Back to Evangelism 1

So, let's do something with all of this! (You may have already thought this a number of times along the way now, but here we finally are.) Also, I'm going to make these shorter.

THE DATA, (part 1)
Let's start with the big picture, shall we?

GENESIS 1-2
God creates the universe and is pleased with the outcome. He is especially pleased to have made a creature as his representative and to have given that creature responsibilities. God has given these creatures the following responsibilities:
1) Care for the planet (dominion, if you will)
2) Care for the garden (to keep and to tend)
3) Care for God's Desire and Design.
This last point is the most intricate. First, God gives humans the task of filling the earth with their children. These children would be like them - in a perfect state of communion with God. Second, God gives the man especially the job of keeping and tending in the garden. (It is interesting to note that the terms for keeping and tending in the garden become later used in a religious sense in ancient Hebrew religion. One was to keep and tend to the Torah.) Third, God gives humans the opportunity to obey. He places an option before them - do what I say is right, or do what is right in your own eyes. In fine, the humans were to obey God lovingly and to fill the earth with those who were also lovingly obedient to him.

Imagine that, if you will - an earth covered with people who care for the planet and care for one another because they lovingly obey the Creator of all things. This was God's design for the world. But what went wrong?