Why was Man Created?

[TheBlade]

"for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.” but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, Littlelambseativy said:

In reality, God wanted a family to love Him. The Catechism says we were made to honour and glorify God, yet Israel is referred to a the wife of the Father  and the Church is referred to as the bride of Jesus... a family that one day will honour and love the Father and the Son and enjoy the relationship we have with them.

 

1 hour ago, TheBlade said:

"for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.” but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

I too believe God loves us and wants a family and to have wonderful fellowship with us!  And that will certainly be part of our portion in eternity.  However, to answer the specific question of "Why was man created?" we do need to look at what God said about doing that in the beginning.  Genesis 1:26 says, "Let Us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness, to rule over . . . all the earth and everything that crawls on it." (chapter 3 tells us who crawls on the earth)

So God says man was created and put here for dominion - to carry out His authority on the earth. Do you see this?

[Marilyn C]

7 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Perhaps, and I have contemplated that, before Him.  Who knows all He has in store for us?!  But it begins with dominion over the earth and all on it, as He said in Genesis 1:26 - "And let them have dominion . . . over all the earth and every creature that crawls upon it."

Notice that in Genesis 3:14 God tells the enemy he will crawl on his belly and eat dust.  (We are made from dust.) Then in verse 15 God says, "He will crush your head and you will strike his heel." 

In Luke 10:19 the Lord tells His disciples they have "authority over serpents and scorpions." As Jesus observes the disciples using this authority, He says, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightening." This is a direct reference to the occurrence in Revelation 12, where the devil is cast down.

Paul continues the theme of man having this authority and its purpose: "Now the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly."  Romans 6:20

The culmination of this authority Christ has regained and given to us is here: "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne . . . And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out . . . and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-lives unto death.  Therefore the accuser of their brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night!" Revelation 12:5, 9-10

Hallelujah!  May the church see the glory we've been called into!

Hi VA,

Glad you have contemplated this. 

I agree that God made man to have dominion over the earth. Then, God called out Israel from the nations to rule over them in righteousness. This will be fulfilled.

Then, God promised those of the OT an inheritance in the new Jerusalem, to rule from the universal realm.

Finally, God `called out` another group who would rule from the highest on the Lord`s own throne. (Rev. 3: 21) - the Body of Christ.

 

[FreeGrace]

On 5/21/2023 at 7:22 PM, Vine Abider said:

So why are we here - what did God have in actually mind for us? 

Was it to:

a) Be nice people?

b) Give Him something to do?

c) Provide amusement?

d) Fulfil a purpose?

If you picked "d" please show the verse(s) that tell that purpose. Chicken dinner* for the winner!

* virtual 

OK, 4+ pages, which I'm not going to read.  I don't think there is a clear statetement in Scripture of why God created the human race.  So the only thing left is to make as educated a guess as is possible.

Since the angels were present at the creation of the universe, it goes to reason that the human race came after the angelic race.  

There was a rebellion in heaven (Rev 12, possibly) and the highest cherub (Lucifer - Ezek 28) led the revolt by thinking he could supersede God on His throne (Isa 14:12-14), and led 1/3 of the angels in that rebellion.

Many missionaries/personal evangelists have reported that the most common resistance to the gospel is "why would a loving God send His creatures that He loves (Jn 3:16) to eternal torment?  (no verses).  

Satan is a liar (John 8) and deceiver of the whole world (Rev 12:9).  No verse to support, but it would be totally logical and reasonable to conclude that the "most common" resistance to the gospel came from Satan, to get people to reject the gospel.

Satan and all his followers (angels) have been judged (Matt 25:41) and will be cast into the Lake of Fire after the MK.  Rev 20.

Given what the most common resistance to the gospel is, it is also quite possible that Satan used that very same excuse at his own judgment/sentencing.  

Thus, God created a race of creatures "slightly below" that of angels, with free will, which Satan and his rebels also had (Heb 2:6-8).  

This inferior race of angels was created to PROVE to Satan/followers that they have no excuse for their rebellion, and that God's justice is FAIR, since there is no excuse for rebellion/etc.

And Job demonstrates this by allowing Satan the freedom to get Job to curse God and die.  Of course God is omniscient and knew all along what Job would do, but Satan is only "slightly above" us humans and had no such insight.  

So Job's continual faith in the face of such disasters justifies God's judgment on all rebel angels.  

So, if even only 1 human being in all of humanity freely believed the gospel message and the receipt of eternal life on the basis of just trusting in the Work of Christ on the cross, Satan would have been refuted totally.  Just 1 of us.

So, God created human kind to prove to Satan that He is totally FAIR and JUST in His judgments.  iow, Satan had no business to rebel in the first place.

And, yes, God DOES love His creatures.  But He isn't maudlin about it.

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, FreeGrace said:

OK, 4+ pages, which I'm not going to read.  I don't think there is a clear statetement in Scripture of why God created the human race.  So the only thing left is to make as educated a guess as is possible.

Since the angels were present at the creation of the universe, it goes to reason that the human race came after the angelic race.  

There was a rebellion in heaven (Rev 12, possibly) and the highest cherub (Lucifer - Ezek 28) led the revolt by thinking he could supersede God on His throne (Isa 14:12-14), and led 1/3 of the angels in that rebellion.

Many missionaries/personal evangelists have reported that the most common resistance to the gospel is "why would a loving God send His creatures that He loves (Jn 3:16) to eternal torment?  (no verses).  

Satan is a liar (John 8) and deceiver of the whole world (Rev 12:9).  No verse to support, but it would be totally logical and reasonable to conclude that the "most common" resistance to the gospel came from Satan, to get people to reject the gospel.

Satan and all his followers (angels) have been judged (Matt 25:41) and will be cast into the Lake of Fire after the MK.  Rev 20.

Given what the most common resistance to the gospel is, it is also quite possible that Satan used that very same excuse at his own judgment/sentencing.  

Thus, God created a race of creatures "slightly below" that of angels, with free will, which Satan and his rebels also had (Heb 2:6-8).  

This inferior race of angels was created to PROVE to Satan/followers that they have no excuse for their rebellion, and that God's justice is FAIR, since there is no excuse for rebellion/etc.

And Job demonstrates this by allowing Satan the freedom to get Job to curse God and die.  Of course God is omniscient and knew all along what Job would do, but Satan is only "slightly above" us humans and had no such insight.  

So Job's continual faith in the face of such disasters justifies God's judgment on all rebel angels.  

So, if even only 1 human being in all of humanity freely believed the gospel message and the receipt of eternal life on the basis of just trusting in the Work of Christ on the cross, Satan would have been refuted totally.  Just 1 of us.

So, God created human kind to prove to Satan that He is totally FAIR and JUST in His judgments.  iow, Satan had no business to rebel in the first place.

And, yes, God DOES love His creatures.  But He isn't maudlin about it.

You are pretty much on the money, and if you'd postd earlier you might have got that chicken dinner awarded to @Marathoner!  

Since you haven't read through all these, please see my post below from earlier, which is something of a summary.

8 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Perhaps, and I have contemplated that, before Him.  Who knows all He has in store for us?!  But it begins with dominion over the earth and all on it, as He said in Genesis 1:26 - "And let them have dominion . . . over all the earth and every creature that crawls upon it."

Notice that in Genesis 3:14 God tells the enemy he will crawl on his belly and eat dust.  (We are made from dust.) Then in verse 15 God says, "He will crush your head and you will strike his heel." 

In Luke 10:19 the Lord tells His disciples they have "authority over serpents and scorpions." As Jesus observes the disciples using this authority, He says, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightening." This is a direct reference to the occurrence in Revelation 12, where the devil is cast down.

Paul continues the theme of man having this authority and its purpose: "Now the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly."  Romans 6:20

The culmination of this authority Christ has regained and given to us is here: "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne . . . And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out . . . and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-lives unto death.  Therefore the accuser of their brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night!" Revelation 12:5, 9-10

Hallelujah!  May the church see the glory we've been called into!

 

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

You are pretty much on the money, and if you'd postd earlier you might have got that chicken dinner awarded to @Marathoner!

Think he might share?  

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

  Since you haven't read through all these, please see my post below from earlier, which is something of a summary.

Thanks.  I did read that post.  Couldn't find a 'thumbs up' but I offer this:  

Edited May 25, 2023 by FreeGrace

[Marathoner]

1 hour ago, FreeGrace said:

Think he might share? 

Of course! Help yourself. 

[Marathoner]

The scriptures are rich with allegorical references to how the Lord God Almighty casts down the mighty and exalts the weak and the lowly, taking them in His hand as His treasured possession. He promises to teach the ignorant, give sight to the blind, and dwell with His beloved for all of their days on this earth. 

Indeed, it pleases the Lord to do this thing to the consternation of the wise, whose foolishness is manifest in His sight. No one knows the hidden counsel of the Lord, not one; who counsels God? No one is like the Lord who declares the end from the beginning, just we find written in the book of Genesis. Ah, but the fulness of time was veiled from the knowledge of men until the proper season, for the Son of Man was His provision for us all from the beginning. 

It can be hard to grasp that suffering and trial are our portion in this world, as the example of Jacob and the children of Israel exemplify to us in the present day. Remember how the Lord, when He blessed Jacob and gave Him a new name, afflicted Israel so that he walked with a limp (Genesis 32). It pleases the Lord that we contend with all manner of afflictions and even weakness on earth for by this, His will and purpose are revealed:

No one may stand before the Almighty and say, "They fear You for nothing, Lord!"

That is what the accuser said of Job, and the Lord proceeded to make a mockery of our accuser through Job's misery. In Job's suffering the Lord came to His servant and reasoned with him, showing forth an example of how He teaches the ignorant to be wise, and how He opens the eyes of the blind so we might see. This is His promise to us, my friends. 

Why did it please the Lord to grant man dominion over this earth? Man is His heir, specifically, the Son of Man; for Jesus Christ is our example in all things, and also our God and Savior. The Father promised us to His beloved Son in whom our lives are hidden (Colossians 3). What was hidden from man in days of old is revealed in Jesus Christ:

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:16-17 NASB)

Suffering is indeed our portion, and we don't suffer on account of disobedience. We suffer with Christ so that we may also be glorified with Him. I saw this foreshadowed in Genesis 32:24-32 when the Lord blessed Jacob. He afflicted him first.  
 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Marathoner
typos

[Marathoner]

5 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

 

I too believe God loves us and wants a family and to have wonderful fellowship with us!  And that will certainly be part of our portion in eternity.  However, to answer the specific question of "Why was man created?" we do need to look at what God said about doing that in the beginning.  Genesis 1:26 says, "Let Us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness, to rule over . . . all the earth and everything that crawls on it." (chapter 3 tells us who crawls on the earth)

So God says man was created and put here for dominion - to carry out His authority on the earth. Do you see this?

That very authority is what "in His name" means. Merely uttering a name is not what His authority means at all. If this were true, then anyone could usurp the authority which God grants to His heirs. Not so. 

In all things, we look toward the Son of Man: He is first in all things, and the first of many brethren. He is the head of His Body, and we are parts of His Body. This touches upon something we're in resounding agreement about: we are in Christ! Just as the brass serpent in the wilderness was an example of the Son of Man crucified, the Son of Man glorified is the hope of our salvation in the Son of God. God Himself justifies and glorifies us, and no other. We certainly don't justify and glorify ourselves.

Those who do have already received their reward, yes? 

Those whose lives are hidden in Christ are the inheritors of that dominion which God granted man when He created us. 

The Son of God sits at the right hand of the Father, and so we are also seated with the Son of God. That's who we are and were always meant to be: joint heirs with the Son of the living God who made all things, both seen and unseen. There is so much that remains unseen at this time but then again, there is an appointed time for every matter under heaven. Until then, we suffer for a little while.  

[Marilyn C]

2 hours ago, Marathoner said:

 

The Son of God sits at the right hand of the Father, and so we are also seated with the Son of God. That's who we are and were always meant to be: joint heirs with the Son of the living God who made all things, both seen and unseen. There is so much that remains unseen at this time but then again, there is an appointed time for every matter under heaven. Until then, we suffer for a little while.  

I agree and God`s word tells us clearly that Christ`s authority and power, (His throne) is -

`...FAR ABOVE ALL......not only in this age but ALSO IN THAT WHICH IS TO COME.` (Eph. 1: 21)

For the overcomers -

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne...` (Rev. 3: 21)

Paul encourages us -

`I press towards the goal for the prize of the on top calling of God in Christ Jesus..` (Phil. 3: 14)

 

Let us not be deceived but believe God`s word - the Body of Christ are those who are eagerly waiting for Him to take them to His eternal throne in the highest.