God’s Provider Assistant
Unlimited Authority Under God
In this study we will learn that human beings are endowed with unlimited authority under God to seek understanding of the nature of things and use the understanding to manage relationships and provide for the needs of the earth and its inhabitants. The authority implies collective and individual rights and responsibilities regarding relationships among people and between people and other living and non-living inhabitants of the earth.
Provider Assistant
The individual responsibilities focus on human-to-human relationships and often consist of a person providing for the needs of another person. When a need exists, God positions a person (i.e., provides the person an opportunity) to provide for the need. The person has a choice and may decline as the priest and Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan or obey as the Samaritan in the same parable. We will learn in a future bible study that God creates every person with innumerable opportunities to earn and accumulate blessings by providing for needs that he places on the person’s path. That is, he created every person to be his provider assistant and earn blessings by performing this role.
In God’s Image
We learn that the authority is limited only by the requirement that what we do must convey the image of God to the affected. Actions that convey the image of God are covered under the authority, but actions that don’t covey the image of God are not covered. Therefore, when we pray, we can strengthen our faith that God will grant our prayer by first convincing ourselves that the substance for which we pray will serve God’s purpose and convey His image to all that could be affected.