What Is Man?
Text: Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7
Long ago Job asked, “What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention” (Job 7:17). Men of all ages have explored and meditated on this question. It is one of the fundamental questions of life. This is a question that every person needs to ask and, somehow, needs to answer. Otherwise, life has no meaning, no purpose.
Amazingly, the Bible explores this most difficult of questions in its opening chapters. Genesis 1 presents man as the crown of God’s creation. Everything God created before man was good. After God created man, He took note of His creation and said, “it was very good.”
NEPHESH CHAYAH
Scripture first identifies man with the rest of God’s creation. Genesis 2:7 states, “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The last two words “living being” is a translation of the Hebrew “nephesh chayah” and simply means a “living creature.” The same two words are used of the birds, fish and land animals (Gen. 1:20, 24). We share with the animal kingdom the reality of being simply “living creatures,” created from the ground (in man’s case, the dust of the ground).
IMAGO DEI
While man has similarities to the animal kingdom, he is also created in the image (Latin —IMAGO DEI) and likeness of God—“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26). To man, God gave a special privilege—the opportunity to be in fellowship with Him. In the words of the psalmist, “You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5). The Bible tells the story of that “fellowship.”
What Does It Mean To Be Created In IMAGO DEI?
1. Man is given the privilege to exercise “rule” or “dominion.” (Gen. 1:26-28).
2. Man is given the gift of self-awareness. Man can reflect on life and death. (Job 7:17; Eccl. 12:12-13).
3. Man is created with “free will,” the ability to choose between right and wrong. (Gen. 2:9).
4. Man is given the rational ability to think and to communicate those thoughts. (Phil. 4:8).
5. Man is given a moral consciousness—the ability to know/feel guilt. (Gen. 3:7).
6. Man has the ability to “create” himself through procreation. (Gen.4:1).
7. Man experiences “love” and has the ability to “love” in return. (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:7-11; Mt. 22:36-40).
What Does It Mean To Be Created As NEPHESH CHAYAH?
1. Man is a creation. Man is NOT God nor does he control his own destiny. (Gen. 2:17)
2. Man is limited—by time, physical surroundings, his own abilities, etc. (Job 38:1ff).
3. Like the animals, man is created from the earth—the dust of the ground. We come from dust and will return to dust. (Gen. 2:7).
4. We are mortal—we die. It was the tree of life that gave Adam and Eve the promise of immortality. Sin severed that privilege. (Heb. 9:27; Gen. 3:22-24).
5. Life is brief—but a vapor, like the grass of the fields. We are here today but gone tomorrow. (James 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:24).
6. Man is answerable to judgment—he must give an account of his life. (Rev. 20:11-15).
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