God's loving provision for His Image Bearers

God’s Love for Humanity is displayed through the special act of Creation (Gen 2:7)

Explanation: The Scriptures give us a more detailed look at the Creation of Humanity on Day 6. We are told that the “LORD GOD formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen 2:7). We are allowed to see some of the process that God used in His direct and supernatural creation of Adam on the 6th Day of Creation Week. This is NOT a second creation account.

Example: Chris took an OT Survey class in his first year at App State. He asked me, “why didn’t you ever tell us there are 2 creation accounts in Genesis?” My response: Because there aren’t two; there is only 1!

Argument: The reality is that humanity is God’s masterpiece of creation. The psalmist was aware of this truth when he wrote:

Psalm 139:14–17 (KJV 1900)

14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.

15My substance was not hid from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

Application: All humans are image bearers. All are worthy of dignity and respect. This includes valuing the sanctity of ALL life!

God’s Love for Humanity is displayed through the perfect environment of the Garden (Gen 2:8-14)

Explanation: God provided a perfect environment for Adam. The Garden was a place of beauty and peace. Pleasant and abundant food was at hand along with the flowing of waters

Illustrate: I have seen a small portion of the Grand Canyon, I have seen the rolling grandeur of the waves at the ocean shore, witnessed beautiful sunrises, and I have enjoyed breath-taking views from peaks in the Smoky Mtn National Park, and I have been in awe of the Creator’s majesty. I am in awe especially when I remember this is a fallen world that still retains the imprint of God’s Majesty. I can only imagine what the Garden must have been like.

Argument: God’s purposes will come to pass and His plans are not ruined by our sin and shortcomings. While God removed the Garden from man after the Fall, He did not destroy it. The Tree of Life is in Paradise and in the future will we once again be given free access to the fruit of the tree and enjoy the perfect environment of heaven - the place Jesus has been preparing for His followers! (John 14:2-3).

Application: Realize this world (as it exists now) is NOT our home. God is going to bring forth the New Heavens and the New Earth, and we who are in Christ will experience the perfection of His nurturing environment in a way that is unimaginable!

God’s Love for Humanity is displayed by the Assignment of Labor (Gen 2:15)

Explanation: God graciously gave Adam a job. Even in a perfect environment there was work to be performed. The responsibility to work is a GOOD thing - God gifted humanity with work, before sin entered the world. The need to work is not in and of itself a curse, it is a worthwhile and noble thing that gives dignity and purpose.

Argument: The nature of work was corrupted in the Fall and humanity does have to endure some negative elements in the area of labor, but it is still good for each one that is able to perform some type of work. We were not designed to lay around and be lazy - we are designed to be engaged in God’s creation; to work and to provide for our families, and to be witnesses of His glory as we go about our jobs and callings.

This verse may not be directly addressing work as a vocation (farming, welding, designing space stations, etc.) but it should sharpen our focus

Colossians 3:17 KJV 1900

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

(see also Eccl. 5:18)

God displays His love for Humanity by setting boundaries (Gen 2:16-17)

Explanation: God created a perfect man and placed him in a perfect environment. God also placed the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil in the Garden. The tree was not evil in and of itself because God is not the author of evil and He is the One who put the tree in the Garden.

The question is often asked at this point, “ - why did God put that tree in the Garden? why not just keep everything from falling apart before it happened?

We can only respond to what is revealed to us, and to go beyond that is speculation. The reality is that God could have created a world in which evil never existed - but He chose to create this world.

Given that dangerous things DO exist, God gave a warning to Adam. He commanded Adam not to eat from that one tree. He gave the warning out of love.

Illustrate: guard rails are NOT placed to keep people from having fun; they are provided to keep people alive and on the road!

Argument: God knows our nature and our thoughts, so He provides us with boundaries. He puts up “consecrated / holy guardrails with His commandments. His precepts are for our good, not to harm us or hold us back. That’s why almost all of the Ten Commandments are written with a negative slant: Thou Shall NOT. They sound negative, but He gave them for our good.

God displays His love for Humanity by His caring creation of a Help-mate (Gen 2:18-25)

Explanation: For the first time in the creation narrative the reader is introduced to the phrase, “it is not good.” (v. 18) This understanding is not a lack of moral good, but rather an declaration of something being incomplete. At this point God brought the animals to Adam so that he could give them names. God used that process to bring Adam to the realization that he was alone. God completed the process (and it was good that He did so) by created a help meet for the man.

Argument: What a precious gift God gave to the human race when he provided for life partners between men and women! How we need to appreciate this arrangement. Marriage between a man and a woman is a Creation Ordinance established by God Himself and is therefore unchangeable! Marriage between a man and a woman for a lifetime is not an outdated idea, it is not a cultural norm, nor is it a societal construct that was made up so men could be in power. It is the very design of God and it is to be honored in all cultures by all people groups for all time!

Application: Human flourishing will take place when humanity does life according to God’s blueprint. He is the Master Designer and His way is the best way.

The focus today is often presented as that Christians are just haters and that we are against everything, Not true! Standing up for God’s design is a positive and moral good. His standard and our acceptance of His standard hasn’t changed - it is the leftists and the liberal mindset that has changed by rejecting His standard.

Conclusion: The Love of God is displayed through all of these avenues: our special creation as image-bearers, the dignity and worth of work, the boundaries that guard our lives, and His gift of marriage that leads to human flourishing. Because they are Creation ordinances, they are given to humanity as a whole and are signs of His common grace to the world.

It is for those who are in Christ, however, that these gifts make the most impact. This is especially seen when we compare the marriage union to our relationship with God. Marriage is the human relationship that most closely resembles His relationship with us. In NT terms, believers compose the Church, which is named the Bride of Christ. We who are in Christ will one day be participating in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and we will be celebrating that union for Eternity!