Physical, Functional and Moral Order in God's creation in Genesis Chapters 1-3
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Physical
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Functional
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Moral
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Distinction |
To set apart, to differentiate |
To diversify: each according to its kinds |
Know good and evil |
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Nature |
Mortal, with boundaries and limits, not designed to fully satisfy us, unpredictable and uncontrollable to man |
God has a calling and plan for each of us, and God continues to works and shapes us to live out this calling. We can only fulfil it when we rely on God |
Knowledge of good and evil belongs to God alone. God is the one who owns the decision to call something 'good'. Man has the choice to decide whether to follow, and face the consequences of the decision |
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God's Action |
God speaks |
God names (Adam also names the animals) |
God decides what is good |
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Realm it governs |
Blessings and curse, |
character, roles |
Good and evil |
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God's Provision |
Our 'portion' |
Our calling |
Principles, guide |
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Man's response |
To receive |
To treasure and live it out |
To choose |
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How man may spoil it |
Wrong expectations, desires more than what is assigned to us |
Living a false sense of self |
Choosing to define good and evil ourselves |
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Purpose & Significance |
Enjoy the portion God has given to each of us and endorsed us to enjoy |
Be the person God has created us to be, live out the calling given us |
All values and moral ethical decisions |
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Highlights of God's character |
Sovereignty |
Wisdom |
Justice |
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To be sustained / lived out by |
God |
God Man (to live out God's calling) |
God Man (to choose and execute) |
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Our Application |
- Gratitude in the portion assigned to each of us. - Learn to accept boundaries and limits created for us - Not to idolize things that can never satisfy us |
- Listen. Calling is not to be 'found' or 'worked out' by ourselves, but to be known by listening - All work God has called you to do is sacred - Be the person God has called you to be, not to be driven by worldly drives |
- To resist voices of the world - Values are not to be decided by rewards or desires, but trust the Creator knows |
