Section One: Old Testament Foundation to Understanding Rewards

I. GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion (rule) 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 creeps upon the earth. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion (rule) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

A. Implications of God being the Creator:

1) He owns it all; 2) He can do with it whatever He wishes; 3) He sustains it; 4) He rules over it (any exercise of dominion within the creation must come at His permission); 5) He can destroy or re-create His creation at will.

B. We are Created in His Image and after His Likeness. (1:27)

God is seen in Genesis 1 as ruling over all. He speaks; it happens. His will is done. Man was created to have dominion, to rule over the earth v 26 & 26. Dominion is a blessing of God, lost by the first Adam, regained by the second, shared with those who follow in the footsteps of the future ruler of the world to come. (See Heb 2).

C. Obedience is the Key to Exercising Dominion

Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to work it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, +Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.

Although God's creation was good, indeed, very good, it was not the best. It was impossible for man to demonstrate the higher, nobler virtues.  God created the best way to the best of all possible worlds by providing a stage on which people could chose (through obedience) to demonstrate and acquire the nobler virtues. Eventually there will be a new creation which is best, which will be populated by those of proven character, who have demonstrated the higher virtues. The audience of the current show is Satan and his angels (Eph 3:10). We're pawns to demonstrate to Satan & Co. that the God who holds all pleasures is worthy of obedience (cf. Job). Satan desires to prevent us from enjoying the glory he grasped at (and lost).

D. Rebellion (Independence) is the Essence of Sin and the Loss of Dominion

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, (desirable for gaining wisdom) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.

Man has an innate desire for: power, pleasure, and possessions. Satan's will is to have us meet those desires on our own, immediately rather than in God's plan (cf Jesus ruling over all). Satan's way is a deceptive, time-saving short-cut to godliness. God's commands are not to keep us from good, but from evil. His commands flow out of His infinite goodness and are for our good. [Temptation always comes in disguise. Deceit = promise one thing deliver another.] Our ability to resist Satan's deceptions is directly proportional our ability to accurately wield the sword of the Spirit, the Bible.

MOTIVATIONS         I John 2                                                 Genesis 3                                                                               Luke 4

Pleasure                                Lust of the Flesh                  good for food                                                                       bread

Possessions                           Lust of the Eyes                                   pleasant to the eyes                                                            kingdoms

Power                                    Pride of Life                                          desirable-gaining wisdom                                                   throw

1Jn 2:15 Do not love