UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE 　

1. MAN HAS GOD'S IMAGE

Please read the following verse:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness....” Genesis 1:26a

God's 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

Now read the next verse:

God “should make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy...even us.” Romans 9:23-24

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

Please continue by reading the next verse:

“May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Man is God's vessel. 　

The Bible divides this vessel into three parts—the spirit, the soul, and the body.

See diagram below:

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 mind one may visit a psychiatrist.

Yet only God can solve the problems of the spirit.

4. GOD'S ECONOMY

God wants to enter into man's spirit, to become his content and his satisfaction.

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.