Chapter 3 - The Doctrine of Man Flashcards
Why is man important and why is studying the doctrine of man important?
This was the question of the Psalmist - Ps. 8:4 “What is man..?
Man is God’s creation - (Gen 1:27), God’s handiwork (Eph 2:10) and God’s inheritance (Eph 1:18).
Psalmist answers his own question: (Psalm 8:5-6)
In light of this, it becomes easy to understand the importance of man and the importance of studying the doctrine of man.
List the 7 categories the study of the doctrine of man is broken down in.
(1) Man created by God
(2) Man the result of divine purpose
(3) Man created in God’s image
(4) Man created a living soul
(5) Man’s primitive state
(6) Man’s fall
(7) Man in the state of grace
What points are made concerning - Man created by God - concerning evolution from lower life?
(1) Man did not evolve from lower life
(Gen 1:27/Gen 2:7)
Flies in the face of Evolution
(2) Charles Darwin’s theory of Evolution contradicted by Mendez’s law of heredity (species are fixed). Proved correct by revelations of genes and DNA.
(3) How did Darwinist “mutate” in order to save his theory?
Evolution by mutation or Neo-Darwinism.
What points are made concerning - Man created by God - concerning His unique and special creation?
(1) Unique process in man’s creation seen in Hebrew words:
(A) bara - “the production or effectuation of something new, rare, and wonderful” - Gen 1:26 - God constructed man in conformity with His own image.
(B) asah - “to form, construct,prepare or build” - Gen 1:27 - He created man as something new and wonderful in His purpose.
(C) yatzer - “to form or shape” (as a potter) - Gen 2:7 - He firmed and shapes man from the earth. The dust of the ground identifies man with with the scene of his fall/redemption. The breath of God identifies his origin with his maker and his intended heavenly destiny which is for fellowship with God.
Where does God declare Himself as the creator of man?
Gen 5:1,2
Gen 6:7
Dt 4:32;43:1;43:7;45:12
6 statements made concerning - Man being the result of Divine purpose?
(1) Created for God’s glory (Is 43:7)
(2) Man alone received the breath of life
(3) Man is formed in God’s image
(4) Man is created for God’s glory
(5) Man planned/designed in the council of the Triune God (Gen 1:36)
(6) Man has been redeemed by the God-man Jesus Christ
Points made concerning man made in God’s image
(1) Not a physical image - God is Spirit without a physical body (Jn 4:24/Col 1:15)
(2) A personal Image - Man has a personality like God is a person - Personality defines as comprising intellect, emotion, and will. We can reason with God (Is. 1:18)
(3) A moral image - Man was created with a sense of accountability to his Maker. When he does right, his heart assured him; when he dies wrong, his heart condemns him. (1 Jn 3:20-21/Rom 8:1)
(4) A Social Image - God is live and a God of relationship. Example of the Trinity- The very essence of God is relationship. 6 of the 10 commandments deal with relationship. (Jn 13:34-35)
Points made concerning man made into a living soul.
God’s breath of life in man referred to in 9 different ways in scripture. What are they?
Man given two gifts from God: (a) body (b) living soul (Gen 2:7)
(1) Life (Mk 8:35)
(2) Soul (Mk 8:36)
(3) Spirit (Ps. 31:5)
(4) Mind (Rom 7:25)
(5) Heart (Eph 6:6)
(6) Strength (Lk 10:27)
(7) Self (1 Cor 4:3-4)
(8) Will (1 Cor 7:37)
(9) Effections (Col 3:2)
Man given a body.
List 10 facts scripture teaches about the human body
(1) mortal body that returns to dust (Gen 18:27)
(2) man made of dust that became something wonderful in God’s hand (Ps 139:14-16)
(3) Body is temp tab for inner person (2 Cor 5:1)
(4) in resurrection man’s new body will have relation to old (1 Cor 15:44,53)
(5) body is temple of HG (1 Cor 16:19-20)
(6) body a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1)
(7) body employed as a weapon against Stan (Rom 6:13)
(8) Redeeming benefits of Christ’s work in body (Mat 8:16-17)
(9) Judgment (Bema) based on the things done in the body (1 Cor 3:11-15/1 Cor 9:27)
(10) body bears the image of Adam as well as the image of God (1 Cor 15:45-49)
What are the 2 classical schools of thought concerning the composition of man?
(1) Dichotomy - man made of only 2 distinct parts - (a) body of earth (b) breath of life - the terms body and spirit are used interchangeably and are the same thing.
(2) Trichotomy - made made of (a) body (b) soul and (c) spirit.
3 views on the origin of Man’s soul or spirit
(1) Man is to be viewed as a whole as opposed to individual parts. (2 Cor 5:1-4)
(2) Origin of man’s soul or spirit.
(a) Preexistence (b) Creationism (soul created between conception and birth (c) Traducianism - the human race was created in Adam, and body and soul were procreated by natural generation. (Job 14:4;Ps 51:5;58:3;John 3:6)
List the 6 elements of Adam’sprimitive state (pgs. 134-135)
(1) State of his knowledge - Vast, elite knowledge- named the animals - “names did more than identify the holder, they revealed character and destiny (Gen 1:28;2:19,20)
(2) Moral state - Holy and righteous (Gen 1:31;Eph 4:24;Col 3:9-10)
(3) Psychological state - 5 basic instincts
(a) Self preservation (Gen 3) (b) Desire for food (Gen 1:29) (c) the urge for procreation/sex (Gen 1:28,2:24) (d) Social state - need for acquisition - placed in own garden (Gen 2:15) (e) the drive for domination (Gen 1:28)
(4) Social state - man has need for companion (Gen 2:18,18:23-24)
(5) Occupational state - the beauty and productivity of Eden were not the result of God’s creative work only; Adam kept and tended the garden giving it touches of human handiwork. Creative occupation is essential for fulfillment. (Gen 2:15)
(6) State of Life expectancy - Adam was created with the potential of immortality. (Gen 2:16,17;3:3)
Why did God subject Adam and Eve to temptation?
(1) God wanted man to have a will which involves the ability to choose. Eden was not only a home in paradise, it was a place of probation. (Gen 2:16-17)
(2) God gave the probationary commandment to Adam (Gen 2:16-17) as a tool to test/develop holy character. Similar to Abraham being commanded to sacrifice his son. (No intrinsic wrongdoing in sparing his son)
“A holy nature is the result of creation; a holy character is the result of testing in which a choice of good was made, where a choice of evil was possible.” Pg. 136
(3) Reason behind God’s probation. (a) all-wise God knew what was necessary to bring man to his highest potential development. (b) God having foreseen Adam’s failure, provided a plan for his redemption. A redemption of fallen man but also the final defeat of Satan, the first sinner! (Gen 3:15 - “Seed of woman” is Christ and “bruise thy head” is Satan defeated)
What thoughts are brought out concerning the temptation of man?
(1) Satan, the agent of temptation (Gen 3:1, Rev 3:9, 2 Cor 11:3)
Satan’s rebellious posture described (Isaiah 14:12-15;Ez 28:12-15)
(2) The temptation’s motives. Satan aimed his temptations at 3 of Eve’s basic desires: (Gen 3:6, 1 Jn 2:16-17)
Note Satan did not appeal to Eve’s desires intolerant he first caused her to doubt the Lord. (Gen 3:1)
Give me 6 reasons why the neo-liberal-theologians are wrong concerning the belief that the first 11 chapters of Genesis are myth and allegorical and should only be taken symbolically and not historically and factually.
(1) Nowhere else in the Bible is the story of Adam interpreted symbolically.
(2) There is no indication in the book of Genesis, between chapters 11-12, that suggest a change from allegory and history.
(3) Parallels between Adam and Christ are made by the Apostle Paul.
(4) Adam is included in the Geneologies of Christ along with David, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
(5) Real geographical locations are included in the story of Adam.
(6) The fallen condition of man is very literal.
