The Doctrine of Man
* God did not need to create man, yet he created him for his own glory (Isa. 43:7).
* Man is made in God’s image, which means that man is like God and represents him (Gen. 1:26). The image of God in man is distorted but not lost in the fall (Gen. 9:6) and is restored through redemption in Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
* Man is most like God in his moral, spiritual, mental, and relational aspects.
* The creation of man as male and female shows God’s image in (1) harmonious interpersonal relationships, (2) equality in personhood and importance, and (3) difference in role and authority (Gen. 5:1-2).
* Equality and differences in the Trinity are reflected in equality and differences in marriage (1 Cor. 11:3) and are part of God’s original creation order. Although distorted by the fall, this creation order is reaffirmed by redemption in Christ (Col. 3:18-19).
* The essential nature of man includes two parts (physical and spiritual) = dichotomy with an emphasis on the overall unity of the two (2 Cor. 7:1).
* Man is made in God’s image, which means that man is like God and represents him (Gen. 1:26). The image of God in man is distorted but not lost in the fall (Gen. 9:6) and is restored through redemption in Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
* Man is most like God in his moral, spiritual, mental, and relational aspects.
* The creation of man as male and female shows God’s image in (1) harmonious interpersonal relationships, (2) equality in personhood and importance, and (3) difference in role and authority (Gen. 5:1-2).
* Equality and differences in the Trinity are reflected in equality and differences in marriage (1 Cor. 11:3) and are part of God’s original creation order. Although distorted by the fall, this creation order is reaffirmed by redemption in Christ (Col. 3:18-19).
* The essential nature of man includes two parts (physical and spiritual) = dichotomy with an emphasis on the overall unity of the two (2 Cor. 7:1).
Sin...
- Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.
- God is never morally responsible for sin (Deut. 32:4), but he ordained that sin would come into the world through the voluntary choices of creatures (Gen. 3:1-19).
- Inherited guilt: We are counted guilty because of Adam’s sin. God rightly imputed Adam’s guilt to us (Rom. 5:12-21).
- Inherited corruption: We have a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin (Ps. 51:1-5).
- In our natures we lack any spiritual good before God (Rom. 7:18) and are totally unable to do spiritual good before him in our actions (Rom. 8:8).
- All people are sinful before God and our ability does not limit our responsibility (Eph. 2:1).
- All people are equally guilty before God, in terms of legal guilt (Gal. 3:10), yet some sins have more harmful consequences in life and our relationship with God (John 19:11).
- When Christians sin, our legal standing before God is unchanged but our fellowship with God is disrupted and our Christian life is damaged (Eph. 4:30).
- God punishes sin primarily because his righteousness demands it so that he might be glorified in the universe (Rom. 3:26).
- A covenant is an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and Man that stipulates the conditions of their relationship (i.e., covenant of works, redemption, grace).
- Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.
- God is never morally responsible for sin (Deut. 32:4), but he ordained that sin would come into the world through the voluntary choices of creatures (Gen. 3:1-19).
- Inherited guilt: We are counted guilty because of Adam’s sin. God rightly imputed Adam’s guilt to us (Rom. 5:12-21).
- Inherited corruption: We have a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin (Ps. 51:1-5).
- In our natures we lack any spiritual good before God (Rom. 7:18) and are totally unable to do spiritual good before him in our actions (Rom. 8:8).
- All people are sinful before God and our ability does not limit our responsibility (Eph. 2:1).
- All people are equally guilty before God, in terms of legal guilt (Gal. 3:10), yet some sins have more harmful consequences in life and our relationship with God (John 19:11).
- When Christians sin, our legal standing before God is unchanged but our fellowship with God is disrupted and our Christian life is damaged (Eph. 4:30).
- God punishes sin primarily because his righteousness demands it so that he might be glorified in the universe (Rom. 3:26).
- A covenant is an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and Man that stipulates the conditions of their relationship (i.e., covenant of works, redemption, grace).