MAN IN GOD'S CREATION

Lesson Twenty-one
THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF MAN (1)

Burden to Impart:

In this lesson we see how God created man with a spec&! part called his spirit. Because we have a spirit we have a conscience and know right from wrong. When we follow our conscience we feel a "happy face" on the inside of us. When we dtsobey our conscience we do wrong and we feel a "sad face" inside of us. We must learn to listen to our conscience and do what is right. We should not disobey our colzscience or be persuaded by others ("frietzds") to do what is wrong.

Memory Verse: "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1).

Facts to Teach:

  1. When God created man (Adam) He made him with a special part within him, a human spirit. On the outside is our body and on the inside is our spirit.
  2. We are different from the animals not only because we are smarter, but because we have a spirit and the animals do not.
  3. Every part of man was made for some special purpose which allows us to know certain things or do certain things.
    1. Our eyes allow us to see physical things in order to know our environment.
    2. Our ears allow us to hear something which is invisible and "unfeelable."
    3. Our nose allows us to smell.
  4. In the same way, God created man with a spirit within him. Man's spirit allows him to know right from wrong. We call this function of our spirit our "conscience."
    1. Our conscience gives us a feeling inside concerning what is right and what is wrong. what is good and what is evil.
    2. When we do what is right and good our conscience feels happy and confident, peaceful and secure. You might say you feel a "happy face" on the inside of you when your conscience is right.
    3. Whenever we say or do something that is wrong or bad our conscience feels sad, shameful, scared, and not peaceful. You might say that you feel a "sad face" inside of you when your conscience is hurt and bothered by your behavior.
  5. Even before we do or say anything that is wrong or bad our conscience warns us. Like a smoke detector warns you before the fire bursts out, our conscience warns us even before we do anything wrong. How wonderful is our conscience[ It is to keep us from sin and evil.
  6. Sometimes our "friends" may try to persuade us to do things that our conscience does not feel good about. Perhaps we have a "sad face" inside when they try to persuade us to do something. That "sad face" feeling is a warning to us that what we are about to do is wrong, and if we go ahead and do it we will get into trouble later when it is found out. We must learn to never allow others to persuade us to go against that inner feeling "happy face" (good conscience) "sad face" (bad conscience)