Anthropology and Hamartiology Flashcards
Define anthropology. Define biblical anthropology. What topics does it include.
The study of man. The study of man as understood primarily in scripture. It includes man’s constitutional nature, man after the fall, human dignity, freedom, depravity, culture, and society. “
Define hamartiology. What topics does it include?
The biblical doctrine of sin. It includes sin’s origin, nature, transmission, effects, and judgment.
Describe five aspects of man’s creation.
Man’s origin, which is from God’s mind. Man’s place as the “image of God” and the pinnacle of creation. Man’s special relationship to God. Man’s certain role as rulers with dominion over God’s created earth. Man’s creation in an instantaneous act of God that combines the material and “the breath of life.”
Describe the “image of God” in some detail.
Some say it includes qualities such as man’s rational nature, morality, or religious capacity. Others think it is more relational, how man relates to God, other men, and creation. Others collapse it down into man’s role of having dominion over the earth. The majority view in church history contains all of these while maintaining the Creator-creature distinctions.
What is man’s constitutional nature?(body? mind? or what?) Give steps of evidence.
First, Man is a Body/Spirit hybrid or substance dualism. God is a person and a spirit, so man may be. Second, the OT term nephesh, often identifies a person after death, which must refer to the soul/person after departing the body. Third, the OT portrays man as both material and immaterial ( Genesis 2:7; 1 Kings 17:21-22). Fourth, Jesus continued to exist between his death and resurrection, which implies an immaterial aspect to his human being. Fifth, humans are regarded as living spirits in the disembodied state ( Revelation 6:9-11.) Sixth, Jesus made a clear distinction between body and soul in (Matthew 10:28).
What is a trichotomous view of man? How do some theologians infer it from Scripture? How can it be argued against?
It is man with body, soul, and spirit, where each term refers to separate parts. They infer it from (1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12). It is almost universally recognized now that the Bible uses “soul” and “spirit” interchangeably (Luke 1:46-47). Also, (Mark 12:30) lists four aspects of man.
What two aspects of man need to be kept in tension with a view of his dichotomy?
(1) that he is a composite being with both complex material as well as complex immaterial aspects; (2) that he is portrayed in Scripture as a unified being, so that what he does with his body involves his spirit and the motions his spirit engages in involve his body.
Summarize the fall of man in the early chapters of Genesis.
Adam had been commanded by God not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or “you shall most certainly die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Satan, or the Serpent, entered the garden and made both Eve and Adam eat the fruit. They died spiritually, were judged by God immediately, and were subject to physical death.
What is the consequence of man’s fall?
We receive both guilt of sin as well as a corrupt nature (Romans 5:12-21).
How will the image of God be restored in man?
It will be renewed progressively according to those who are “in Christ” in terms of “knowledge” (Colossians 3:10). In heaven, the saints will have the image of God completely restored in them to conform to Christ who is the image of God (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:49; Colossians 1:15).
What is sin not merely?
It is not merely finiteness, existential angst, a desire to control others, selfishness, or sexual immorality.
Name the different words used to describe “sin” in Scripture and what they mean.
- chata “to miss the mark” () 2. ra “evil” or “ruin” 3. taah
going astray” 4. hamartano “to miss the mark” 5. kakos “disease” or “moral filth” 5. poneros “moral evil” 6. anomos “lawlessness”
From where does sin originate?
The disobedience of Satan and his angels.
What connection does sin have between us and Adam?
There is a direct connection between Adam and the fallenness, sinfulness, and death of the entire race (Romans 5:12). Some describe the connection as realistic or biological(Hebrews 7:10) . Others describe it as legal.
Describe the idea of a legal connection to Adam that gives us sin. Why do some object to this?
Adam is viewed as the federal head of the race and his sin was imputed (i.e., charged to our account) to us so that we too are legally guilty. This is called corporate solidarity, which is illustrated in the sin of Achan (Joshua 7). Some object because they see it as being blamed for something that they did not do.
