Who are we? What are we? Why do we exist? The Greek word for mankind is ?????p?? (anthropos) and studying what the Bible teaches about humanity is called biblical anthropology.
“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4 NLT)
Who are We?
The first man, Adam was named for his origin, the ground.
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7 NASB)
Is there something greater than our earthly stature?
“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven… And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15:47-49 KJV)
Whose image do we bear now?
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness… So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’ “ (Genesis 1:26-27 NIV)
Because both male and female resemble God, does it mean something more than the bodily shape or gender? Is God limited to a particular outward form?
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24 KJV)
Because we have a similar but limited ability to reason and rule like God, was Adam called the son of God?
“Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38 NLT)
Yet does the story end there? Is there something new?
“… and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV)
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3:10 NLT)
Apart from rare and unfortunate genetic abnormalities, we are also male and female, different but equal in intellect and status before God.
“ ‘At last!’ the man exclaimed. ‘This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called “woman,” because she was taken from “man.” ’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” (Genesis 2:23-24 NLT)
What is the Soul?
The word soul has various meanings depending on context. It can mean the whole person, as a being.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7 KJV)
The word soul can refer to the human spirit.
“Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 NLT)
The word soul can refer to the mind.
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB)
The word soul can refer to the psyche or seat of our desires.
“He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " (Luke 10:27 NIV)
Why are We?
What is our purpose? Let’s begin by asking, what caused the breakdown in trust between God and humanity?
“Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:15-17 KJV)
Can one bad decision bring lifelong consequences?
“The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?’ ‘Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,’ the woman replied. ‘It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, “You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.” ’ ‘You won’t die!’ the serpent replied to the woman. ‘God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.’ The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” (Genesis 3:1-6 NLT)
What did the man and woman then do?
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:7-8 NIV)
How did God question the man?
“Where are you?”... “Who told you that you were naked?”... “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” (Genesis 3:9-11 NLT)
How did He question the woman?
“What have you done?” (Genesis 3:13 NLT)
How did He judge the serpent?
“Because you have done this, you are cursed…” (Genesis 3:14-15 NLT)
How did He judge the couple?
“By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:16-19 NLT)
Did God provide for them even in their punishment?
“And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife… So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.” (Genesis 3:21-23 NLT)
Did God still bless them in other ways?
“... As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Genesis 9:6-7 NIV)
Was God well aware of the possibility that our first parents would sin? Does He have a plan? Why do we exist?
“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29 NLT)
Does that plan include us bearing the image of the heavenly? Can we bear the image of God in an even higher sense, reborn?
“Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15:49 NASB)
How will being reborn eventually affect our bodies?
“It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:44-45 NKJV)
We were born earthly with the potential to be born again and bear the image of the heavenly. God loves His children and has a plan to save us from the consequences of humanity’s ongoing sins inherited from our first parents. Do you want to hear more about that plan? You decide!
