MAN
Mankind is a direct creation of God and did not evolve (see CREATION). Man has a sin nature, which brings death: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). But God has a plan for our redemption: “Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:18–19).
Man is a three-part being: “your whole spirit and soul and body” (1 Thessalonians 5:23; see also Hebrews 4:12; trichotomy is three parts, versus dichotomy, which is two parts). Our body relates to the world around us with its five senses. Our soul is what relates to others, is where our intellect is, and has feelings of joy, sadness, etc., but our spirit is what relates to God. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Unfortunately, the spirit of man is “dead” in most of the human race; in fact, we are all born dead in sins (Ephesians 2:1; see also v. 5). Man has an empty place inside of him because his most important part was dead when he was born and it can only be filled by God. That is why we need God’s spiritual birth—“Ye must be born again” (John 3:7; see BORN AGAIN; SALVATION)—because our first birth is not good enough to get us to heaven. This takes place at the moment we trust God’s Son as our Savior. The Holy Spirit comes into our bodies and through our soul into our spirit, which was born dead, and gives us His life (Romans 8:9; see also 1 Corinthians 6:19).
Man has been given dominion over the earth and all the animals in it (Genesis 1:26). And man is “much better” than animals (Matthew 6:26).“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:3–8).
Mankind is a direct creation of God and did not evolve (see CREATION). Man has a sin nature, which brings death: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). But God has a plan for our redemption: “Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:18–19).
Man is a three-part being: “your whole spirit and soul and body” (1 Thessalonians 5:23; see also Hebrews 4:12; trichotomy is three parts, versus dichotomy, which is two parts). Our body relates to the world around us with its five senses. Our soul is what relates to others, is where our intellect is, and has feelings of joy, sadness, etc., but our spirit is what relates to God. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Unfortunately, the spirit of man is “dead” in most of the human race; in fact, we are all born dead in sins (Ephesians 2:1; see also v. 5). Man has an empty place inside of him because his most important part was dead when he was born and it can only be filled by God. That is why we need God’s spiritual birth—“Ye must be born again” (John 3:7; see BORN AGAIN; SALVATION)—because our first birth is not good enough to get us to heaven. This takes place at the moment we trust God’s Son as our Savior. The Holy Spirit comes into our bodies and through our soul into our spirit, which was born dead, and gives us His life (Romans 8:9; see also 1 Corinthians 6:19).
Man has been given dominion over the earth and all the animals in it (Genesis 1:26). And man is “much better” than animals (Matthew 6:26).“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:3–8).
