The Doctrine of Man
Part 1 The Creation of Man
Why “Man?”
• God used the term
– Gen. 1:27
– Gen. 5:1-2
This is the same term that sometimes applies
to man in distinction from woman
– Gen. 2:22
• Theological implications
– Suggestion of male leadership and family
headship from the very creation of man
Why Was Man Created?
• God was lonely
– NOT
• God needed help
– NO
• God wanted to show his glory in a way
not available before creating man
– Isa. 43:7
What is Man’s Purpose in
Life?
• “To be self-actualized”
– NO
• “To do it my way”
– NOT
• To reflect God’s glory in the world
– Gen. 1:27
– Rom 8:17-18
– 1 Cor. 10:31
– Eph. 1:11-14
What is “the image of God?”
Man is like God
Man represents God
• Isa. 40:18
• Gen. 1:26-27
• Gen. 5:3
• Gen. 9:6
• Deut. 4:16
• Col. 1:15
• Col. 3:9-10
In what ways are we like God?
• Refer to the Communicable Attributes of
God
• Language
• Value-formation
– Culture
– Worship
• Emotions
– Different than “feelings”
In what ways are we like God?
• Relational ability
– Aloneness is not our permanent state
– Self-identification through relationships
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Marriage
Filial relationships
Sibling relationships
Friendships
Group Memberships
In what ways are we like God?
• Dominion: Gen. 1:28
– Responsible stewardship
– Profitable use of resources
– God-glorifying outcomes
What happened to imago Dei
when man fell?
• Loss of true freedom
– Eccl. 7:29
• Loss of intellectual soundness
– 2 Cor. 4:4
• Retained enough likeness for
accountability
– James 3:9
– Gen. 9:5-7
What happened to imago Dei
when man fell?
• Loss of innocence: The Romans
Road
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3:10
3:23
6:23
5:8
5:10
10:9
10:10
10:13
10:11
Recovery of imago Dei!
• Col. 3:10 (see Col. 3:5)
• 2 Cor. 3:18
– Image as a verb
• Rom. 12:2
• Eph. 4:22 – 5:2
– The put-off/put-on dynamic
Restoration of imago Dei!!!!
• 1 Cor. 15:49
• Rom. 8:29
• 1 John 3:2
Part 2: Man as Male and
Female
Gender Creation Shows God’s
Image
1. In harmonious relationships between
persons
2. In the equality in personhood and in
importance
3. In the difference in role and in
authority
Harmony between persons
• Gen. 1:26
• Gen. 2:24
• Matt. 19:6
• Eph. 5:23-32
The challenge and the promise of sharing
love, communication and honor drives
humans powerfully
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Males and Females: Equal in
Personhood and in
Importance
Gen. 5:1-2
Gal. 3:27-28
Acts 2:17-18
Romans 3:23
• One way we don’t image God
Differences in Role and in
Authority
• Leadership in the Trinity: The Father
• Initiating action: Gen. 1:1-2, John 1:1-3,
Luke 22:42, Phil. 2:6-8, Acts 1:8
• Male Headship in Marriage
• 1 Cor. 11:3
Differences in Role and in
Authority
• Part of God’s perfect plan
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Adam created first, then Eve
Eve created as a helper for Adam
Adam named Eve
God named the human race “Adam”
Adam was spoken to first
Serpent tries to undermine Adam’s headship
Adam represents the race
Curse distorts roles
Redemption restores
Submission One to Another
• Is it mutual?
– Yes, in one way
– No, in another
• Submission in Eph. 5:21-33
– To an authority
– Non-reversible
• There IS a hierarchy
Part 3: The Self-Image
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Three kinds of relationships based
upon a fourth kind
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4.
To God
To other humans
To nature
To one’s self
Part 3: The Self-Image
• Why not “self-esteem?”
• Why “self-image?”
• Adam & Eve had good reasons for positive
self-images
– Before the Fall
– Gen. 2:25
What Happened?
• Gen. 3:5-6
• 1 John 2:16
• Rom. 12:3
What Happened?
• The first kind of perversion: Exaltation
• The second kind of perversion:
Degradation
• The Restoration of Self-Image is the
precondition for Ethics