Firm Foundations God created mankind. Part 2
Scripture
Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, so that they will have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [ai]sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [aj]sky and over every living thing that creeps on the earth.”
2: 7 Then Yahweh God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and so the man became a living [g]being.
Today we continue with our look at the book of Genesis and God’s creation. We’ve already touched on one major theme of the Bible: God.
Well today, we continue with a second major theme of Scripture: Man/mankind/humankind. When we learn about humankind, we are answering questions as revealed in Scripture; Who is man? What is his nature? What are his basic qualities? Just like last week, I want to begin by sharing with you some opinions about humanity; some have a high view of humanity, some have a low view.
“On the whole human beings want to
be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.”
―George
Orwell, All Art is Propaganda: Critical Essays
“...One thing you learn when
you've lived as long as I have-people aren't all good, and people aren't all
bad. We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives. Right now, I'm
pleased to be in the light.”
―Neal
Shusterman, Unwind
“I can calculate the motion of
heavenly bodies but not the madness of people.”
―Isaac Newton
“I believe in equality. Equality
for everybody. No matter how stupid they are or how superior I am to them.”
―Steve Martin
So, suffice it to say that there are a variety of opinions about the nature of human nature; some positive, some negative. But what does the Bible tell us about human nature? That’s what we begin to discover today in Genesis chapter 1.
Prayer
There are three major aspects of the nature of man that we began looking at today, and one more that we will explore in the next chapters of Genesis. Very high view of humanity.
The four points are; 1. Humankind was created in God’s image. 2. Humankind was created for dominion.
We finished with that one last week. 3. Humankind was created male and female. And the last is 4. Today, humankind is born with a sinful nature.
I. Humankind was created in God’s image.
Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, so that they will have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [ai]sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
In short, what does it mean that we are created in God’s image? It’s not that God has a physical body that looks like our human body. There are attributes of God that He gave us. What attributes?
First, we know that God is Spirit. We are physical beings, but we are also spiritual beings.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
We are born as a physical body that contains a spirit that will live on into eternity. How else are we in God’s image? We have dominion over all animal life and the earth. What does that mean? It means that God gave us authority, even as He has authority over all of creation. He is the head over all created things. We are the head over the creatures of the earth. We explored that further in our second point, but that authority that God gave us was not to destroy creation, it was to manage and care for it. We have the authority to use creation, but according to God’s standards which are concerned with sustaining it.
Well what else have we learned about God in this chapter that tells us what our being in God’s image means? And this is the third point that we pick up with today.
We are created male and female.
27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
What does that mean? It doesn’t mean that God is or was a man or a woman.
Numbers 23:19 King James Version (KJV)God is not a man, that he should lie; Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it?
Job 9:32ESV For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.
To call Him a man or a woman is to limit our understanding of God to something that He created. So, what does it mean that we are created in God’s image as male and female?
It means that God took His best characteristics, those which we admire in men and women, and put them in us. He is the source of stereotypically masculine strength, the singular drive-in purpose, and heroism. God is the source of stereotypically feminine nurturing, compassion, and intuition. God is all of the best of men and women, and more.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have still chosen to reveal themselves with masculine pronouns in Scripture, but that doesn’t limit them to “masculine attributes.”
This is a high view of God, and it is also a high view of humanity. We are not just the sum of our physical bodies. We are designed for purpose. And I mentioned this last week when talking about feminine traits. Let me be clear; the Bible never uses a feminine pronoun for either the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. But it does make some comparisons.
Psalm 123:2Behold,
as the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
As the eyes of a servant-girl to the hand of her mistress, So
our eyes look to Yahweh our God, Until He is gracious to
us.
The compassion of God is compared to a master, or mistress being compassionate. God compares Himself to a mother in
Isaiah 66:13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I
will comfort you;
And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 49:15 “Can a woman forget her infant and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
Isaiah 42:14 “I have kept silent for a long time; I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now like a woman in labor I will groan; I will both gasp and pant.
God does make comparisons between Himself and female illustrations in Scripture. But He does not use a female pronoun for Himself. That’s how we should limit ourselves in talking about God, because we do not want to talk about God in a way that adds to or subtracts from Scripture.
Now, let’s talk about the specifics of what being created male and female, in the image of God means.
Let’s look specifically at how God made man male and female in Genesis 2.
Genesis 1:27 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
18 Then Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [o]suitable for him.”
22 And Yahweh God [t]fashioned the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman, and He brought her to the man.23 Then the man said, “This one finally is bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called [u]Woman, Because this one was taken out of [v]Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.There a number of things that we can explore about this moment in time that tell us what it means that humankind, male and female, were created in the image of God. 5 things I want to point out.
A. Together male and female are created in the image of God.
Genesis 1:27 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
That means that the image of God is most complete in the mutually nurturing relationship between a man and a woman. This is the ideal. A man and a woman, both committed to God first, to each other second is the perfect image of God.
B. They were created male and female to be a help to each other.
18 Then Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [o]suitable for him.”
Now, when we hear this taught or preached, it is often only considered in terms of performing tasks together. There is a lot of work to do, so two can share the load.Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [a]keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [b]one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him.
But “a helper suitable for him” means more than “you wash, and I’ll dry.” I think it is also talking about male and female physiology. We were made to complement each other. Despite all of the attempts by modern feminism to say that men and women are exactly the same, they are not. There are obvious differences, but there is more. Even if we look at the typical male and female brain, we find differences.
“In studies examining connections within the brain, it has been found that women tend to have stronger connections side to side, which could lead to better intuitive thinking, analyzing, and drawing of conclusions.”
Women are good at multi-tasking. That is a necessary function in many aspects of life.
Men, on the other hand, excel at tasks that require single-mindedness. We joke about men zoning in on one thing and being totally oblivious to anything else. But there are many tasks in this world that require that kind of singular focus. That’s why, I believe, that men are better suited to be soldiers in war, because they can compartmentalize in that way. They are designed to zone in on one task and put all else in the back of the closet. We need that.
Now, these are generalizations. We are talking about a typical man, or a typical woman. But the point is that God made male and female to complement each other. We are God’s image in that regard. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit have taken on certain tasks in regard to creation, and they work in a perfect harmony together.
C. Male and female were created in order to grow together as one.
22 And Yahweh God [t]fashioned the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman, and He brought her to the man.23 Then the man said, “This one finally is bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called [u]Woman, Because this one was taken out of [v]Man.”
The ultimate purpose for the union of a man and woman is to bring glory to God by becoming singularly devoted to God; the God of love, righteousness, creativity, beauty, joy, and peace. We want people to look at the couple God brought together and see God at work. 1 Peter 3:7 says that the married man and woman become heirs together of the grace of life. Man and woman are a picture of the Oneness in the Trinity.
D. They are living examples of lifelong commitment sanctioned by God.
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Jesus used this verse later to instruct the people that God’s original intent was that one man and one woman be united in marriage. He used it to condemn how the men of His day were flippantly divorcing their wives because they desired another woman.
Adam and Eve were a picture of a lifelong commitment. Adam never took a second wife. Eve did not divorce Adam. Adam did not have multiple wives; Eve did not have multiple husbands. They were committed singularly to each other. “They become one flesh.” And that union, that commitment, when it is present, demonstrates who God is.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, are committed to One another in love. They are bound together in purpose. None of them strikes out on their own. They work together. And they are of One mind. They are One in ways that we can’t even fathom.
Now, we can also use this verse to point out that God joined a man and a woman. This was not a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. We will not spend the time here, but the Bible is clear on this teaching.
E. The relationship of marriage between a man and woman was designed to be a place for physical intimate expression, without shame.
25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
The author of Hebrews wrote.
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled, for the sexually immoral and adulterers God will judge.
A marriage between a man and a woman is the place for total openness to each other without shame.
All these things together tell us how God made man from the beginning. He created them in His image. And when men and women are at their best, in His power, in the middle of God’s will, they together display an image of who God is to the world.Now note,
After God created mankind, it says that “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
He made us “very good.” We were made in God’s image. We were created as man and woman, designed for partnership, and to procreate and build family units who love and serve God. It was all very good.
https://tifwe.org/why-does-it-matter-that-god-called-creation-very-good/
At the end of the sixth day God is finished with his work of creation and is looking back at everything he has made.
In this entire creation, from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies spinning in space, everything works exactly as he planned….
This is another reason why God describes creation as “very good.” Just as a great painting reflects the glory of the master artist, God created everything for his glory.
God is most glorified when his creation works like it was designed to work. So, it was all very good, including humankind, men and women, their relationship, their management of the earth, it was all very good. So, what happened? What happened to the relationship between men and women? What happened to our spiritual nature that connects to God’s Spirit? What happened to our role as caretakers of the animals and the earth? Something has gone wrong. What happened was sin and Satan. Here are two more doctrines that are laid out very early in Scripture.
II. Today, humankind is born with a sinful nature.And the origins of that sinful nature go back to the first man and woman and their temptation to sin by Satan. We’re going to elaborate on that further as we continue to tell this story.
Let me share with you some verses of Scripture that describe the sinful nature of mankind.
Romans 8: 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.Two things of note. Mankind now has a dual nature. He has the desires of his flesh that pull at him, and he has his spirit. But the passage concludes by saying that there is a class of people who are “in the flesh” who are unable to please God. They can’t please God.Romans 6:6 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [a]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Romans 7: 14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, having been sold [m]into bondage under sin. 15 For what I am working out, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with the Law, that it is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.This is Paul describing the inner turmoil of the nature of man. We are born slaves to sin. I might want to do good. I can see and understand what good is, but my inner compulsion is to satisfy and satiate my own desires. Isaiah 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But Yahweh has caused the iniquity of us all To [a]fall on Him.
How you view human nature affects life. This is the old nature versus nurture argument. Some suppose that humanity, at their very nature is good. They assume that babies are born good, and that it is only a bad environment, or bad upbringing that make them bad. Others believe that babies, just like all humankind are born with a self-centered sinful nature.
Two opposing views of human nature. And these two views impact so much of life. What you believe can set you up for failure and disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that bad behavior can be inspired by environment, or by the way a child is raised, but that those factors exacerbate what is already the depraved nature of the child.
How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats his way out. Sin, like the worn, begins in the heart and works out through a person's thoughts, words, and actions.
Heaven and Home Hour Radio Bulletin.
I personally don’t see how anyone can think that we, or babies are born good. Many, if not most of us have had experience with children who are never told “no.” Whose parents try to get them to obey with only rewards, not punishments. Most of us understand that raising a child means curbing bad behavior and rewarding good behavior; it takes both.
But why is that so? If, as evolution supposes, we are only evolved animals, you would think that we’d be born with some sort of innate instinct that would drive our behavior for our entire lifetime. And, if left alone, we would naturally become good human beings. Animals are born instinctively with certain behaviors. But not so with humanity. We find the opposite. If a baby is left without direction, and correction, they become more and more self-centered, and incapable of getting along in the world. That’s because humans are born with a sin nature.
But let me further clarify what that means.
The doctrine of total depravity asserts that people are, as a result of the fall, not inclined or even able to love God wholly with heart, mind, and strength, but rather are inclined by nature to serve their own will and desires and reject his rule.
Here are some basic things we need to understand about that.
1. Our sin nature depends on the definition of sin. God defines sin, not us.
an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.
Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God and rebellion against God.
2. Only God defines what is good.
3. Sin, in God’s definition, covers the act, the words, and the motive behind the act.
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
Romans 3:13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
Motives also
Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Proverbs 6: 16 There
are six things which Yahweh hates, Even seven which are an abomination [i]to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands
that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that
devises wicked thoughts,
Feet that hasten to run to
evil, 19 A false witness who breathes
out lies, And one who [j]spreads
strife among brothers.
One of the top ten commandments is Thou shalt not covet. So, sin is taken from just an outside act, to the motive behind the act. So that really means that our actions can be divided into 3 basic types. There is bad bad actions. These are things that we do that are evil in themselves, and we do them for selfish and evil purposes. An example would be if you steal something because you want it for yourself.
Then there are, in theory, bad good actions. That’s if you do something bad but your motive is good. But since God gets the final say on what is good, I don’t even know that we can say that these exist.
The second type of actions are good actions with bad motives. An example of that would be if you give to charity, or do any good deed, but you are doing it to get praise, or to please somebody you are trying to appease, or if you are doing it to earn your way into God’s graces, even trying to earn your way into heaven. You are doing something good; prayer, church attendance, being baptized, helping poor people, whatever. But your motive is selfish.Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own sight, But Yahweh weighs the [a]motives.
Nothing done from a bad motive pleases God.Romans 8:8 and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.
Proverbs 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!
That leaves only one type of action that is truly good; good good actions. You are doing a good thing from a pure motive. What is a pure motive? To do something for God’s pleasure.1 Thessalonians 2: 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who [a]examines our hearts.
1 Corinthians 4:5Legacy Standard Bible
5 Therefore do not go on [a]passing judgment before [b]the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and make manifest the motives of hearts. And then each one’s praise will come to him from God.
Questions to ask to determine if my action is good good.
1. If I got no reward for doing it, would I still do it?
2. If no one will ever know I did this good deed, would I still do it?
3. If instead of a reward, I got punished, or ridiculed for doing it, would I still do it?
So, when we say that we are born with, and are governed by our sin nature, we mean that, outside of the regenerating work of Christ, apart from the work of God’s Spirit in us, we are driven primarily by selfish motives.
Now how did we fall from the image of God? Next time, the story of sin and Satan.