Episode Details

Welcome to Word of Life Study Series- The Authority of the Believer! In this first episode we will be laying a foundation, by examining the origins of the authority that God had given to mankind in the beginning. We will see how that authority was usurped by the devil. I encourage you to follow along in your Bible in order see for yourself what God is revealing to us in the Holy Scriptures. 

 1. The Origin of Man

-         Mankind was created in the image of God.
-         Created in God’s image as spirit beings. It’s God who created our spirit in the womb.           

 2. Mankind Consists of Three Parts

-         Mankind was created a tri-cotomy; the Godhead is referred to as the Divine Trinity.
-         I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body- spirit, soul and body- 1Th. 5:23
 -        Let’s define the three parts of mankind in more detail:
 
We are a Spirit (Conscience)                               - Conscience is the voice of our human spirit.
We have a Soul (Emotions, Will, Intellect)  - Reason is the voice of our soul.
We live in a Body (5 Senses)                                - Feelings is the voice of our physical body.

3. God Gave Man Dominion

Yet as soon as God finished restoring the earth to an habitable state, He turned it over to Adam on a lease, to be a steward and caretaker of it- Genesis 1:26-28.

4. The Probation of Man

-         What good is it to have a free will if we do not have an opportunity to make a choice.
-         Death would occur only if Adam disobeyed the command of God- Gen. 2:16-17
-         Our first parents had holy natures, but they did not yet have holy characters.
-         A holy nature is the result of creation; a holy character is the result of testing.
-         In which a choice for good is made and where a choice for evil was possible.

5. The Fall of Man

-         A universal law, that a person becomes a slave to the person they obey- Romans 6:16-17.
-         Satan usurped mankind's dominion through deception.
-         Satan is the god of this world system thanks to Adam- that’s why it’s in such a mess.
-         They lost God-consciousness and gained self-consciousness- Genesis 3:7.
-         Sin is spiritual crime, and when you do the crime you have to do the time.
-         Unless someone else innocent enough to take our place as a substitute for sin- Jesus!

Three forms of death:
Physical Death- Human spirit and soul separated from the physical body
Spiritual Death- Taking on the spiritual nature of Satan- permeates whole being
Eternal Death- Eternal separation from God and exile in the Lake of Fire forever

A promise was made that would change the destiny of mankind and undo what Satan had just done in the Garden- Genesis 3:15.

 -         Sure enough, Jesus did just that 2,000 years ago- Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14-15; Rev. 1:18.
-         Jesus has restored Adam’s lost dominion; phased in over time.
-         Ro. 5:17; 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Isaiah 65:17-18; Rev. 21:1-5.