The Mystery of Human Life
"By revelation the mystery was made known to me"
1) The purpose of human existence
Money cannot satisfy man
Neither can education satisfy man
Nor can pleasure satisfy man
Nor can success satisfy man
2) Gods plan
3) The four keys
The first key: Gods creation unlocking the mystery of human existence
1) Man has Gods image
Gods creation of man is different from His creation of all other things. He created man in His own image. A glove is created according to the likeness of a hand with the purpose of containing the hand.
Likewise, man was created in the image of God with the purpose of containing God.
2) Man is a vessel
We are vessels of God.
God wants to be our content.
As bottles are made to contain water, we are made to contain God.
It is no wonder that knowledge, wealth, pleasure, and accomplishment can never satisfy you, for you were created to contain God!
3) The parts of man
Man is Gods vessel. The Bible divides 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 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.
For problems of the body one may see a doctor.
For problems of the soul one may see a psychiatrist.
Yet only God can solve the problems of the spirit.
4) Gods economy
This is the purpose of human existence! 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.
The second key: Mans fall unlocking the mystery of the good and evil natures of man
1) The two natures of man
However, there is also an evil nature in man which wars against his good nature. The Chinese metaphysicists refer to this war as a battle between reason and lust. Throughout history, both in the East and West, those who understand human nature acknowledge the existence of this evil nature which the Bible calls:
2) Sin
No one likes to be greedy, jealous, or murderous.
No one likes to be boastful, arrogant, or deceitful.
No one likes to be irritable, licentious, or lustful.
No one likes to be 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 do the good is not." Romans 7:18
"But if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that do it but sin that dwells in me." Romans 7:20
This is a portrait of man.
3) The fall of man
Sin caused mans spirit to be deadened: "And you, being dead in your offenses sins." Ephesians 2:1
Sin caused mans mind to rebel: "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by evil works." Colossians 1:21
Sin caused mans body to sin: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to obey its lusts." Romans 6:12
The fallen man is like:
A damaged and untunable radio which cannot receive and play music, but rather meaningless noise.
He is also like:
A cup that has fallen into the gutter still having its original fine form but now covered with mud.
4) Man cannot save himself
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 cannot save him from sin.
This picture of man simply depicts the battle between his good nature and his evil nature.
The third key: Christs redemption unlocking the mystery of the life and death of the God-man
He is the embodiment of the Triune God.
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9
"The Word was Godthe Word became flesh and tabernacled among usfull of grace and reality." John 1:1,14
Therefore, He is both the complete God and the perfect man.
He is more than a good man!
He is more than a great man!
He is more than a moral man!
He is more than a holy man!
He is the God-man!
As the Lamb of God, He died to take away mans sin. "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29
As the brass serpent that had been lifted up, He died to crush the old serpent, Satan, and to deal with the serpents poison within man his sinful nature. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." John 3:14
As a grain of wheat, He died to release the divine life. "a grain of wheatdies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24
Now:
His death has taken away the sin which man has but should not have!
His death imparts into man the life which he needs but does not have!
The forth key: Gods dispensing unlocking the mystery of faith in Christ
The Lord became the Spirit called the life-giving Spirit by His resurrection from the dead. "The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit." 1 Corithians 15:45
Since this Spirit is the life-giving Spirit, He dispenses God with His life into His believers.
Hence, the Bible says: "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." John 5:12
Jesus said, "Unless a man is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
A pig cannot participate in the sheeps kingdom and live a sheeps life by education, improvement, or regulation; it must possess the life of a sheep.
Similarly, man cannot participate in Gods kingdom and live a divine life by education, improvement, or regulation; he must receive the life of God!
Through this, we can be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ. "Because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son." Romans 8:29
This is the purpose if human life!
This is the meaning of being a Christian!
This is what God has planned for you!
Now that you have realized Gods plan, you should do four things:
Repentance ids neither to turn over a new leaf.
Repentance is to have a change in mind.
Previously you had your back towards God. Whether you were doing good or evil, you were turned away from God. Your mind was turned away from God. Now listen to what the Lord Jesus said: "Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." Matt 4:17
Through baptism, God transfers us from the kingdom of Satan of God. For this reason, the Lord Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5
Now, please pray