CHAPTER ONE

GOD’S ECONOMY AND MAN’S FAILURE

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:24; 4:13; Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7; 1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Gen. 13:16; 15:5; Rev. 12:5, 11; 14:1-5; Gen. 6:3a; 11:4-9; Jer. 2:13; 11:10; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 John 3:8; Matt. 16:24; 1 John 2:15; Gal. 1:4; 6:14; Rev. 11:15

OUTLINE

1. God’s economy:
   1. To be one with man-1 John 3:24; 4:13:
      1. Creating man in His image-Gen. 1:26-27.
      2. Making man of three parts-body, soul, and spirit-Gen. 2:7; 1 Thes. 5:23.
   2. To make man His organism:
      1. To be man’s life and content.
      2. To express Himself in humanity.
   3. To have a new creation out of His old creation-2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15:
      1. To impart Himself into His old creation.
      2. To consummate this project in four ages in the old creation and through four peoples of His old creation:
         1. In the age before law through the race of Adam.
         2. In the age of law through the earthly descendants of the race of Abraham-Gen. 13:16.
         3. In the age of grace through the heavenly descendants of the race of Abraham-Gen. 15:5.
         4. In the age of the kingdom through the overcomers of the races of Adam and of Abraham-Rev. 12:5, 11; 14:1-5.
2. Man’s failure:
   1. The failure of the race of Adam in the age before law:
      1. Becoming flesh at the time of the deluge-Gen. 6:3a.
      2. Becoming one with Satan at Babel-Gen. 11:4-9.
   2. The failure of the earthly descendants of the race of Abraham:
      1. Forsaking God with His old covenant-Jer. 2:13; 11:10b.
      2. Choosing Satan with his kingdom-Jer. 11:10a.
   3. The failure of the heavenly descendants of the race of Abraham:
      1. Defeated in the enjoyment of the processed Triune God-cf. 2 Cor. 13:14.
      2. Corrupted by Satan through sin, self, the world, and the religious world-1 John 3:8; Matt. 16:24; 1 John 2:15; Gal. 1:4; 6:14.
   4. Christ calling the overcomers out of the heavenly descendants of the race of Abraham for the age of the kingdom:
      1. To consummate God’s economy.
      2. To bring in the kingdom of Christ and of God-Rev. 11:15.