The Doctrine of Man

Good morning and welcome to Living Faith Church. I am so excited to be able to worship Jesus Christ with you on this amazing Sunday. If we have never met before, my name is Aaron. My wife Stella and I are honored to be able to serve on the Pastoral team at LFC. We are in, what I believe is one of the most important topics that we could look at, and that is this; what are our defining faith statements. In other words, what do we believe about the infallibility of Scripture, what do we believe about water baptism, the trinity, and many other faith statements. This series is called We Are Pillars. Last week we opened up by looking at 1 Timothy 3:15.

1 Timothy 3:15 (NASB95)

15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

The church, defined as the collective people who call themselves “of Christ”, are commissioned to live in such a way that our lifestyle, laws, language, and liberties, uphold a canopy of truth in our community. But as we said last week; Church is not something we go to, church is who we are. I am not a preacher who goes to church on Sunday, and you are not a school teacher, mechanic, data technician, farmer, or homemaker that goes to church, you are “the church” revealing God’s glory and power, upholding truth in the world God has called you to live in. Based on this calling from God on each of our lives, I believe it is vital that we look at these basic tenants of our faith.

We started this series off by looking at what we believe about the Bible. And this was strategic; because all that God purposed for us to know about Him, His nature, His character, His plan for mankind and redemption are found in Scripture. So, if we get that wrong, the rest falls a part. But today, I think we must look at another keystone topic of our faith. Highly argued inside and outside the church; but clearly defined in Scripture. And this is the topic of mankind. Now, if you read our statement of faith you will find these words ” We believe…

“That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins”.

What Is Man

I want to open todays conversation by looking at what I believe is the biggest question the world is asking today. What is man (man defined as every human being)?

When I was about 5 years old I experienced a life changing moment, it was probably my first real paradigm shift. If you don’t know, I have two older sisters, and I grew up in home with mom and a dad. My mind was young and I was still learning to process the world around me. One day while was talking with my dad I said; Dad, I can’t wait to grow and become a girl. My dad looked at me kind of strange and asked me. Why do you think you will become a girl? I said, because all boys do. He responded with a very logical question. Did I grow up to become a girl? This was my first mind blowing thought. Oh WOW! No; I responded, you’re a man. My father kindly informed me that I too would grow up and become a man.

The basic question that everyone is seeking an answer to is this; what is man. What is our purpose, where did we come from, whom did we come from, where are we going?

Twice David asked God, while beholding the heavens; “What is man?

Psalm 8:4 (NASB95)

4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

Moses penned these same words in Job 7:17. The Author of Hebrews re-stated this question in Hebrews 2:6. The quest to find the origin of our life has never ceased to be the single driving motive of mans pursuit of knowledge. There are three basic beliefs about mans existence.

Atheistic Evolution:

We could also call this spontaneous generation. This is a belief that all forms of animal life evolved from more primitive forms of life. Beginning with cell matter, then fish, birds, animals, opens and finally humans. However, where this theory falls a part is that it cannot account for the arrival of the “first”. This theory does not have an explanation for where cell matter began, not to mention the many other suggestions, suppositions, and assumptions that have never been able to be proven without reasonable doubt. And this is all because this theory rejection God, the originator of matter and the source of all life.

Theistic Evolution:

Next in line we have the view of Theistic Evolution. This theory also claims that higher life forms evolved from lower life forms, but that these lower forms were created by God. It is nice that this theory tips it’s hat to God, however no where in Scripture do we find any evidence of an evolution of life forms. As a matter of a fact, the only form of reproduction found in all of Scripture is “kind after kind”. In Genesis 1:27

Genesis 1:27 (NASB95)

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 5:1 (NASB95)

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.

James 3:9 (NASB95)

9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

Theistic Creation:

This leads us to the only true origin of man. This is what we call Theistic Creation. This belief holds to the Scriptural truth that God is the only life-source. He alone is the originator, the sustainer of all life forms. He is the one who created all to reproduce according to Genesis 1:24

Genesis 1:24 (NASB95)

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.

This is not God creating a fish that over 65 million years evolved into a human, but rather a human that reproduced more humans. But let’s think even deeper about this thought of Theistic Creation. Because whoever gives life, has the right to take a life. Psalm 139 says this about mans creation.

Psalm 139:13 (NASB95)

13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

Genesis 2:7 (NASB95)

7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Psalm 100:3 (NASB95)

3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

These passages and so many more are critical to our understanding of human life. It is in the void of this truth where human life looses it’s value and life itself becomes the preference of whomever we decide is the owner; ourselves, a mother, a doctor, you name it. Let me make this really clear. Mankind can reproduce a human body, but only God can give life.

So, you may be questioning life; maybe you are the byproduct of rape, or a failed abortion; maybe your parents have expressed deep distain for you, or maybe you simply struggle to find the purpose for your life and have felt that there is not purpose for another day. Let me speak this into your soul and spirit.

Psalm 100:3- “it is He who has made [you] and not [yourself]. Genesis 2:7- “…God formed [you], and breathed into [your] nostrils the breath of life. If the God of universe took the care and passion to breath His very breath of life into your body, no matter what the circumstances surrounding the production of your physical body are- this I know - your are a currier and carrier of the breath of the God of the universe and that trumps everything!

Created For Worship

But this also raises one very big concern. If the life that you have is a life given to you by God, then who do you belong to? Because whoever owns me holds the right to my existence.

Molech worship required the life of a child to be sacrificed.

The Moabite god Chemosh required a human to be sacrificed as a thank offering

Roman Vestal Virgins, who were virgin women that served Vesta, the goddess of home and family, would often be buried alive as a form of worship and appeasement.

But then look at this. While God claims ownership of mankind, He didn’t require the sacrifice of our life but rather He gave of Himself. And the only reason that God had the authority to purchase your life with the sacrifice of Jesus is because He already owned your life, through the means of creation. The amazing thing about God is this, He demands nothing of you. He has made you to be a moral being; which means you have a free will. But you will never be more alive than when you come into alignment with your true creator. Because whoever your creator is, this is who you worship. You can’t help but worship so you might as well worship the true God. To be created for worship means this:

“My life is authored and sustained by the God of the universe, which means my life is really His life, in my skin, on loan, for the purpose of His plan.“

The Purpose of Man

This means that my greatest responsibility in life is to know the purpose for my life. God is purposeful in everything He does.

Isaiah 14:26 (NASB95) - His plan involves the whole earth:

26 “This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations.

Isaiah 14:27 (NASB95) - No one can stop Gods plan

27 “For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

Isaiah 46:11 (NASB95) - God will follow through and accomplish His purposes

11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.

Romans 8:28 (NASB95) - God has invited us to fulfill His purpose

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

2 Timothy 1:9 (NASB95) - His purpose was set before creation, is in Christ, and not beyond the means of His grace.

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

Ephesians 3:10–11 (NASB95) - Gods eternal purpose is centered in the Church.

10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Everything God does He does on purpose. And you must know this, because Scripture tells us that God formed you- which means, He has a purpose for you. Let me share with you quickly the four purposes of Man according to Scripture.

Relationship:

The first reason God created mankind was for relationship. We see this on display even through the first sin in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:9 (NASB95)

9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

God initiated relationship with mankind. But while God created you for relationship, sin destroyed that relationship.

Isaiah 59:2 (NASB95)

2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

Genesis 3:10 tells us that after Adam and Eve sinned, they hid themselves from God. Sin corrupted their spirit and they no longer sought God out, but rather hid from Him. And because sin is passed down genetically from parent to child, every human alive now suffers this same corrupted spirit at birth. We have to be born again as Jesus said in John 3:3

John 3:3 (NASB95)

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This is made possible through Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, in the New Covenant, that relationship is restored. John 14:16 tells us that upon Christ arrival at the right hand of God, the Father sent to us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. And because He is Spirit, when His Spirit dwells in us, we can have fellowship with God.

Character:

There is no greater desire of a father than to see his own character manifested through his children.

As a father I have had no greater joy than watching each of my kids cary on a piece of who God created my to be. My oldest son began playing the drums at the age of 5 and is now making a career out of music. Stella and I collectively gave him that. My middle son is amazing behind a sound board- I gave him that. My daughter is beautiful- Stella gave her that, but she is stubborn, and I gave her that. She is an amazing worship leader- and that too came from Stella.

But the truth of that matter is we want nothing more than for our kids to cary on our legacy, my ceiling should be their floor!

2 Peter 1:4 (NASB95)

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

What are these divine natures?

2 Peter 1:5–7 (NASB95)

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

To be like Christ is our calling! Romans 8:29

Romans 8:29 (NASB95)

29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Function:

God has not just called you to pass time on earth. He wants you to share in His function to rule, to govern and reign on earth. This is literally a family business!

Genesis 1:26 (NASB95)

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Genesis 1:28 (NASB95)

28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Subdue: To make subordinate

Rule: To have dominion

This was Gods first command to Adam and he failed at it. Through sin, we lost dominion and authority and came under the dominion of Satan, sin, sickness and death. But through Christ who has conquered all our dominion can be regained.

Matthew 28:18 (NASB95)

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Luke 10:19 (NASB95)

19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

Reproduction

God wants a huge family, and so He called us to reproduce and multiply.

Genesis 1:28 (NASB95)

28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

However, I believe that God is calling us to more than just natural reproduction. There is a call for Spiritual reproduction. Again, as we mentioned before, “kind after kind”. The seed of sin dwelled in Adam and therefore has been passed down in every generation since Adam. This necessitates a new birth, a spiritual birth.

John 3:3 (NASB95)

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The Spirit of man is that which is reborn. The Spirit is the part of man capable of knowing God, capable of talking with God. When sin entered the world, the spirit lost contact with God and this is why it needs to be born again through receiving the free gift of God. John 3:6

John 3:6 (NASB95)

6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Paul said in Romans 8:16

Romans 8:16 (NASB95)

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

And the most amazing thing is that all of this new birth is a free gift from God, it is not conditional upon you performing for God, rather you surrendering to Go.

Titus 3:5 (NASB95)

5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

And today, I only want to introduce you to the very God who gave you the life you live, who gave you purpose, a reason for existence, and future and hope. In just a moment I will lead you in a short prayer. With every eye closed, If you do not already declare Him as your Lord, your Savior, the object of your worship, the one you will spend eternity with in Heaven, let me lead you to Him. Simply raise your hand so I know who I am praying for.

“Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive me for all of my sins.  Make me brand new.  Because You died for me, I want to live for You.  Fill me with Your Spirit, so I could follow You.  Jesus, You’re now my Lord and the Savior of my life.  Take my life.  It is Yours.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.”