The Composition and Uniqueness of Man as God’s Creation

We look at how God the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit conjoined in making God's masterpiece –you and I-this week. The word: “Man” here is a dyadic generic for the human race and not a gendered-tilted word referring to “male.” Each time the Almighty God uses that word, He doesn't mean a man or the male gender as we know and refer to it in our lexicon. As Our Lord Jesus Christ finished creation on the fifth day with arboreous species and aquatic animals, the angels in the heavens sang and shouted for joy (Job 38: 7), but Satan and his fallen angels were wondering morosely, who would be in charge of all these newly-created things and beings. Then God the Son, God, the Father and God the Holy Spirit said: “Let us… (Genesis 1: 26). That word: “Us” refers to God in His Council just like the president or prime minister of a nation will say; “Our administration will not tolerate…” You hear that all the time around the world. God Almighty has never done anything on earth without operating in His council (I Kings 22: 19-22; Revelation 4: 1-12) and those creatures in council are referred to as the “host of heaven” (when we get to how the heavens operate, we have a lot to say on this in our subsequent articles in this column). “Man” refers to a group of sub-angelic beings created with sprit (lower case “s” please as distinct from upper case “S” which refers to the Holy Spirit-the Third in Trinity), soul and body. As God Almighty is Triune in His Personality Being so He replicated this same Triune Personality in Man. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Let us (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) create Man in Our image and likeness.” In other words, let us replicate Us (Exodus 6: 2 & 3; Mathew 16 & 17) in this New sub-angelic being to become as we are; as Man the spirit, soul and body (I Thessalonians 5: 23b; Hebrews 4:12). Man was invested with three basic endowments just as God Almighty: Power, Authority and Dominion (Genesis 1: 28). Power is the ability to enforce a Will (there are seven levels of power, which we will talk about in subsequent articles in this column); Authority is the legal instrument to enforce a will or power and there are only two ways to gain authority: de facto or de jure-lawyers and legal minds and constitutional scholars and political scientists understand what we are saying here; and finally, Dominion is untrammelled and unquestioned uses of both Power and Authority without question or what is called last resort or sovereignty. When Satan and his renegades heard God's pronouncements two times, they went dottily nuts and asked themselves; “So, this Man creature will rule over us? Where are we going to stay on earth before the Day?' Any time God Almighty repeats a statement or makes a proclamation twice for emphasis; it is established forever and cannot be changed or reversed (Genesis 22: 15; Genesis 41: 32; Numbers 23: 19-20; Hebrews 6:18). This is how God makes covenants or agreements between two unequal partners. This was why Satan decided to tempt Eve, because Satan asked the Lord God Almighty to tempt Adam and Eve and he was allowed, which we will examine next week. But meanwhile, let's examine how God fortified the Man He created in order for Man to be able to exercise these three elements of tremendous power, authority and dominion. Now, we examine the triune personality of man the spirit, soul and body in his being. The Human Spirit: The human spirit is that part of our being that is connected to the Lord God. It contains three parts: Intuition (2 Timothy 3: 16; Luke 24: 30-32); Conscience (Gen 20: 6; Acts 24:16) and Communion (Isaiah 26: 9; John 4: 24; Romans 1:9). The word “heart” in Luke 24: 30-32 above on the Emmaus incident was translated by the Expanded Bible Version and Easy-To-Read Bible Version as “fire burning in us,” which means “in the heart (spirit). It is only and only in the Intuitive part of the spirit of Man does God speak to us, period (Job 33: 14; I Corinthians 2: 12). The intuitive part of the human spirit is where God talks to us; the conscience regulates human reaction to moral laws and there are three types of human consciences: the clear, good or blameless conscience (Acts 23: 1; I Timothy 3:9); the guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22), and the seared conscience (I Timothy 4:2). The communion part of the human spirit, also known as the worship part (John 4: 24) is placed by God for every human being to connect with the spiritual dimension of existence. That is why no matter how anti-God a human being may be, you must believe in something. Even those who are atheists are religious, because atheism itself is a religion. Every human being on earth is religion, whether personal or organized religion. To be religious simply means to believe in something or someone higher than you and when you do not believe in the existence of a Supreme Being as Atheists say they are, self-belief itself is a religion. No matter how any human being wants to discount the existence of a Higher Being, God Almighty has deliberately put this Communion or Worship part of the human spirit so every human being will constantly yearn for a Higher Being. Other creatures of the Lord God do not have this craving. That is why you and I are unique and created in God's image and likeness. As God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit relate and work together in Divine Love and perfect harmonious relationship, so they created each and everyone the same. The Human Soul: Like He created His angels, including Satan and the fallen angels as free agents, God Almighty wanted humans to have a Will of their own. This is the part of the soul, which is the seat of decision (John 7:17; Acts 20: 27) and wherever the “Will” goes, the remaining 5 areas of the human soul go namely: Imagination (Psalm 73: 7; Ezekiel 13: 2, 7); Remembrance (Gen 42: 9; Isaiah 46: 9, 2 Peter 1: 15); Emotions (2 Samuel 18: 33 New Living Translation, Luke 1: 46); Intellect (Acts 17: 18; Colossians 2: 8); and the Mind (Psalm 64: 6; I Corinthians 2: 9, 2 Corinthians 10:5). Imagination is used to conceptualize things to come and future plans; Remembrance regulates what has happened in the past and can be only obtained by two ways through which the soul regulates this part: positive and negative remembrances. The negative aspect of the human remembrance did not begin to function until after the fall of Adam which we shall discuss in subsequent write-ups. Emotions act as the human soul's response to events in his/her surrounding (Luke 1: 46-55); the Intellect is basically human limited knowledge, which helps us to understand our world and it began with philosophy, the father of earthly knowledge (Colossians 2: 8). The human mind is the unseen part of the soul like the other areas of the spirit and soul, which manifests itself as a physiological organ known as the human heart. The human mind human and heart are basically the same thing; the mind is invisible to the physical eye, but what the mind conceives in the human soul manifests in the human heart, which is visible to the human eyes. We have plenty to say about all these in the coming months and years on how these organs operate in the soul. The Human Body: The human body is the chamber or as Peter calls it, the tent (2 Peter 1: 13), which houses both the spirit and soul. The human body is of dual nature at creation; the spiritual body and the natural body (I Corinthians 15: 44). The organs of smell, vision, hearings, sex and speech also have spiritual components. There are natural eyes to see natural objects or things and spiritual eyes to see into the spiritual realm, which some called four eyes (Gen 21: 19, Psalm 119: 18). There are spiritual smells as well (Psalm 115: 6) and speech or talking with spiritual mouths (Numbers 22: 38, Isaiah 49: 2). In other translations, spiritual mouth can also be described as lips (Isaiah 6: 5-7, Zephaniah 3:9). Spiritual sex or what Our Lord Jesus Christ called “sexual immorality” can indeed be committed in the heart, when it is not done naturally (Mathew 15: 19, Revelation 2: 20), Spiritual sex, which is also referred to as idolatry or sexual immorality (Revelation 18: 1-24) or harlotry (Leviticus 20: 5) is one of the demonic doorways through which the fallen angels and Satan himself corrupt the world, even till this day, which will have plenty to talk about in this Holy Spirit-directed column when we get to Demons and Demonology. But this occurred after the fall of Adam. After these Triune personalities of Man were created in resemblance of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God did something wonderful out of His many wonders. All the elements of Man were all wrapped together in duality and the sand, which was the clothing or garment of Satan and his fallen angels became man's clothing. God Almighty wanted this planet earth to be the theater of warfare between Man and Satan and his fallen angels as further humiliation of the devil. Now the Man that God created was a generic creation and so a representative of that generic Man was brought forth known as Adam and later Eve as his companion. All these three components of human spirit, soul and body in two dimensional aspects or duality had no life until “…the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being,” (Gen 2: 7; James 2: 26). This Adam and later Eve that the Lord God created weren't created to live forever, but the Man that the Lord God created was expected to live forever based on the Covenant that the Lord God had with Man (Gen 1: 26 and 28). This Covenant or agreement with two unequal partners was repeated or reiterated twice, which sealed it and made it both inexpungible and inexpugnable or inviolate. Although Adam and Eve may mess up, which they eventually did, that would not cancel the Covenant that the Lord God made with Man ab initio. This is the answer to those who normally ask: If God knew that Adam and Eve would disobey Him, why didn't He stop them nor do something about it. He just did. You see, when we say Man and Adam/Eve are different entities in the spiritual lexicon of the Lord God, here is an analogy. You know there is nothing really known as a vehicle but a general word or generic term for any human invention with wheels powered by combustive engine, which we call motor vehicle, because the word, “vehicle” itself (from the Latin word vehiculum) simply refers to any form of transportation of either humans or loads or materials from one place to place. However when Mr. Karl Benz, the German inventor of the first world motorcar, Benz gave the world the first motor vehicle in 1879, he merely invented the technology, which was later improved upon by American Henry Ford. That invention of Benz by Mr. Jarl Benz became the generic word for motor car or the automobile (The New York Times Newspaper invented that word in its editorial of January 3, 1899). That is what is called “generic” but since then, the technology of mobility powered by a combustive car engine has spread around the world, but it began with Mr. Benz's invention which no one probably rode anyway. Another example of how to understand the difference between Man and Adam/Eve is the position of presidency or Prime Minister in a functioning democracy. Looked critically, there is nothing known as the Presidency of the United States until and when a human being actually occupies that position, thus the presidency is only a position or title, while presidents come and go, the position: presidency will remain as long as the United States endures as a nation or the Prime Ministerial position of the UK remains as long as a nation known as the UK endures. Although presidents and prime ministers occupy those positions and their characters rob- off on the positions, yet all treaties they sign on behalf of their respective nations while in and out of office are binding. The same thing with Man and Adam/Eve: Adam and Eve were just mere representatives of the Man that the Lord God created and entered into a Covenant with to wit: power, authority and dominion over the earth and everything on it (Gen 1: 26 & 28). Although, Adam and Eve later misbehaved; the Covenant that the Lord God had with Man remains forever, period (Deuteronomy 7:9). The Adam and Eve that the Lord God Almighty made were put in the Garden of Eden, which literally means, a place of God's Bliss and Presence. God provided all of their needs and their only duty was to keep and tend what God put in their care but, because God is a God of Justice and Love, He gave a command to Adam thus: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die,: (Genesis 2: 15-17). So why did God issue out this command? Why did God allow Satan to tempt Adam and Eve? What exactly happened at the Garden of Eden that day and how did Satan record his first major victory since he and his renegade comrades lost the war in the heavens? We turn to these next week.

Next week, you will be amazed at some revelations of the Holy Spirit on the above questions and more. The answers will challenge your faith and give you more knowledge into the Word of Life. You will love this, because you may be reading for the first time some of the things you will read here next week and this will prompt you to go back to your pastor and Bible Study teachers to ask questions after aligning what you will read here with the Word of the Holy Bible.

REACTION TO ISSUE OF THE WEEK: I rarely react to the teachings and sermons of pastors and other fellow men and women, because I follow the Word of the Holy Bible that we are supposed to gather together in the vineyard of Our Lord and Savior. We have different gifts but the Holy Spirit determines the gift appropriate for each and every one in His house hold. But one is constrained to make corrections when a pastor, an evangelist, a teacher or a missionary makes a pronouncement that is at variance with the Word of God. It is very, very important that anyone, who opens his/her mouth to teach the Word of God, or picks a pen to write about the issues of eternal life must be very, very careful on what he/she says or writes, including this columnist. We will be judged more than others, because what we say or write will stand before us on the Day. If you are not called by the Lord God Almighty to be a teacher of His Word and you take the job of teaching the Holy Bible without directive and direction from the Author of the Book of Life, the Holy Bible, and begin to write rubbish or say/talk what you are not asked or told to say, you are courting overwhelming disaster for yourself and damnation on your life on the Day of Judgment. In addition, your talk/sermon or article may lead a lot of people astray and the Lord God will hold you responsible for the souls of such people. This is why I am pained in my spirit by what was credited to Mr. Kris Okotie, a popular pastor in Nigeria and Head Pastor, Household Church of God Oregun Lagos Nigeria. He was reported to have told his congregation that there was nothing wrong for a redeemed child of God, a born-again Christian to have a tattoo on his or her body. The issue of tattoo was first brought to my notice by my son here in the United States, who asked me whether a Christian should wear a tattoo. The Lord God Almighty condemned tattoo in all ramifications: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord, “(Leviticus, 19: 28). Tattoos had their origins in Mesopotamia and the old Canaan, as parts of ritual worship of necromancy among the pagan worshippers depicting visualizations of demons in charge of channeling dead people. It was part of demon worship, which in modern times has crept into today's fashion world, yet its demonic origin is unmistakable. As Apostle Paul admonished believers in Romans 12: 1: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (NIV). Every citizen of a nation procures international passport as proof of citizenship of that particular nation so also demons would love to identify those, who worship them through bodily markings or tattoos. We are also warned in I Corinthian 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?”(KJV) In addition to tattoos, this is why believers are not expected to smoke tobacco, use needles to ingest drugs of any type into their bodies, because, the demonstration of our victory over the flesh and reverence for Our Lord, Master and Savior Jesus Christ is not to destroy this living temple until the Day He comes back as He has promised to take us home. FROM MY MAIL BAG THIS WEEK:

Hello Dr. Fayemiwo, I hope you and your families are doing well. Congratulations for your new column. I am sure your writing will attract readers to the Nigerian World, knowing you as an intellectual. I will definitely check your column out soon. Our radio program has not returned yet because of time. As one of our panelists, you will be informed when we come back on the air. Best wishes and Happy New Year to you and your family. --- Dr. Emeka Emekauwa (PhD), General Manager, and host of “African Series, Saturday 3-6pm program, WSHA 88.9FM Radio, and Professor and Head, Department of Mass Communication, Shaw University Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

Thanks Dr Emekauwa, I will look forward to joining you when the program is back on air (Dr Fayemiwo used to be an African policy analyst and an African historian/political expert on “African Series Saturday 3-6pm program, WSHA 88.9FM Radio, Shaw University Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

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Thank you for your article. You have always been a blessing. I also read your write ups in the Nigeria World and other publications/Internet sites. Please, continue to do what you know to do best with the Power of the Holy Spirit– inspire and bless others with God's Word. Blessings---Anonymous, Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa.

Thank you Mr. /Ms. Anonymous, but you should have disclosed your name.

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Re: Your article; “Reclaiming the Soul and Spirit of Modern America” of Sunday, December 16, 2012. Waooo! This is a fabulous write up. I guess we need you in Nigeria Sir in order to educate the younger generation about the essence of living. Nigeria is becoming far worse than America in violence among teens. I think the Republicans should be blame for all the menace of gun violence in America---Anonymous, December 19, 2012.

Well, Anonymous, I was born and raised in Nigeria, but had to leave with my entire family because of our futures and those yet unborn that are being mortgaged by Nigeria's serial decadent rulers. I think the whole world, more than Nigeria needs me and Glory to the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am sad to read about the menace of gun violence in Nigeria. I observed the same thing the last time I visited. Thank you for your letter Mr. /Ms. Anonymous, even though you didn't disclose your name.

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If we preach and know all what you have written here Sir, why is Nigeria still being messed up? We have too many preaching and less doing. I hope that as we preach all these great words from the Holy Bible, we will also use them to better our society. Thank you for sharing God's word in this site. I love the content in this site so far. God bless you---Nzeribe on the article: “What Exactly Does It Mean to Be a Born-Again Christian? December 16, 2012, Nigeria, West Africa.

Mr. or Ms. Nzeribe, your observations are apt. Yes, while some Nigerian Christian leaders are using Christianity to line up their pockets, because as the Holy Bible says, the god of such Christian leaders is their stomach, there are also some genuine Christian leaders, who are really worshipping the True God. It has always been like that from Church history. Ultimately, whether Nigeria survives as a nation or not depends on Nigerians for we need to pray, because prayers are good, but as Our Lord Jesus Christ admonished the Pharisees, we should also not neglect the issues of poverty, probity and prudence, servant hood, transparence, equity, justice and good governance. Those are our parts to play as human beings and not God. Unfortunately, I do not live in Nigeria, but I pray for Nigeria, the land of my birth as I pray also for other nations of the world, including my adopted nation, the United States of America. Do not lose sight of the fact that the way Christianity is practiced in Nigeria is different from here in the United States. There is too much hypocrisy in Nigerian Christendom. I will expatiate on this issue in my subsequent articles in this column. Once again, thanks for your observation.

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Dear Sir, I have been following your interesting write ups. I thank God for your life and safety from Abacha's Gulag. My family and I always pray for you when we heard that you were kidnaped in Nigeria during the brutal military regime of late General Sani Abacha in Nigeria in 1997. It is well and we thank God for everything. Be blessed and have happy prosperous New year--- Ms. Esther Barinem Kiobel, Grand Prairie, Arlington, TX, USA.

Quite a long time, Mrs. Kiobel. Thank you very much; God Almighty brought me out safely from Abacha's Gulag and thank you for your prayer support in those years.

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Dear Dr Fayemiwo, Bros Long time! I usually enjoy your writings. You were my senior in the secondary school way back in Nigeria in the 1970s and I must confess; I am extremely proud of you---Bode Akadiri, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and now Social Worker, State of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Bode, how are you and life in Baltimore, Maryland? Thank you very much for your kind words.

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Thank you sir, your article and many write-ups are very interesting. Thank you for sharing what the Holy Spirit has inspired you to share with the world. May God Almighty continue to support you. Stay blessed and much love--- Mr. Azeez Akeem Ayodeji, Owo Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria, West Africa.

God Almighty will continue to guard and guide you, Akeem. Remain Blessed.

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*Dr Fayemiwo is author, publisher and CEO, Alternative Lifestyle Communication, DBA and an adjunct lecturer in African History & Media Studies at the City Colleges of Chicago in Illinois, USA.

Read his weekly column "The Christian Walk" here every Monday.