Study Questions of Theology - Humankind Flashcards
What is the supreme activity of man? (Catechism: “what does God require of man?”)
Obedience to God’s revealed will.
What does the Bible teach about the creation of human beings?
“God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures/’—WSC #10
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He cre-ated them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”—Genesis 1:26-28
“After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image, having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures. —WCF4.2
In what way is a man in the image of God?
Man is endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.
“…and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”—Ephesians 4:24
“…and having put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge on the image of its Creator.”—
Colossians 3:10
“God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.”—WSC #10
Are all men in the image of God? If so, to what extent?
Yes, to the extent that they possess the characteristics listed above and realizing that all men share in the fallen state which has corrupted (though not destroyed) that image.
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Genesis 9:6 (post-fall/post-flood)
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.” James 3:1
How does the doctrine of the image of God influence debates about gender roles?
They are equally the image of God.
“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”” Gene-sis 1:26,27
Part of being in the image of God includes gender differences and complements. Both male and female are made in the image of God in a unique way, and thus are equal in dignity and worth as human beings. On the other hand, neither male nor female fully reflects the image of God without the other. Thus, there is a necessary complimentary relation-ship between the genders.
Where did man’s soul come from? When?
Man’s soul comes from God.14
Traducianism: Our soul is inherited from our parents—mediate origin. Buswell.
What is sin? (WSC 14). Include Scripture proofs.
“Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.”—WSC #14
“Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”—1 John 3:3,4
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”—James 4:17
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”—James 2:10
“All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’“—Galatians 3:10
“Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.”—Leviticus 18:5
Discuss guilt of sin and the corruption of sin.
Guilt of sin (Accountability) is a judicial or legal concept describing one’s relationship to the law—in this case God’s law. Guilt is the state of deserving condemnation or being liable to punishment because the law has been violated.
Corruption of sin (Nature) has to do with our moral condition. By this corruption we are utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite of all good, and wholly inclined to all evil. (WCF 6.4)
Define and discuss original sin (include Scripture proofs).
The effects of Adam’s sin on the lives of all his descendents.
“The sinfulness of that estate where into man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions that proceed from it.”—WSC #18
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned…For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”—Romans 5:12,19 (second half of the chap-ter)
“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”—1 Corinthians 15:21,22
How can original sin be reconciled to the canons of Justice, either human or divine?
The covenant was made with Adam and all his descendants, therefore in Adam’s sin was the transgression of all men. This transgression requires of it the payment of the penalty of death.
Thus, original sin is not only reconcilable with the perfect justice of God, his justice actually requires it.
“The covenant being made with Adam as a public person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind de-scending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression.” WLC #22
Is there any good remaining in a fallen, sinful man? Explain.
No. The fall has so corrupted and permeated all of man’s being that nothing he does is not in some way effected by that fall.
“From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all goo, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgression.”—WCF 6.4
In what ways does man sin?
In that man does not perfectly conform to the righteous requirements of the law, but rather transgresses that law, he sins.
“Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.”—WSC #14
What are some of the consequences of sin?
“All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.”—WSC #19
Is the will of man free? Explain (include Scripture proofs).
Yes.Created Possible to sin
Not possible not to sin
Possible not to sin
Not possible to sin
“God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil.”—WCF 9.1
“But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.”—Matthew 17:12
“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”—James 1:14
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curs-ing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live.”—Deuteronomy 30:19
Was Adam’s will (before he sinned) free? Explain; include Scripture proofs.
Yes.
“Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to god; but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.”—WCF 9.2
“Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sin-ning against God.”—WSC If 13
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘you are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”—Genesis 2:16-17
“This only have I found: God made men upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”—
Ecclesiastes 7:29
