阅读经文 

在摩西所成长的世界里，有许多关于人类起源及其意义的故事。其中一个古老的故事说，一些小神厌倦了为大神服务，于是他们罢工了。然后其中一个小神用泥土创造了人类，让他们为大神服务。因此，人类的存在是为了给大神建造和维护房屋（神庙），并通过献祭来供养神。

为了澄清事实，神启示摩西作出解释，到底是谁，以及为什么创造了人类。唯一的真神用尘土造人，并用自己的气息赋予他们生命；（参创 2:7）并且神是按照自己的形象造人。（参创 1:26）因此，我们人类被造是出于爱，而不是出于需要或冲突，我们带着神赋予的权柄来到这世上。换句话说，我们是宇宙之主的儿女，被赋予统治和照料受造世界的权柄。（参创 2:15）如果我们能彰显神对受造世界那有智慧的治理和关爱，世界就会繁荣兴旺，并对我们报以丰富的供应。

人类的始祖犯了罪，（参创 3）所以我们并未彰显出神满有智慧的治理和忠心管家式的关怀。结果，受造世界不但没有繁荣兴旺，反而变得混乱不堪，而且生活还变得日益困难和危险。所幸的是，耶稣来了，祂为我们指明了回到神面前的道路，神的圣灵来了，教导我们如何在世上更好地为神而活并侍奉祂，直到耶稣再来。

The world Moses grew up in had many stories about the origin of humans and their purpose. One ancient story said that some lesser gods were tired of serving higher gods, so they went on strike. Then one of the lesser gods created humans from clay so that they could serve the higher gods. So humans existed to build and maintain houses for the gods (temples) and to feed the gods through sacrifices.

To set things straight, God inspired Moses to explain who really created us and why. The one true God formed humans from dust and gave them life with his own breath (Genesis 2:7); God also created humans in his own image (Genesis 1:26). So we humans are created through love, not out of necessity or conflict, and we carry God's authority with us into the world. In other words, we are children of the Lord of the universe, given authority to rule over and care for creation (Genesis 2:15). And if we would reflect God's wise rule and care for creation, the world would flourish and provide abundantly for us.

But our first human parents sinned (Genesis 3), so we have not reflected God's wise rule and stewardly care. As a result, creation has not flourished but has become chaotic and has actually made life difficult and dangerous. Thankfully, Jesus came to show us the way back to God, and God's Spirit came to teach us how to live for and serve God in the world till Jesus comes again.