Subject: Successful Christian Life - ilive Series #4 Title: ilive Ultimate Core Value - Spiritual Love - The Love of God Text: Genesis 1:26a; 2:7; John 3:5; I Corinthians 6:20 Introduction Man was created in the image and likeness of God. What that means has been debated by theologians for centuries. Suffice it to say, men are unique among all of God s creations. Man is a physical, a material creation, but he is also a spiritual entity, a being, created according to Scripture to have a purpose, a relationship with his Creator. The answer to the question, Why? is up for discussion and beyond the grasp of our finite minds. There is a vast difference between the spiritual and material. Each of these two realms is governed by distinctly different and separate collections of principles, yet, intimately connected to one another in the human being or man being. Rocks, dirt, roads, chairs and bodies are physical. Love, logic, intellect, mind and faith are not, they are meta(beyond)-physical. Although we live in a physical world, our successes and failures in life, however they may be defined, are determined by values, decisions, logic, principles and the like, all of which are not physical, and are unique to man in God s creation. The spiritual principles or core values that one holds guide his feelings, attitudes, behaviors and decisions in life. Decisions based upon the spiritual principles of life (love, fear, hate, compassion, etc.) serve as the core values that effect every other major component of life. Values lead to decisions, decisions to actions, actions to destiny. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. I. Man was created in the image of God and after His likeness. Genesis 1:26a And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. In Genesis 1:1-2:3 the Scriptures tell us that the waters swarmed with living creatures (1:24). In these chapters a living creature is a name for a body that has within it the principle of life - that is an animal. Humans are like animals in this respect. In Genesis 2:7 man is formed from the ground, likewise the animals (2:19). 1
Therein lies the similarities, however, the Scriptures tell us that man was created in the image and after the likeness of God. This is not true of any other of God s creatures. In Genesis 2:15-17 God forms a religious or spiritual bond, a covenant, with the first man, and holds him morally responsible in a way distinct from the rest of the animal world. In all of this we note that man only has the capacity to sin, to violate the covenant. Man is a rational animal where the word rational includes the moral and spiritual side of man. Epictetus a Greek Stoic philosopher (50-130 AD) wrote of body, which we have in common with the beasts, and reason and intelligence, which we have in common with the gods... Man is both physical and rational; man is body and soul; he is material and immaterial; he is physical and spiritual. Atheism denies the spirit (ual). Pantheism denies the physical. Theism recognizes both and ties them together. Dust of the earth + breath of life + the image and likeness of God = man, the living soul. The gospel is embodied both in the death of Jesus Christ - death of flesh, separation from fellowship with the Father - the loss of breath of life. Christ restored them all in the resurrection. He is the breath of life. Creator of the Physical Initiator of the Covenant Jesus speaks of the two parts of reality in John 3 in his discussion with Nicodemus. John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (Charts of Material and Metaphyiscal words) Man is both physical and spiritual! I Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God s. 2
Question: why do we value certain things and minimize or ignore others??? II. Why do we believe what we believe? Belief is a function of the mind. We use reason and logic, information and understanding, experience and personal preferences to arrive at our beliefs. James Sire in his work, Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All, answers the question, Why do we believe what we believe? He says that there are five main categories that are considered by men to be sources of their beliefs: * Sociological * Psychological * Theological (Religious) * Philosophical * Biological * Sociological: - Parents - Friends - Society - Culture * Psychological: - x gives meaning and purpose - x gives me a sense of identity - x makes me feel good - x enables me to cope, etc. All ideas are equal = anarchy * Theological (Religious) - pastor - guru - book - formal religion - miracles - experiences * Philosophical - x is true - x is reasonable - x is logical - empirical evidence - experience - x = best explanation 3
* Biological - belief is a product of brain (Funnel Chart - Filter) III. Everyone believes something and for good reasons. These beliefs no matter how well thought out or not, no matter how logical and coherent they may be, make up the collection of principles and values that you believe are important to you. * Of course this brings great diversity in thought. * Sometimes our internal thoughts may be eventually contradictory. * Often times they are in conflict with the beliefs and ideas of others. * Often times our beliefs are determined with insufficient information. * Not fully embraced, principles or values can vacillate. * Sometimes we believe only what we want to believe. We are not talking about biology, we are talking about values, principles, mind, rationale. This is the spiritual side of man. (Funnel Chart Filter - Top) To refine our beliefs, principles and core values, we decide to filter information through some over-riding truth, being, principle, philosophy that you have accepted to be the most important. (Funnel Chart Filter - Bottom) IV. These core values: - center you - guide you - anchor you - serve as truth - provide focus This is spirituality not physicality. (New ilive Spirituality Chart) * Knowing your core values is the key to defining your life s purpose. *They influence every part of your life. * They are expressed in your relationships with others. 4
* These values highly influence your life decisions. * Core values - Decisions - Actions - Destiny * You must define your core values. - What shapes your behavior? - What are you passionate about? - What do you love? - What motivates you? * These values lead to a purposed, goal oriented, authentic life. (ilive Funnel) * Core values - Decisions - Actions - Destiny I Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God s. (Funnel Chart - Word of God) V. The Ultimate Spiritual Truth Is Love Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. A man s spiritual health is directly proportionate to his love for God. - C. S. Lewis (New ilive Pie) - replace Spiritual with Love I John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Chart - Mind of God) The process: 5
Information Human Mind Mind of God (Filter Word of God) Human Heart Human Will Actions (Behaviors) Other Nine Components * Man is both material and spiritual. * Both are valuable and products or creations of God. * We are to be concerned and minister in both realms. * The Gospel in theology and lived out in a practical way concerns both physical and material. * Christ (God and man) died physically and was spiritually wounded for our sins. * We are to carry the Gospel to the world in both the physical and spiritual realms. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. 6