School of the Foundations of the Christian Faith “The Creator and His Creation.” Lesson 14. The Creation of Man. The school consists of 22 lessons. The founder of the school is the Christian Bible Institute.
A. God Created Man in His Image and Likeness
Gen. 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image and likeness, and let him rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing.” Gen. 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
God created man in a special way and for special purposes. These distinctive features are most clearly expressed in the fact that man, unlike anything else, was created in the image and likeness of God! This is undoubtedly a tremendous value that God has placed in man.
What does the image and likeness of God in man consist of?
Having created man in His own image and likeness, God placed in him several remarkable qualities that draw him closer to God.
Man is a person
- A person has a mind, feelings, and will.
A person is capable of seeing a goal, making decisions, and acting consciously within the reality around them. A person has feelings and emotions—the ability to rejoice, grieve, worry, enjoy, and so on. As a person, human beings exist forever. From the moment a person is born, they will exist forever! Unlike everything else created by God in the universe.
- A person has the ability to be aware of themselves and God.
God created human beings with a clearly defined self-awareness. A person is capable of being aware of themselves—that they exist. They are capable of perceiving the world around them. They are capable of being aware of God. A person is capable of thinking about the purpose and meaning of their life. They are capable of asking themselves where they came from and where they are going. A person is capable of abstract thought. They are capable of solving various logical and mathematical problems in their mind. Their mind is capable of drawing conclusions from the information available to them. They have moral qualities; that is, they understand that good and evil, right and wrong, exist.
- A person has the ability to communicate with God.
In addition to everything else, human beings are capable of communicating with God. A person can think and express their thoughts through a linguistic system based on certain logical laws. By creating human beings in this way, God made them capable of communicating with Him. A person can perceive God’s thoughts and communicate their thoughts to God. Of course, God’s thoughts are far higher and more magnificent than human thoughts, but God reveals Himself to people to the extent that they can understand Him. Communication with God was one of the most unique aspects of human life in Eden. After the Fall, humanity lost direct access to God, but people retain the potential ability and need for such communication.
- A person has the ability to consciously and intelligently submit to God.
The first chapters of the Bible clearly describe how human beings were in complete and harmonious submission to God. They experienced no discomfort in doing so. On the contrary, submission to God enabled people to develop their lives in the best possible way. God entrusted human beings with dominion over the earth. God entrusted them with filling the earth with people like themselves. God entrusted them with cultivating the garden. God entrusted them with naming the animals. Throughout this process, human beings consciously carried out God’s will within the sphere of creation entrusted to them. They were stewards appointed by God to manage part of God’s creation.
B. The Role of Human Beings in God’s Absolute Plan
- Man was never the purpose and meaning of the universe’s existence; he has always been a creation, not the Creator. This is another area in which most people have a mistaken view. While acknowledging God as the Creator, they nevertheless believe that God should act according to their standards (especially regarding morality, justice, a person’s eternal destiny, and so on)
Consider the following passages of Scripture, which speak of God as the sole and sovereign meaning and purpose of the universe:
Gen. 1:27 So God created mankind in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.
Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job from the storm. He said: Job 38:2 – Who is this who obscures My plans with words without knowledge? Job 38:3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? If you know, answer Me.
Job 40:1 And the Lord said to Job from the storm: Job 40:2 – Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Job 40:3 Will you discredit My justice? Will you condemn Me to justify yourself? Job 40:4 Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like His?
Isa. 14:24 The Lord Almighty has sworn: – As I have planned, so it will be; as I have purposed, so it will happen:
- Man was created to participate consciously in God’s perfect work.
The second chapter of Genesis presents man as a conscious and willing partner in the creative work of his Creator, God.
Gen. 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, Gen. 2:5 no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth, and no field plant had yet sprung up, because the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth, and there was no man to work the ground, Gen. 2:6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground – Gen. 2:7 then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Gen. 2:8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He placed the man whom He had formed.
- Man was destined to perform voluntary physical and intellectual work in Eden.
- By working in Eden, man participated in God’s creative work. God allowed him to be part of His great work of governing the created world. Man was created capable of interacting harmoniously with God. This was one of the highest forms of demonstrating God’s greatness and glory.
Gen. 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Gen. 2:19 The Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He then brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. Gen. 2:20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
- The highest purpose of humanity is to glorify God by knowing Him and rejoicing in fellowship with Him.
The Bible clearly says that only God and the triumph of His glory are the center of all that exists and the ultimate purpose and meaning of history.
Rom. 11:36 For everything comes from Him and through Him, and everything exists for Him. To Him be glory forever! Amen.
- The glory of God is the triumph of the perfection of His character. The glory of God is the display of the splendor of His perfect and absolute Person. It is expressed in His existence, His works, and His relationships with humanity.
- Human salvation and the ability to do moral good have the glory of God as their ultimate goal.
Isa. 43:7 everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made.
Eph. 1:4 For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In His love, Eph. 1:5 according to His good pleasure and will, He predestined us through Jesus Christ to be adopted as His children. Eph. 1:6 In this, the full glory of His grace, which He freely gave us in Christ, whom He loves, is revealed.
- A Christian holy life also has the glorification of God as its highest purpose. When a person comes to God, they become able to demonstrate God's greatness and glory in their practical life.
John 15:8 If you bear a rich harvest and are My disciples, My Father will be glorified.
Matt. 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Heavenly Father.
- Glorifying God is the Christian's holy duty.
1 Cor. 6:20 because you were bought at a great price. Therefore, glorify God in your bodies.
1 Cor. 10:31 Therefore, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do everything so that God may be glorified.
- Glorifying God is humanity's highest good.
2 Thess. 1:12 We pray that, by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified through you, and that you may be glorified with Him.
Without God, human glory is impossible. The greater God's glory, the more precious and radiant human glory is in Him.
- People endure calamities and suffering because they do not wish to live for the glory of God.
Rom. 1:21 For although they knew about God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Rom. 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools Rom. 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal human beings, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. Rom. 1:24 Therefore God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts, and they themselves defiled their bodies with impurity. Rom. 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is worthy of eternal glory, amen.
God is absolute perfection. That is why God does everything for His glory—He cannot be satisfied with anything that is not perfect. Therefore, God's highest satisfaction can be found only in the nature and actions of His own Person.
The highest purpose of the universe’s existence is to demonstrate the greatness and glory of God. The highest purpose of human beings is to glorify God by knowing Him and rejoicing in fellowship with Him.
Assignment: Memorize Romans 1:21–25
Review Questions:
- How are human beings different from animals?
- What is humanity’s role in God’s plan?
- What is true happiness?
Source: Christian Bible Institute
