Theology Position Topic Four: Anthropology

(Doctrine of Man)

“Then God said, ‘Let us make Man’” (Genesis 1:26).


Man is a created creature (Genesis 1:26-27). God created man with elements of personality. He can reason, has emotion, and self-directed free will. Man is made with a body, spirit, and soul (Hebrews 4:12). Man did not evolve. He did not come about on accident. God had a purpose for his creation (Isaiah 43:7). He was created different than the animals, and it is only after he created man that he declares his creation very good. But man exercised his self-directed will and sinned against God (Genesis 3:6). This sin brought judgment on Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:14-24) and all subsequent generations of man (Romans 3:23, 1 Corinthians 15:22a). The cost of this sin was expulsion form the Garden and a disruption of relationship between man and God. Eventually, sin will always end with the destruction of man (Romans 6:23a).

“Man does not know its value” (Job 28:3).

But God still valued His creation and provided a means by which they could still have relationship. First it was with the offering of sacrifice given intuitively (Gen 4:3-4). Later, man offered sacrifice through a more regimented and detailed offering system (Leviticus 3). Man was given laws to follow; laws given by God (Exodus 19 and 20). The law was given to guide man (Deuteronomy 17:11), but it did not save them from their sins (Romans 3:20-21). It was his faith that was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Habakkuk 2:4b, Romans 3:28).

“For God so loved the world [mankind], that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

God did provide a way for redemption through His son, Jesus (John 3:16, Romans 10:13). God planned this before the beginning of time, before the creation of the universe (Ephesians 1:4). This is a mystery to man, God’s wisdom which he predestined for man before time began (1 Corinthians 2:7). We now can approach God because of Jesus (Ephesians 3:12) and offer a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15). Now man has a future which includes a living hope for an inheritance that is imperishable (1 Peter 1:3-4); a bodily resurrection (John 5:24-29), a new spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-49); and we have the promise of eternal living with God (1 John 3:1-3, Revelation 21:3).

God had a plan all along. He created us knowing that we would rebel. He gave us laws that he know we would not follow. He sent a son that He knew not all would believe. Man has played his parts: Created ones. Disobeyers. Sinners. Slayer of the Lamb. Not all will be redeemed (Revelation 20:15). But praise God for the day we fulfill our final destiny and play our final part: Beloved children of God, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them” (Revelation 21:3)…“and I will be his God and he will be My son” (Revelation 21:7).