crowning work of His creation, should express His thought and reveal His glory, and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image--the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. Hence we see, that the purpose for which human beings were created and the ultimate purpose of life is - to continually reflect more and more of the image of the Creator expressing His thoughts and revealing His glory.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (Psalms 8:4-8) These verses may lead us to consider man as God made him and as he is now.

MAN/WOMAN AS GOD MADE THEM

When God had made man in His image, the human form was perfect in all its arrangements, but it was without life. Then a personal, self-existing God breathed into that form the breath of life, and man became a living, breathing, intelligent being. All parts of the human organism were put in action. Man came from the hand of God perfect in every faculty of mind and body; in perfect soundness, therefore in perfect health. All his faculties were harmonious. In all his emotions, words, and actions, there was a perfect conformity to the will of his Maker. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason.

Woman, as God made her, was a perfect and lovely image of the divine ideal of womanhood. She was noble, perfect in symmetry, and very beautiful. When God created her, He designed that she should possess neither inferiority nor superiority to the man, but that in all things she should be his equal. Her heart had the glow of healthful feelings and the tint of her complexion was soft and radiant being untainted by no artificial cosmetic. She had a well-balanced mind and a pure character, reflecting only the true, the good, and the beautiful. She was not loud, forward nor presumptuous but poised, modest and morally charming.

Someone may ask how it is possible to know what the first man and the first woman were like. It all depends upon who you trust for your information. According to the Bible, they were created in the image of God. They reflected His character - they were pure and sinless because God's character is pure and sinless.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:27,31)

After each day of creation, God saw that what He had done was "good." After creating man, He viewed this work as "very good." If God says something is very good, that is exactly what He means.

MAN/WOMAN AS THEY ARE NOW

Here is where most human beings, including many religious people are deceived concerning human nature. The heart of man is by nature cold and dark and unloving; Man's wisdom is untrustworthy. Man is fickle, filled with self-esteem, pride, and selfishness. By nature man has no love for God. It is not natural for him to think of heavenly things. The natural heart is at enmity against God, and will resist the clearest evidence of truth. It is ever pleading in favor of worldly customs.

Man is worshiping the reflection of his own image. The nature of man is in opposition to the divine will, depraved, deformed, and wholly unlike the character of God expressed in his law.

Selfishness is the essence of depravity, and because human beings have yielded to its power, the opposite of allegiance to God is seen in the world today. Nations, families, and individuals are filled with a desire to make self a center. The human heart is naturally inclined to idolatry, self-gratification and self-exaltation.

In the scenes that transpired at the judgment hall, and at Calvary, we see what the human heart is capable of when not under the influence of God's Spirit.

Jeremiah 17:9/Mark7:21,22/Galatians 5:19-21/Romans 1:26-31/2 Timothy 3:1-5/Matthew 24:12

RETURNING TO GOD'S PURPOSE FOR CREATING MAN AND WOMAN

Sin has marred and well-nigh obliterated the image of God in man. It was to restore this that the plan of salvation was devised and a life of probation was granted to man. To bring him back to the perfection in which he was first created is the great object of life--the object that underlies every other. (Romans 8:28,29/Ephesians 2:10,1:4,5/2 Timothy 1:9)

This series of studies will be continued in subsequent posts.

© 2010 Tyrone Keels

www.issues-of-life.com

You have just been reading from part 1 of a study entitled, "How To Be A Man - How To Be A Woman" Look for more pages from this study in future posts...

IT'S WHAT YOU KNOW AND IT'S WHO YOU KNOW THAT MATTERS - PRINCIPLES OF VICTORY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - Part IX

In the competition for Miss Teen USA, Miss South Carolina attempted to answer a question and in doing so she demonstrated that at times, "what you know" really does matter. Her reply has had more than 43 million views and she has been condemned and judged by many as lacking vital knowledge. It is not known how many viewers would have been able to answer the same question that was given to her. On the other hand, we also have words of Jesus to consider emphasizing the importance of "who you know" Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23) Jesus describes religious people who never really knew Him as is evidenced by the Lord's statement that He never knew them. A theoretical or mere intellectual knowledge of God and Christ will never transform the character of the one who does not have a practical experience in the application of Bible principles for daily living. If God is good all the time, why not have a preference for Him all the time ? In other words, why do we not choose to allow the principles of His word to govern our choice of leisure, recreation and relationship activities. Why is He not the center of our joy and living ?

Many people know a lot of things and some people hardly know anything but very few people know much about the most important things in life. Very few really know God as it is our privilege to know Him. The more satisfied anyone is with himself and his present knowledge, the less earnestly and humbly will he or she seek to be guided into all truth. Truly knowing God is an educational relationship process which involves more than seeking intellectual stimulation or emotional ecstasy. As one comes to know God more, the inclination to sin is lessened and the desire to do right is increased and this is manifested in words and actions.

While worldly education prepares one to help build the national economy, true education embraces not merely a training of the intellect, but is a symmetrical development of all the powers--physical, mental, and moral. It is the inculcation of those ideas which will impress the mind and heart with the knowledge of God the Creator and Jesus Christ the Redeemer.

A student may go through all the grades of the schools and colleges of today. He may devote all his powers to acquiring knowledge. But unless he has a knowledge of God, unless he obeys the laws that govern his being, he will destroy himself. The so called "higher" education of the world in no way inspires obedience to the laws of God or the development of a Christlike character.

The educational curriculum that lays great stress on memorizing, produces a class of conservative people who are more inclined to trust society's institutions rather than the simple words of God. Such are more easily led by human authority and scholarship than by the wisdom of God. Indeed, any knowledge upon any subject that references from inspirational sources will be typically viewed with skepticism while that which is chiefly a product of the highest human reasoning is readily accepted.

Notice, the type of reasoning that God encourages - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD (Isaiah 1:18)

The highest education will be that which will teach our children and youth, our teachers and educators, the science of Christianity, that will give them an experimental knowledge of God's ways, and impart to them the lessons which Christ gave to his disciples of the paternal character of God. Obtaining an experimental knowledge of God comes by wearing the yoke of Christ.

There is no education to be gained higher than that given to the early disciples, and which is revealed to us through the word of God. To gain the higher education means to follow this word implicitly; it means to walk in the footsteps of Christ, to practice His virtues. It means to give up selfishness and to devote the life to the service of God. Higher education calls for something greater, something more divine, than the knowledge to be obtained merely from books. It means a personal, experimental knowledge of Christ; it means emancipation from ideas, from habits and practices, that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness, and which are opposed to loyalty to God. It means to overcome stubbornness, pride, selfishness, worldly ambition, and unbelief. It is the message of deliverance from sin. It may be wisely interwoven with any other study or discipline by the Christian teacher.

In this post we continue learning the principles which inspire and make possible the victory over sin and selfishness.

PRINCIPLES THAT ASSIST IN OBTAINING THE VICTORY

PRINCIPLES THAT STIMULATE OR INSPIRE A DESIRE FOR VICTORY

#2 SEEKING TO KNOW GOD AND CHRIST

a) The less we meditate upon Christ and His matchless love and the less we are assimilated to His image, the better will we appear in our own eyes, and the more self-confidence and self-complacency will we possess.

b) The one who talks most familiarly with his divine Leader has the most exalted conception of His greatness and is the most obedient to His commands.

c) The experimental knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom He has sent, transforms man into the image of God. It gives to man the mastery of himself, bringing every impulse and passion of the lower nature under the control of the higher powers of the mind.

d) It is essential to our eternal well-being to know more of God; for love to God depends on a conception of His goodness. His excellence, and a knowledge of His will.

e) It is necessary to know God in order to be attracted to him.

f) When the transgressor becomes acquainted with GOD, and experiences HIS love, it produces in his heart a hatred for sin and a love for holiness.

g) The more we know of God, the higher will be our ideal of character and the more earnest our longing to reflect His likeness.

2 Peter 1:2,3:18/Proverbs 9:10, 16:22, 19:27/John 17:3, 15:10/2 Timothy 3:7,16/Genesis 2:17/ Job 22:21/1 John 2:3,4, 3:6,24, 5:2/Jeremiah 9:23,24/Isaiah 1:17,46:8/Matthew 11:29, 7:13,26 /Hosea 4:1,2 /Romans 1:28/Philippians 3:8/Colossians 2:8/Mark 7:9/2 Corinthians 3:18/Revelation 2:5,3:3/Luke 8:21/James 1:22,23/Exodus 23:2/

© 2010 Tyrone Keels

www.issues-of-life.com

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