Doctrine of Humanity (Man)

Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.

Introduction

If you were building a house. Which would be better to build on. Sand or rock? Why?

A Firm Foundation

What the world teaches is constantly changing. Even science with all of the benefits and convenience it produces in our lives is constantly changing.

Can you think of a time of change in you life? Big or small? Good or bad?

Not all change is bad. Sometimes we can’t do anything about the change. But it’s the rate of change that is the problem for us.

What is the problem with constant change?

The problem is that it doesn’t give us an anchor. Something that when the winds of change blow through our lives it gives us something to hold onto.

Jesus knew this about the world and about us. Which is why he said this!

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Jesus knows that our spiritual formation is a critical part of our relationship with him, the world and each other. So we can have some pillars and post to hold onto when things get rough.

So as we move through each of these core doctrines. It is important to develop a good foundation of theology. So we can know what we believe and why.

But just like building a house on rock is important. Spiritual formation is a journey. Much like flying in a plane.

Sometimes you view is close up like sitting on the runway getting ready o take off. Other times you are at 30,000 feet. Getting a big picture view of God and his creation. But there are times when you are in the clouds and you can’t see anything. And you have to rely on your instruments.

This is all a part of “Loving the Journey”.

So with that in mind. Today we want to center the discussion on the Doctrine of Humanity (or man-as it is called in the Baptist Faith and Message).

What does it mean when we say we are human?

What does thinking about being human encompass?

The doctrine of humanity encompasses the origins, nature, corruption, and restoration of human beings as image-bearers of God.[1]

[1]Sanders, F. (2018). The Doctrine of Humanity. In M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, & T. Hains (Eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology. Lexham Press.

Are we just animals created like any other creature?

If we aren’t what makes us so special?

One of the questions that naturally arises from thinking about being human is. What is my purpose? Why am I here? And those are all questions we will get to. But, one of the first questions we must ask about being human is a question of origin.

How was I created? How did I come to be? That is the question behind the question. What we are asking is “What does it mean to be human?”

To answer this we begin with what God says about us and how we are and were created.

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

There are many issues surrounding us these days that make it all the more vital to understand what the Bible has to say about being human. For example, evolutionary theory says there is really no fundamental difference between humans and animals; humans are just more highly evolved animals. If so, one implication might be that since humans are only animals, then human euthanasia can make sense. After all, we “put down” animals to alleviate suffering. Why not human animals?

Will exponential advancements in computers (e.g., artificial intelligence) and robotics “inspire” us to no longer distinguish between people and machines? Is a day coming when the latter will be able to do all the former can do? Do we then treat humans like instruments and appliances and devices—that is, throw them out when they don’t work as well as they once did?[1]

[1]Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day(p. 75). Bethany House Publishers.

Made in God’s Image

What can we learn from the Bible about questions like these? As we’ve seen, humans are created beings and therefore need to relate to the rest of creation. This means we are dependent upon God for our ongoing existence and that our purpose, like the rest of creation, is to bring glory to him (Isaiah 43:7 ). This purpose, then, gives our lives meaning.

Isaiah 43:7 ESV

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

We are not an accident of nature; we were intentionally and purposefully created by God. More than that, we are valuable to him. He cares so much for us that he knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30 ; and he knows that for some of us that number decreases daily!).

Matthew 10:30 ESV

30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

Even though as created beings we relate to the rest of creation, we are distinct within the created order. Humans are the pinnacle of God’s creation; everything else was put here for our well-being. This brings us to probably the most important thing the Bible has to say about people: We are made in the image of God.

(Genesis 1:26–27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9).

This is crucial because it seems essentially to be a biblical definition of “humanity.” To be human is to be a divine image-bearer.

However, even though this concept is key to comprehending humanity’s significance, the Bible does not explicitly clarify what it means. The texts cited above say that this is so but do not explain it much. A variety of explanations have been put forward.[1]

[1]Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day(p. 76). Bethany House Publishers.

How Do We Bear God’s Image?

First, the substantive view suggests that the image of God means humans share certain characteristics with him. So in this sense, the image has to do with something that characterizes who we are—our being. For example, God has rationality, or reason, and humans do as well (Homo sapiens means “thinking being”). God is a moral being as are humans; we have consciences and think in terms of right and wrong. God is relational; so are humans. This has been the main view of Christians for a long time. One weakness is that it is largely speculative, without much explicit biblical support.

Second, the relational view suggests that the image of God means humans experience a relationship with God primarily, and secondarily with other humans. So this view is that rather than being something we are, the image is something we have—relationships. This reflects the relationships within the Trinity.

One of the strengths of this view is that it does capture something unique about humans. Plants and animals do not and cannot have this kind of relationship with God. One weakness is seen in regard to the image and unbelievers. The Bible says that apart from Christ, all people are separated from God. That is, non-Christians have no relationship with him. Would this mean they also do not bear his image?

Another weakness might be that this view seems to assume something in the substantive view, namely, that humans are relational beings. We cannot have relationships without being relational. So even though this view gets at something important, it is really based on something more fundamental in our being as humans.

Third, the functional view suggests that the image of God means humans are given a function. Rather than being something we are, or something we have, the divine image is something we do. A clear strength of this view is that certain texts could be used to support it. For example, Genesis 1:26–28:

God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

The image, accordingly, is that humans rule over, fill, and subdue the earth. This passage does indicate a close connection between the image and the responsibility, yet it does not necessarily equate them. Also, this view likewise seems based on something more fundamental about the being of humans, namely, that we can do what God has told us to do because of who he made us to be—our being, once again.

So as we assess these views, clearly they all point out important factors about humans that set us apart from the rest of creation, but the relational and functional views seem to be based on aspects of the substantive view. The image of God, then, apparently refers to those characteristics within humans that we share with God—how our being overlaps with his being.[1]

[1]Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day(pp. 76–78). Bethany House Publishers.

What It Means to Bear God’s Image

What are some implications?

For one thing, even though we do share some characteristics, only God is infinite and unlimited. A fundamental part of being human is to be finite and have limitations. We will have these limitations forever. Again, this means that we always will be—and should always acknowledge that we are—dependent upon the infinite and unlimited One.

For another, since humans bear the image of God, human life is sacred (Genesis 9:6). This also has implications for any violence against unborn children and for all forms of abuse—physical, verbal, sexual, emotional. All of these violate God’s image in the individual.

Furthermore, since all humans bear the image of God, all forms of racial, ethnic, age, economic, or gender prejudice or supremacy are wrong. All humans come from the same place (God) and have the same being (God’s image). We must treat all people with dignity, equality, compassion, and care.

Finally, reflecting the image of God is the primary way humans fulfill their purpose to glorify him. He created us for this purpose, to represent him to the rest of creation. We are not God, but we are mirrors of God and his glory.[1]

[1]Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day(pp. 78–79). Bethany House Publishers.

TRAGIC FACT

If God created us in his image to reflect his glory, there is a problem: Our mirrors have been distorted by sin. Apart from his help, we cannot accurately and fully reflect God’s glory. We will take this up in a few chapters. The solution is God’s salvation through Jesus Christ.[1]

[1]Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day(p. 79). Bethany House Publishers.

CONCLUSION

The doctrine of humanity is one in which we would expect ourselves to be naturally interested, because we are humans. But there’s more to the importance of the category of the theology of humanity than just that we happen to be interested in it. It’s actually objectively an important part of God’s ways with the world: of all the things God is doing with all creation, he has a special eye on the part of creation that is created in his image—that is, humanity.

When we talk about this doctrine and try to do justice to its full range, we have a unique tension to bear in mind. On the one hand, humanity is so great that it alone is picked out and identified as being in the image of God. On the other hand, uniquely among creatures, we are radically fallen. We are redeemable but truly fallen—and it is important to get the tension between these two right. Yes, we’re that good, but we’re also that bad. When God made Adam and Eve, he made good creatures originally righteous and in his image. So, human nature itself is basically good. But then we radically fell, and every person alive is downstream from Adam and therefore is basically bad in terms of the position we’re in right now. Are humans basically good or basically bad? We really can’t answer such an apparently simple question without referring to the full scope of the Christian doctrine of humanity. As Psalm 8:4 says, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” That question captures the tension between our greatness and our wretchedness: God is especially mindful of us, in spite of what we are.

We humans are also made of body and soul; there’s a physical part of us and a nonphysical part of us. Without both of these realities in place, we don’t understand what it is to be embodied souls or ensouled bodies. We don’t grasp the human unity that we are.

What is it that makes up a human? We can subdivide the answer into its capacities or faculties: reason, emotion, and will. There is a richness and diversity in what it is to be human: humans can be male or female; humans can hail from different nations and cultures.

All of the doctrine of humanity must be set within the tension of our createdness and our fallenness, our physicality and spirituality—and the possibility that, because Christ took on our flesh and body and spirit, we can be saved.[1]

[1]Sanders, F. (2018). The Doctrine of Humanity. In M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, & T. Hains (Eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology. Lexham Press.