One: God gave man a mind (spirit), so that he could know God.
Two: God gave man a heart (emotions), so that he could love God.
Three: God gave man a will (freedom of choice), so that he could obey God.
Just as God is the possessor of a mind, and a heart, and a will, so God placed in the soul of man a mind, a heart, and a will. Let us consider what this means.
First, God gave man a mind capable of knowing God and thinking as God thinks. God created man with such a powerful mind, because He planned for man to have close fellowship with Himself. When we read about the life of the prophet of God, Abraham, we will see that he was called the friend of God. Abraham knew God personally and had a close relationship with Him. However, Abraham is not the only one who has been offered the privilege of being the friend of God. We too can be “friends of God.” God wants us to have close fellowship with Him. That is why He placed in man’s soul a mind (spirit) that can harmonize with the mind (spirit) of God.
Perhaps we can clarify what we are saying with a question. What distinguishes a man from an animal? The mind. The mind and spirit of man is very different from the mind of an animal. Why is it that animals cannot understand this radio program? Because they do not have the same kind of mind that we have. Listening friends, why are you able to understand our words? Because you share the same kind of mind-a human mind. In a similar way, man’s spirit is designed to harmonize (correspond, fellowship) with God’s Spirit.
Of course, in saying this, we must not think that our minds and the mind of God are equal in wisdom and knowledge. Never! The wisdom of God is deep, and His knowledge far surpasses the wisdom of man. What we need to understand is this: God has given to man a spirit that has the possibility of enjoying a meaningful relationship with the Living God. God does not want you to be like the animals who cannot know Him! An animal has a brain, but cannot think about God. An animal has a mouth, but it cannot thank God for the food that He provides for it each day. It has eyes, but it cannot study the Holy Scriptures. It has ears, but it cannot listen to the Word of God. However, man, whom God created in His image, can come to know the Lord God. Yes, you who are listening today, you can know God! You can have a wonderful relationship with your Creator, if you believe and receive the righteous way of salvation that He has established. We will be explaining God’s way of salvation clearly in the coming lessons, but what we must understand today is that God has given man a spirit capable of knowing Him.
God placed something else in the soul of man when He created him in His image. A heart. God gave man a heart so that he could love God. We are not talking about the heart that pumps blood, but about what you feel in your soul, your emotions, and your thoughts. We are talking about the very intentions of your heart. God gave the first man the capacity to feel the emotions that God Himself feels. God can love, hate, rejoice, and feel sorrow and compassion. Therefore God placed within the soul of man a heart capable of feeling emotions such as love and hate. God wants man to love what God loves and hate what God hates. God wants us to love Him with all our heart. That is why He created man in His own image, and gave him a heart.
**There is something else that God gave to man, whom He created in His own image. He placed in the soul of man a will. God permits every person to choose his own path. God Himself has authority to choose whether He will do something or not. Thus, God created man with the right and responsibility to make important choices for himself. God could have created man so that he would (automatically) do His will, and not have any choice in the matter. However, God gave to man a free will and the responsibility to choose for himself whether to obey God. God did not want to create a mere machine (robot). God did not create man in the image of the sun that rises every day, but has no choice in the matter. The sun fulfils the will of God every day “automatically.” That is not how it is with man. Man is a special creation. God created us for Himself. God wants us to choose to love Him and worship Him. God has committed a great responsibility to man! Man must choose for himself whether to follow God or Satan, whether he will cherish the Word of God or despise it. God will not force anyone to believe His Word. He will never force us to love Him and obey Him. Love is not love if it is coerced. God allows each of us to choose for ourselves which path we will follow. But, in the end, God will judge everyone who rejects His kingdom, because God created man for Himself. That is what the Scriptures say. **