What Is Man?What Is Man?What is man that You are mindful

of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (Psalm 8:4)

INTRODUCTION

An Age Old Question

• Learning Biology can give us insight about how our body works, but does not answer the question.

• Learning Psychology can help us to understand much about our intellect and emotions, but does not answer the question.

• Only God can answer the question, “What is Man?” (His nature and origin)

ORIGIN- Where do we come from?

Wrong answer: Organic

Evolution

Man evolved from lower animals (apes), from simpler forms, all the way back to microscopic life, which came about accidentally by chance from non-living matter.

Evolution is wrong because of the

“Law of Biogenesis”; life only comes from

life.

Evolution is wrong because there is no evidence of evolution across

“kinds” of animals; no missing links.

Evolution is wrong because man is vastly different from animals.

Impact of a wrong answer

•Mistreating others•Cursing people (James 3:9-10)•Murder ( Gen. 9:5-6)•Survival of the fittest philosophy

•Genocide- like the holocaust and like we see today.

• Devaluing people and overvaluing animals and the earth

Biblical answer: God created

humans and all life as unique

kinds.

God is the source of all life; Each kind of plant or

animal reproduces after its own kind.

After its own kind

Man is different than the animals because we were uniquely made in

the image of God.

God created man first, out of the

earth (Gen. 2:7)

then the woman, from man’s rib. (Gen 2:21-22)

Man was made a little lower than

the angels. (Ps. 8:3-5)

His dignity comes from his

creation by God in His image.

God gave man authority over the animals and

the earth

Impact of a right answer

•RespectRespect for life. for life. •Capital punishment Capital punishment for murder (Genesis for murder (Genesis 9:6)9:6)

•Human dignity of all- Human dignity of all- because we bear because we bear God’s image.

PURPOSE- Why are we

here?

Wrong Answers •Pursuit of Pursuit of richesriches and material and material possessions. possessions. •Pursuit of Pursuit of pleasure pleasure •Pursuit of Pursuit of knowledge knowledge /education. /education.

These cannot satisfy our

deepest desires. (Eccles.

2:1-11)

Right Answer – God’s glory

To live for God’s glory alone

•By By livingliving a a godly life- godly life- •By doing good By doing good worksworks

To display God’s glory in our salvation

•By worshipping God By worshipping God •By revering His name. By revering His name. •By telling others what By telling others what He has done for us and He has done for us and giving Jesus praise and giving Jesus praise and thanks for his sacrificethanks for his sacrifice.

DESTINY- Where are we

going? What comes after

death?

Wrong answers•Annihilation: We cease to Annihilation: We cease to •Reincarnation: We come Reincarnation: We come back in another back in another formform..

•Univeralism: Univeralism: EveryoneEveryone will go to Heaven.will go to Heaven.

•People somehow People somehow earnearn heaven by works or thru heaven by works or thru baptism.baptism.

Right Answer:All must die, then comes the

judgment. (Heb. 9:27)

The basis of judgment (for

salvation) will be faith In Jesus and obeying

Him.

The righteous faithful will be

raised to inherit the Kingdom of

God and eternal life. Matt. 25:34

The basis of judgment for those who have

rejected Christ will be their works. The

wicked and unbelieving will be

punished in darkness and eternal fire,

separated from God forever.

We can know what happens beyond death because

someone (JESUS) died and was

resurrected. He Himself will be the

judge! (Acts 17:30-31)