During Creation Week the Godhead (“us”–1:26) created fish, birds, animals, etc., each after its own “kind” (Gen. 1:20-25). Being created “after its kind” there was instilled within each “kind” the instinct to breed only with those of its own “kind.” This physical law guaranteed that each newborn would be like all others of its “kind” in physical appearance. Even in subspecies like the various kinds of fish, birds, etc., such creatures (created entities) instinctively mate only with their own “kind.” Recall that the Godhead made angels to be visually different from Themselves. To that point in the creation process, nothing the Godhead had created looked like Them (God and the Word–Jn. 1:1-4,14).

Then the Gods created what was to be Their Crown Jewel–man (Heb.–Adam). Unlike all other animate (moving) creatures, They made man to be like Themselves. BY DIVINE DECREE, MAN’S “KIND” WAS THE GOD “KIND.” In physical shape and form (likeness), man was made to look like the Gods Who created him. In Hebrew the word “likeness” is d’mut, which means figure, form, fashion. As a man, Jesus of Nazareth looked like God. He said that whoever had seen Him had seen the Father (Jn. 14:8,9). He was of the God “kind” physically. Physically, He looked like all other men. So much so that Judas had to identify Him among the apostles so that the soldiers would know who to arrest that terrible night in the Garden of Gethsemane.

As important as man’s physical likeness relative to the Godhead was, there was a more important aspect to his creation–man’s “selem” (image) that had been instilled within his heart (mind). In Hebrew the word selem means ethereal, spiritual, mental. However, unlike man’s d’mut, His selem was not pre-determined. Adam (mankind) was created with the CAPACITY (SELEM) TO BE LIKE HIS CREATORS SPIRITUALLY AND MENTALLY. In this way mankind is of the God “kind.” Nothing has changed from God’s perspective. All within the human species are born with the same d’mut and selem as was Adam. Only a minutely few people know this, even fewer believe it and even fewer live it by obeying God’s Law and receiving the promised blessings for doing so.

The difference relative to the physical and spiritual “kind” with which man is an exact duplicate, the spiritual and mental aspect of man is a matter of choice on his (man’s) part. Recall that the angels also had the power of choice. One-third of them chose to rebel against God. Man is given the same choice relative to his morality and character. Of the first four human beings made of the God kind, three (75%) of them failed to utilize their selem properly and rebelled against God. Today the percentage of mankind that chooses to rebel against their Creator is more like 99%.

As a human being, Jesus had the same freedom of choice as did Adam and as have all who have been born since his fall. This almost total failure on the part of the church is caused by a lack of fear of the Biblical God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). Jesus, we are told in Hebrews 5:7, feared God and because of this, His prayers for help were heard. He choose to obey His Creator/Father when dealing with the ordeal He knew was about to take His life. Because of His obedient character, the man Jesus He was able to pay the ultimate price and thereby become man’s potential Savior. Read about His pre-crucifixion ordeal using the key word–Sweat. Notice: From this point on, Words such as God, Lord, Almighty will mean either the Godhead or one of the individual Gods–Father or Son. The context will reveal the deity to whom the Word applies.

So what does Adam have to do with the deadly floods in Texas, the global famines that kill approximately 20,000 people each day, inner city riots and destruction of buildings, attacks on first responders, fire destroying one part of a nation while hurricanes destroy another part and another part is inundated with snow, the invasion of heathen hoards into America and England and other so-called “Christian nations,” two world wars and a third in the making, disease epidemics that have killed millions with more on the way, earthquakes followed by the threat of volcanic eruptions caused by the melting of glaciers, mass killings for sport, children killing other children over a disagreement, people calling on other people to shed blood and, if necessary, give their own lives over a political or social issue, etc., etc. In summary, the world has come under the domination of Satan whose plan of action relative to mankind can be summed up in one word–SIN–the transgression of God’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4), which includes commandment #4, which 99% of professing Christianity rejects, which explains why so few of their prayers are answered. Relative to the WHY? question in the title of this series, does sin have anything to do with the tragedies listed above?

In every case involving such disasters, when the cameras are rolling and the microphones are pointed toward Bible-quoting, cross-wearing, Sunday-sabbathing survivors of such increasingly common disasters, one question is never asked–WHY ARE SUCH HORRIFIC THINGS HAPPENING? Instead of asking why Bible-toting, Scripture-quoting, cross-wearing people suffer along with their non-church neighbors, what we hear are people praising God that their lives were spared during a tornado, flood, fire, etc. which had taken everything but their lives.

What we do not hear are professing Christians asking why the tragedy happened in the first place, even though God explains why in His Holy Bible time and time again. Why is WHY? not the first question asked when tragedy strikes a community? Why are church people as mute as the non-church people relative to the cause of such suffering? No one is heard asking why church people endure the same catastrophes as non-church people? Why does the Lord describe both groups as “workers of iniquity” (Lawlessness–Mat. 7:21-23) who prove their hatred of Him and His Father by disobeying Their Words (Law)–Lk. 10:16/ Jn. 14:15? The answer takes us back to Adam.

In Genesis 1:26-31 we find one God saying to the other God that they should create a man. This is the point at which the WHY? question begins to be answered. Notice that Adam (and all of mankind) was to have dominion over the earth, everything on it, everything in it, everything in the water and everything in the sky directly above the earth. Notice also that everything they would need for food was provided. Obviously, the weather would be perfect in order to keep animals and vegetation reproducing for Adam (man). In 2:8-15 we find God creating a garden paradise in Eden where Adam and His descendants were to abide. Notice that he would have everything he needed in order to live a peaceful, healthy life. There was no mention of enemies, bad weather, disease, natural disasters such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, etc. In other words: MAN, MADE IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF THE GODS, WAS CREATED TO LIVE A LIFE OF PEACE, PROSPERITY, HEALTH, BEAUTY, PLENTY, ETC. AS DID THEY.

Sin causes God to separate Himself from man (Isa. 28:5), making powerless man low-hanging fruit for Satan to pick off and make part of his (Satan’s) religious system–today known as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastroism, voodoo , etc.

Sin caused the Lord to abandon His plan for Adam and his descendants. Sin begets sin. Following Adam’s fall, sin spread throughout the world, causing God to drown the whole of mankind except for eight people (Gen. 6:1,5-8). God used Noah and His family to replenish the earth with mankind–His most prized creation for whom He had planned only good–the best of everything. The answer to the ultimate question concerning why man’s life is the exact opposite of what God intended for him is: SIN. God defines sin in First John 3:4: “TO TRANSGRESS THE LAW IS SIN; FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.” Sin nullified God’s plan for Adam and his descendants. Sin nullifies every promise God made to man. Man, following in the religious footsteps of Adam and Eve, defines sin as whatever he wants sin to be. For this reason we see God sending curse after curse on man, including churchman. However, as was the case with Noah, God always has a tiny remnant of true saints who cling to Him and walk in His ways. To them His promises still apply. It is these few Very Elect saints who know WHY? church people suffer the same as their fellow worldly brethren. Again, the answer as to WHY? is SIN. Again, sin is the TRABSGRESSION OF GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW–THE SAME LAW THE CHURCH NAILED TO CHRIST’S CROSS. Why? has been answered. Is anyone listening? Read Deuteronomy 28 to see what God will do FOR us if we obey His Law and what He will do TO us if we do not obey His Law. Then read what Jesus said would happen if people believed and followed the teachings of the church’s false prophets as recorded in Matthew 24:4-8. Then read Psalm 5:5. Some versions of the Bible use the Word “INIQUITY” instead of “SIN” in the Psalm reference BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME (“iniquity” means “Lawlessness”). As a reminder, the same God (the Word/Jesus) spoke Deuteronomy 28, Matthew 7:21-23 and Matthew 24:4-8. He is also the same God about Whom Psalm 5:5 was written by King David–the “man after God’s own heart.” L.J.