In the beginning God created man a perfect person---a perfect three-dimensional wonder. Man had a perfect body, a perfect mind (intellect/brain function), and a perfect spirit-life (we can understand this spirit-life as man's everlasting and never-dying conscious spiritual entity).

It will be helpful here to note that in the Genesis account of creation, strictly speaking, God only "created" three things (the rest were "formed" out of what was created). He "created" the basic elements, consciousness (awareness of life), and the image of God in man. Thus man was totally different from all other conscious creatures in that he also possessed the image of God, which is represented in what may be designated as man’s "spiritual consciousness." Only mankind was created in the "image of God, " and hence, a spiritually aware creature. Consequently, only mankind is morally responsible.

To put it more bluntly...when a horse or dog is born, it becomes consciously aware of it’s life (as opposed to a tree or mushroom), but when it dies, it’s consciousness ceases to exist. Not so with human beings. When we die, we remain consciously aware (self-aware). That is because the image of God in man makes us an everlasting, never-dying conscious spiritual entity.

How tragic for all of humanity that man did not long remain in that perfect original state. Today, man is very far from perfection. Most of us would agree with St. Paul that, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23).

"But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:17).

"And the Lord God said, 'The man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.'" (Genesis 3:22).

Note these words from the above verses: "For when you eat of it you will surely die...he must not be allowed...to live forever." God originally planned for man to live in his physical body forever! The human body was not designed originally to wear out. God wanted mankind to live forever in a perfect body---no contact lenses, leg braces, pacemakers or extra-strength arthritis formula aspirin!

It's no wonder that our bodies cry out against disease, infirmity and the effects of old age. For most people attending a funeral, something deep within rebels at the thought of death. Why? Because we were not designed originally to experience deterioration and death. However, as much as we rebel against it, we cannot change the fact that, "Man is destined to die once." (Hebrews 9:27).

Death is actually a process that begins at conception.  Along with the process of death comes all of its assorted ailments and afflictions. Physical life is actually the process of dying. Yet, the process of death is still foreign to the longings of the human mind. Is this because human beings were never really created to die?

"'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil'". "Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized..." (Genesis 3:4,5,7a).

"The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure." (Jeremiah 17:9).

Our first parents were highly intelligent. In fact, they were perfect geniuses. They were created with a perfect intellect.

However, our first parents forfeited their perfect intellect when they disobeyed God. That should be a lesson to all that being intelligent is not enough when it comes to being obedient to God. The moment Adam and his wife disobeyed, the Bible says: "Then the eyes of both of them were opened...and they realized." Satan had promised they would know "good and evil." He was right! Adam and his wife discovered what evil was all about, and evil was their ruin. Evil still ruins people.

Evil has ever after been permanently welded to man's imperfect intellect, and no one can escape it. Man's mind (intellect), took the same fall that his body took. Consequently, the thinking of man is subject to error, misunderstanding, gross selfishness, and worse...it is also evil. From the cradle to the grave, mankind exhibits an extraordinary capacity for wrong doing.  Is that why no child ever had to be taught to lie?

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another...they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Matthew 25:31,32,46).

"For when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:17).

"For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19).

Most people believe that death is unfair, and it is. In fact, God never intended for human beings to experience body death. When Adam rebelled against God, he brought all three elements of his being down with him in his fall. The fall of Adam brought physical, mental, and spiritual death upon all mankind. This is why man's body, mind, and spirit are all under the penalty of death.

However, since man's spirit-life (his never dying and everlasting consciousness) cannot be extinguished, his spirit-life, at body death, must be provided an alternate place to exist. Originally, God intended for man's spirit-life (often understood as the soul) to live forever in his physical body right here on earth. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we are all so mysteriously drawn to nature. Perhaps this is why something deep within us is moved by the sight of a great ocean, snow covered mountain, or a scarlet sunset. Our spirit seems to understand that earth was to be our first and final home.

Sadly, neither this earth, nor these bodies, are suitable habitations any longer for the everlasting, never-dying consciousness of life known as mankind. Consequently, the spirit of man must experience a temporary change of residence. Such a change will take place the moment the physical body is no longer capable of housing the spiritual being. At the moment of body death the spirit of the redeemed will go immediately into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spirit of the unrepentant will go immediately into eternal exile.

Don't believe the phony religious teaching that the spirit stays on earth, or that it dies along with the body. Not so! Jesus said, "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." When the human body dies, the person who has been living in it is going to "go away."  This is what Jesus taught. Which way the spirit-life goes at body death is a matter of personal choice. Which way have you chosen?

1. Body-----Longing to be perfect, destined to die.

2. Mind-----Longing to be perfect, destined to be imperfect.

3. Spirit---Longing to have an eternal dwelling, destined to make a major move at the moment of body death.

Q. 2. What went wrong with the mind?

Q. 3. What went wrong with the spirit-life?