DOCTRINE OF MAN

A. Origin of Man: - Two theories have been propounded.

Atheistic Evolution Theory: This theory came from ‘origin of species’ by Charles Darwin. He developed this evolution theory. This theory holds
that man is the accidental and random product of a blind and non-personal series of chemical and biological events.
His arguments are
1. The argument from the structural similarities of anthropoid apes relied.
2. The embryological argument.
3. The argument from rudimentary organ.
4. The argument derived from blood test.
5. The paleontological argument.
But none of these arguments furnish the desired proof. Darwin truly said that his theory depended entirely on the possibilities of transmitting
acquired characteristics. Many scientists not accepted this. It’s only thought and imagine. But it’s not proved. Bible is objecting this theory.
Questions:
1. All living beings are developed from living cell—where did that cell come from?
2. Why didn’t new forms species and genes develop after man?

Special Creation: This theory holds that man is a direct product from the hand of God. God formed the man from dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man become living being. Gen: 1:26, 27, 31; 2:7, 19, 20; 3:19; Job: 33:4; Ps: 8:5-6 Eccl: 3:19, 20;
1. The body was formed out of dust, which is pre-existing material. But soul is new substance.
2. All human beings came from one man. For this there are arguments from scripture, science, history, philology, psychology, natural
science.
B. Body, soul and spirit: There are many theories about man. Important once are dichotonomy and trichotonomy. Dichotonomy says that man consists
of body and soul, but trichotonomy says that man consists of body soul and spirit.
Bible supports trichotonomy according these verses—1 Cor: 5:23, Heb: 4:12
Body: Body consists of flesh, blood and bones. It consists of five senses--sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. It contains 105 elements like
calcium, carbon, hydrogen etc. which are also found in earth’s dry dust.
Soul: Soul consists of intellectual, feelings and will power. Man can think and feel.
Spirit: Spirit is consists of conscience, Intuition, longing for God. It is spiritual, moral and immortal being.
1. Scripture never teaches us to take the view that the body is a useless impediment and clog to the soul. It is important to observe we are
never encouraged to dishonor or maltreat the body.
2. We have to give more priority to human beings than other living beings.
3. Soul and spirit are certainly not to be regarded as synonymous in scriptural language. But, on the other hand, they are not kept invariably
distance.

C. Image of God: Three of the most prevalent images of human kind.

a. Human as machines: One prevalent perspective on humans is in terms of what they are able to do. They are regarded as things---a means to
ends rather than ends in themselves.
b. Humans as animals: Humans are members of animal kingdom and as derivations from some of its higher forms. Knowledge about humans
is gained not through introspection but by experimentation upon animals.
c. Humans as pawns of the universe: humans are at the mercy of forces in the world that control their destiny and have no real concern for
them.
More than those images, Bible says that Man is in the image of God. Gen: 1:26, 27.
What does it mean to be in the “image of God?” Man is said to be made in the “image of God” (Gen.1:26, 27). Only with a view of special creation by God
could this be possible.

1. He reasons (intellect), feels (emotion), and chooses (will). Compared with the animals he is self-conscious, possesses the power of abstract
thought, and has a spiritual nature.
2. He reflects God in function. Gen.1:26 connect the ideas of sharing God’s image with sharing His rule or sovereignty over creation.
3. He normally has a moral resemblance of God. This may be seen in the laws which govern human relationships and human government at
their best.
4. He possesses dominion, of a limited type, over creation. He has characteristics which argue in favour of his hope of immortality.
5. There is perhaps some sense in which He reflects God in form. Although God is spirit and not body (John 4:24), our physical form was
designed by God as appropriate means of reflecting Him. Even in our eternal state we will fellowship with God in our transformed
“spiritual” yet physical body (1 Cor.15:44).
6. The fact that man can communicate and fellowship with God and even reflect God’s moral character (when regenerated – 2 Peter 1:4),
indicates perhaps the real depth of man sharing God’s “image.”
7. Likeness (image of God in man) doesn’t involve all the attributes of God, like His infiniteness. Man is still finite and limited.
Man is in image of God. He is child of God that is his identity. He is unique and precious to God. And we have to respect every human being because he is
in the image of God.
D. Freedom: Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Adam was free to act either in accordance with the divine will or against it (Gen 2:16, 17). Though
he was capable of being tempted, he was under no compulsion to sin. He was better placed than we find ourselves in this matter; for, unlike us, Adam
had no inward urge to sin. In one sense, we are less free in this respect than he was.
Man was in a position not to sin had he wished; though he was not in a state in which I was impossible for him to sin.

Difference between Man and God: God is creator but man is creation. Man got some of the attributes from God. Man is not God

Difference between Man and Animal: Man has spirit, but animal does not have.

Purpose of Man
1. To have fellowship with God Gen:3:8, Romans:11:36
2. To know God and worship God.
3. To be fruitful, multiply, fill and rule Gen:1:28
4. To do work Gen 1:26,27
Fall of Man
A. Test: The prohibition not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ultimately was the test of obedience to the revealed will of
God. God did not make man a Robert. God gave freewill to man, that man can choose right or wrong. If God did not give test there is no
meaning of giving free will to man. Gen:
B. Temptation: Satan tried to get Eve to believe that god was not good and His plan is restrictive. Eve rationalized that the fruit is good for food
and has the provision for knowledge, and then they become gods. She ate and offered it to Adam to eat. Adam had that. Man misused his free
will and disobeyed to God’s command.
C. Penalties: Serpent was condemned to crawl, enmity was set between Satan and seed of Eve, Eve was assigned to painful child birth, Adam was
assigned to unpleasant labor and human kind experience broken fellowship with God.