Man is a created being. The Bible does not teach that man evolved
from the species. Rather, God created each animal “according to its kind” (see
Genesis 1:24). The theory of evolution holds that one species evolved into
another until animals evolved to become man. If this were so, there should be an
abundance of “intermediate” fossils between each species showing the
progression from one species to another. But there is no abundance of
intermediate fossils linking the species. Man was created in the image of God
(see Genesis 1:26,27). Man has similarities to some animals, but he is also
different from animals. The Bible does not say that animals were created in the
image of God.Rather, man bears the image of God.
A. Creation.
The account of man’s creation is given in Genesis 1:26,27. Man was
created as male and female. Man—the supreme creature on earth—was given power
to rule over all other creatures. More details of the creation of man are given
in Genesis 2:7,21-23. Genesis 2:7 explains that man was created from the dust
of the ground. The Hebrew word for “man” is “adam,” and the same word is used
to name the first man. Also, the Hebrew word for “ground” is “Adamah,” which
sounds like “adam.” The first man was created from the dust of the ground, and
God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Then God caused the man to
fall into a deep sleep and he created the first woman—Eve—from the man’s rib.
Stringfellow writes that man was created with a three-fold
nature—body, soul, and spirit ( See 1Thess. 5:23; Hebrews 4:12). So man is
created in the image of God—who is a Trinity. Man’s body with the five senses
of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch gives him world consciousness. Man’s
soul (or mind)—his reasoning ability, emotion, memory, affection, and conscience—is
very similar to the meaning of “heart” as used in Scripture. His soul is his self-consciousness.
Man’s spirit differentiates him from other creatures. His spirit is his God
consciousness. Man is aware of God. Man prays to God. But what other creature
prays? Who can say that animals have any awareness of God?The meaning of “soul”
and “spirit” are closely related. Scripture points to the similarity of these concepts,
saying that the word of God can divide even soul and spirit ( see Hebrews
4:12).God created a garden in Eden, and put Adam there to work it and care for
it (Gen. 2:8,15). Prior to sin entering the world, work was not described as a
burden. Work gave man a purpose—a sense of accomplishment.
B. The Fall of Man
God allowed Adam to eat from any tree in Eden except from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. He warned that eating of that tree would
result in Adam’s death (Gen. 2:15-17). Satan, in the form of a serpent, tempted
Eve to eat this forbidden fruit, and she gave the fruit to Adam, who also ate
it (see Gen.3:1-6). Satan tempted Eve by appealing to the lust of the flesh—the
fruit looked “good for food,” the lust of the eyes—the fruit looked “pleasing to the eye,” and to the pride of
life—the fruit appeared “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Gen. 3:6 NIV).
Temptation is the same for all generations.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”
(1 John 2:16, King James Version).
Because Adam and Eve sinned, God said that there is a curse on man
and on the earth. A woman’s pain in childbearing is increased, and her husband
rules over her (see Gen. 3:16). The ground is cursed, so that it produces
thorns and thistles, and a man now works under troublesome conditions (see Gen.
3:17-19). By disobeying God, man lost his innocence—learning the difference
between good and evil (see Gen. 3:22). Man became self-conscious and experienced
guilt (see Gen. 3:7,11,21). So God prohibited man from living eternally in this
state of sin—he prohibited man from eating of the tree of life (see Gen. 3:24).
Because of sin, the first man died. As a result of sin entering the world
through Adam and Eve, all people inherit the tendency to sin. Through faith in
Christ, people may be forgiven of sin and receive eternal life (see 1 Cor.15:21,22).
The victory of Christ over Satan is prophesied in Genesis 3:15.
Because the serpent (Satan) tempted Eve, God cursed the serpent, and said that
the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. With this one
exception, the genealogy of the Hebrews is recorded through males (the
offspring of men). But there is one case in which there was a mother but no
human father of a child—Jesus was born of a virgin. So Genesis 3:15 shows that
at the time of man’s fall from sin, God had a plan for redeeming mankind. Jesus
in his death on the cross won the victory over Satan. He will return to crush
the serpent’s head. God also prophesied in Genesis 3:15 that the serpent would
bruise Christ’s heel. Satan bruised the heel of Christ by making it necessary
that Christ die in order for people to live. Christ’s death on the cross was a
temporary bruise, but Satan’s spiritual death is eternal. (For details and for free course
visit <www.missionstraining.org>)
