Last Sunday, we discussed Genesis 1:26-27 and the meaning of man being created in the image of God. We concluded that it did not have anything to do with his physical image, but rather the inner spiritual nature. Man is a complex being. His nature is not easily or completely described. The Bible describes man as having body, soul and spirit. (1 Thess. 5:23, Heb. 5:12.) In the creation story, we have these words about man’s physical image.

"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.) The NIV says, Man became a living being (the meaning of soul).

This text and others tell of man’s earthy origin; that is, he was made from the dust of the earth. Man has a physical body. This part of man’s make up should not be minimized. It is an important aspect of who we are.

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken. For dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:19.)

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit unto God who gave it." (Eccl. 12:7.)

Due to man’s physical makeup, he is often anxious about food to eat, water to drink and clothes to wear. Man needs protection from his environment that can often be harsh and even life threatening. After man’s fall, Adam and Eve were provided with coats to cover their nakedness. Though not expressly stated, the coats also provided for some protection in their new and dangerous world outside the Garden.

Part of the punishment for man’s disobedience was the hard work necessary to obtain bread to eat. Yet God did not leave man alone in a fallen world. The Psalmist wrote about God richly providing for all his creatures.

"The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing." (Psalm 145:15-16.)

God has promised to be merciful to man and provide for his needs. Even so, due to droughts and evil rulers hunger and starvation persists. Man must be merciful to man as well. Covetousness and hoarding by the few takes away from the poor masses. There is a constant effort to survive.

Jesus dealt with this issue extensively in his Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 6:19-34.) Here is a summary of his wonderful words about the physical needs of man.

• Do not lay up treasure on earth, but rather lay them up in heaven.
• You cannot serve God and riches.
• Do not be anxious about your life---what you shall eat, drink and wear.
• He used two illustrations---the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.
• He promised that God would provide for man just as He does for them.
• Man should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Earlier in chapter six, Jesus taught that man should not repeat his needs to God in prayer because "God knows what you have need of before you ask Him." (Matt. 6:8.) Paul wrote, "Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let you requests be made known unto God." (Phil. 4:6.)

This is a significant part of man’s being. He has physical needs for his survival. Man has been driven away from the Garden into a world accursed of God. But God has promised to provide for mankind. We must learn to trust God for our needs. He blessed the Israelites who left Egypt for the Promised Land with food (manna and quail), water, with shoes that did not wear out and feet that did not swell while walking.

Another significant part of man’s being is indicated by these words.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:27.) Genesis two gives more details. (2:18-25.) God said that it was not good for the man to be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. When the woman was created, Adam called her name, woman, because she was taken out of man. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. They shall be one flesh." (2:24.)

Here are some New Testament statements:

"Now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto his wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud you not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." (1 Cor. 7:1-5.)

"Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."

Paul encouraged the young women of 1 Timothy 5 to marry, to bear children and guide the house. He also rebuked those who would forbid some to marry. (4:3.) A person’s life is greatly affected by his sexuality. It is not just one aspect of your life; sexuality affects who you are and how you behave. Among the other physical and emotional needs of man, sexuality is an important part of man’s physical image. The proper expression of his sexuality is governed by several commandments in Scripture.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14.) "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should know abstain from fornication; that everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God." (1 Thess. 4:3-5.)

Because God created us male and female, an appropriate response is the acceptance of self as a sexual being. To accept ourselves we must realize that sex is a part of our total personhood. An important facet of the acceptance of self is to understand our sexual identity. To say that God created us as either male or female is not to insist that we are required to fit into the stereotyped roles that society sometimes prescribes. But self-acceptance means the enjoyment of being a male or a female. (Thank God For Sex, Harry Hollis, Jr., 77-78.) The voice of the church on this subject must be more than "thou shalt not." It must also have a positive message. Basil Overton once said to our class, "If you tell a boy he cannot have that green apple, then tell him where to find some red ones."

One of the most important sections in Romans is chapter five. (5:12-21.) It reveals much about man’s sinfulness and the solution to that problem. We learn that sin entered the world by the deeds of one man, Adam. We are not directly responsible. He did it. Adam’s deeds have a tremendous effect upon all of us. Because of sin being introduced into the world, we all have become sinners (no matter how hard we struggle against it). Due to sin, death entered our world. Actually, two deaths entered at the same time (physical and spiritual death). The Law was given so that man might have a knowledge of sin (3:20) and so that the offence might abound (5:20). Under Adam and the first covenant, we have then Law, sin and death. These three go together and work together.

In Jesus, we have something good to overturn the evil effects of Adam’s transgression. As with Adam, what Jesus did, we had nothing to do about it. He lived before we were even born, and God planned our redemption before the creation of the world. Adam brought sin into the world; Jesus brought righteousness. By the righteousness of One, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. With Jesus and the new covenant, three things go together and work together for man’s eternal good. They are grace, righteousness and eternal life. (5:21.)

Man’s sinfulness includes his entire being. Evil deeds are done in the body. Sin affects our conscience and how we feel about ourselves. Our sinfulness is one of the most important matters to understand and to come to terms with. The Bible teaches not only the truth about our sinfulness, but also the good news of what to do about it. Sin abounds in our world and in our lives. Yes, but so does grace abound. We can feel good about ourselves and have a positive self-image.

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin continue any longer therein? (6:1-2.)

Man---In the Image of Adam and Christ (1 Cor. 15:35-58.)

The question posed by Paul was, How are the dead raised up and with body do they come? (15:35.) This may not imply a denial of the resurrection, but a question about its nature. Paul did not defend it as much as he described it. In the lengthy description given by Paul, here are some of things he said about the nature of man now and in the future.

He said that man when he dies is sown as a natural body. But it is raised a spiritual body. He then said that as we have borne the image of Adam, the earthy, we shall also bear the image of Christ, the heavenly. We now bear the image of the earthy, but we shall bear the image of the heavenly.

Paul described man in his physical body as existing among other creatures with earthy bodies. There are different kinds of flesh---of men, beasts, fish and birds. There are celestial bodies as well as terrestrial ones. In the resurrection, man will have bodies like those in the heavens. Those bodies will differ in glory, just as the stars, sun and moon differ in glory.

The apostle John said this about man after the resurrection: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall se him as he is." (1 John 3:2.)