Lent - Day 5 (February 23)

Larger Catechism – Day 5 of Lent

Question 17:  How did God create human beings?

Answer:  After he had made all the other creatures, God created humans, male and female.  He formed the body of man from the dust of the ground and the woman from the rib of the man.  He endowed them with living, reasoning, and immortal souls, made in his own image with knowledge, righteousness, and holiness.  God wrote his law on their hearts and gave them the ability to obey it.  Along with dominion over the other creatures, they also had the potential to fall.

People were not made by chance, we are made in the image of God.

The human body is composed of an amazingly complex set of systems that allow the body to support life.  The systems in the human body are:  skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, endocrine system, digestive system, urinary system, male reproductive system and female reproductive system.  It takes all of these systems to keep the body alive.

The human body is astonishing but the attributes given to us by God are even more amazing!  We each have an immoral souls that is made in the image of God with knowledge, righteousness and holiness.  The soul is that part of me that makes me uniquely “me.”  God create us with immortal souls so that we could be able to be with him for all eternity.  Way cool!

Romans chapter 2 tells us that God has written on our hearts the requirements of his law.  Our consciences also bear witness to God’s law.  God’s law is a part of our DNA.  Unfortunately, sin can dim our ability to recognize God’s law and our ability to obey his law.

God could have create “robots” to obey him, instead he created people with the ability to obey—or disobey.  I don’t know if I could have done that if I were God. 

Many years ago I had a hunting dog.  Ranger and I would spend many days each year hunting pheasants.  It really frustrated me when he would disobey me—doing what he wanted to do rather than what I wanted to do.  Amazingly, when we spent lots of time together before hunting season he seemed to know what pleased me.  We would run together and I wouldn’t even need to hold onto his leash.  He would recognize when he was getting too far away from me and instinctively adjust his pace.

God created us to be in relationship with him.  Like the experience with my dog, when I spend time with God, thinking about him and reading his word I find myself wanting to do what pleases him.  I always have the potential to “fall” or disobey (and believe me, there are times when I do).  I also have a much greater chance to doing that which pleases him.

It is amazing to think that God loved us so much and wanted us to be with him for all eternity, and that he was willing to have us choose walk away from him.  He truly is a great God.