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What is Man?
Who am I? Why am I here? As mentioned earlier, these are two of the most basic questions of life. The way in which we answer them will determine the course our life takes. Numerous people have sought to answer this question. The Romantic philosophers of a previous era, but yet who influence much of the cultural elite of today, said that man is a noble savage. He needs to get back to his roots, to free himself from the constraints of oppressive society. Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes believed man was no more than cosmic dust, and therefore had no more worth than a dog's tail. Carl Sagan agreed with Holmes about the cosmic dust part, but he somehow found dignity in man being no more than the sum of his material parts.
The psalmist King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote this about man: “What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou dost take thought of him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and crown him with glory…” When a comparison is done of the major philosophies and religions of the world, only the Bible gives man such a high status in the universe, and at the same time levels some very nasty charges against him. And yet it is this very seeming paradox that gives man his greatest sense of purpose and self-identity. Let's consider what God has to say about us as man.
Man in His Original State
How did God create man? Genesis 1:27; 2:25
For what purpose did God create man? Genesis 1:26, 28; 3:8
In a phrase, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
What is a covenant? To get an idea, look at Genesis 15:18; 17:1-11; 1 Samuel 20:12-17
- What covenant did God make with Adam? (Genesis 2:16-17; Hoseah 6:7)
- What was Adam's responsibility?
- What did God promise (not directly stated) Adam if he obeyed? (Genesis 2:9, 3:22; Revelation 2:7; 22:14)
- Did God owe anything to Adam?
- Was Adam bound to obey God even if He didn't make a covenant with him? Why?
Man in a State of Sin
Did Adam and Eve keep the covenant? (Genesis 3:1-13; 22-24)
List some of the consequences of their sin:
Who was their sin against?
What is sin? (1 John 3:4)
How did this affect the human race? (Genesis 6:5,11,12; Jeremiah17:9; Matthew 15:19-20; Romans 5:18,19)
How badly has sin affected man? (Romans 3:9-18)
Are all men this affected by sin?
Application
Since man is created in God's image...
- What determines a person's worth? (James 2:1-4)
- What does this say about how we are to treat other human beings? (James 3:8-10)
Since we were created to glorify God in our thoughts and actions (Genesis 1:26), our work (Genesis 1:26b, 28), and our family (Genesis 1:28a), what are some ways you can do this...
What are some ways you can enjoy God?
Who fulfilled the Covenant of works for us? How? (Look at Ro.5:12,19; 1 Cor.15:45; Ro.5:14 & 1 Cor.15:45. How is Christ like Adam? What was Adam to us?
Since all of us are affected by sin, how should we then act...
- Towards our fellow Christians?
- How does this relate to evangelism?
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