Understanding God's Plan for Man

[Nice & Wavy]

I thought this would be a very good time to share some information that may be helpful to some people who would like a clearer understanding of God's plan for man. This is very useful and can be used as a personal Bible Study.

It's not intended for debate, so I hope that it doesn't come across that way. This is presenting verses from the Bible, so I hope you will be blessed. I will be sharing other topics over the next couple of weeks.

Blessings,

NiceandWavy




God created man to be holy

Those who believe in God know that God created man. In the eyes of men, many believe that man are not created equal, but to God all man are created equal. In fact, God created man in His own image, as it is written in Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; . . . . Many people know this fact, but some of them do not understand the reason and the purpose of God. Why God created man in His own image? Why was man created that way? If God is a Spirit and man is flesh, in what way is man the image of God. Did man conform to the plan of God. God Himself revealed His great and sublime purpose in creating man in the Holy Bible. Let us study the words of God written in the Holy Bible that we may come to the knowledge of the truth.​

God's sublime purpose in creating man

According to the Bible, What was the great and sublime purpose in creating man?

In Ephesians 1:4, this is written:

Just as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. (NKJV)​

Before the foundation of the world, God planned to create man to be Holy and without blame before Him in love.
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In whose image did God created man?

In Genesis 1:27, this is written:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (KJV)​

God created man in His own image, but, is man the image of God, in nature?
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What is the nature of God according to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ?

In John 4:24, it is stated:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)​

The nature of God is a spirit. "God is a spirit," Christ said.
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What is meant by spirit, according to our Lord Jesus Christ?

In Luke 24:39, Christ said:

"Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.'' (NKJV) ​

According to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, "a spirit has no flesh and bones". A spirit has no matter.
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What is man, according to the Bible?

In Genesis 6:3, this is written:

And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'' (NKJV)​

The same verse in another version of the Bible for clarity:

Then the LORD said: "My spirit shall not remain in man forever, since he is but flesh. His days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years." (New American Bible)​

Man also is flesh. Man has matter. Man has flesh and bones.
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If God is a spirit and man is flesh. In what, then, is man the image of God?

In I Peter 1:16, this is written:

because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.'' (NKJV) ​

In what is man the image of God? Man is the image of God in holiness. God said, "Be ye holy: for I am holy."
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That man should be holy was indeed the plan of God when He created man.​

In Ephesians 1:4, this is written:

Just as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. (NKJV)​

Before the foundation of the world, God planned to create man to be Holy and without blame before Him in love.
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How, then, can man fulfill the great and sublime purpose of God in creating man?

In I Peter 1:15, this is stated:

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. (NIV)​

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Just as God who called you is holy, man should be holy in all his behavior, his conduct, in all he is doing. This is the only way man can fulfill the great and sublime purpose of God in creating him.​

Continues on next post

 

[Nice & Wavy]

continuation from previous post...

Man Failed In Holiness

Did man conform to the plan of God in creating man, that man should be holy?

In Romans 3:10-12, this is written:

As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; ​

there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. ​

They have all gone out of the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.'' (NKJV)​

Man did not conform to the plan of God, that man should be holy.
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Not one is righteous before God. Why?

In Romans 3:23 it is written:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (KJV)​

The reason why not one is righteous before God, is that all men have sinned.
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How do all men stand in the sight of God?

In Romans 3:19, this is stated:

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (NKJV)​

The same verse in the other versions of the Bible for clarity:

Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all human excuses and bring the whole world under God's judgment. (TEV)​

Now we know that what the law says is addressed to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world stand accountable to God, ( New American Bible)​

Because all men have sinned, all men are under the judgment of God or the whole world stand accountable to God. All men are condemned by God.
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What is the condemnation reserved for men, all having sinned?

In Revelations 20:14, this is revealed:

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (KJV) ​

The condemnation reserved for men, all having sinned, is the second death in the lake of fire.
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Is there no more chance for men to be saved from that condemnation or from the curse of the law?

In Galatians 3:13, this is written:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''),(NKJV)​

Man has a chance to be saved from condemnation reserved for sinners in the second death in the lake of fire, through the redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Why is man under condemnation or under the curse of the law? What has he done?

In Galatians 3:10, it is stated

Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse. For the scripture says, " whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God's curse!" (Today's English Version)​

The same verse in another version of the Bible for clarity:

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law." (New Revised Standard Version)​

Man is under condemnation or under the curse of the law, because he transgressed the law of God. As a transgressor of the law of God, man ought to suffer the punishment reserved for sinners in the lake of fire. Man's only hope of salvation is Christ who can redeem those who are under the curse of the law.
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God created man in His own image not physically because God is a Spirit but in Holiness as God says "Be holy, because I am holy."Creating man in the image of God in holiness is in accordance with God's plan for "He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."
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Apostle Peter also said: "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do."Just as God who created man is holy, man should be holy in all his behavior, his conduct, in all he is doing. This is the only way man can fulfill the great and sublime purpose of God in creating him. ​

But man from the earliest times has failed in Holiness, man did not conform to the plan of God, that man should be holy. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Because all men have sinned, all men are condemned by God. The condemnation reserved for men, all having sinned, is the second death in the lake of fire. Though man was sentenced to die due to sin, - - - Man was given a chance to be saved from condemnation , through redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ, - - - God in all His mercy and love sent His only begotten Son so that an may yet live.​