OceanSide church of Christ

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Part of the series: WHAT IS MAN
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WHAT IS MAN? (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   There is a deep need for man to truly understand who and what he is. 

1.     Over the past 160 years man has come to understand that he is an animal who has been left to his own devices.

2.    This concept of man has not made him better.  Instead, he has digressed.  The evil and corruption found in our society is evidence of this.

 

B.   To truly understand what men is we must go back to the opening chapters of the book of Genesis.  There, God reveals to us exactly what man is.

 

C.   Last week, we looked at the following facts about man:

1.     He is a created being.

2.    He is created higher than the animals.

3.     He is created just a little lower than the angels.

4.    He is created in the image of God.

 

I.          MAN IS A BEING OF GREAT ABILITY

 

A.   In Genesis 1:28, man is commanded to “subdue” the earth and “have dominion” over the animal kingdom.

 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:  and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

 

1.     Subdue mean “to conquer, to bring into bondage, to dominate.”

2.    Dominion means “to rule over, to dominate.”

3.     Example:  Man’s ability to go to the moon.

 

B.   Genesis 2:15

 

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

 

1.     Every man has been endowed with talents.

2.    If used wisely, they benefit man.

3.     If used wisely, these talents will be increased.

C.   Sadly, many refuse to use their God-given abilities.  Others use them for secular purposes, and not for the glory of God.  Still others will use their abilities for evil purposes.

 

II.        MAN IS A BEING WHO HAS NEEDS

 

A.   A need is a requirement, something that is necessary.

 

B.   Several needs of men are mentioned in the opening chapters of Genesis.

1.     Food for nourishment (Gen. 1:29)

2.    A dwelling place for security (Gen. 2:18)

3.     A mate for companionship and sexual expression (Gen. 2:18)

4.    God for spiritual well-being (Gen. 3:8).

 

C.   God supplied and still supplies men with the essentials to take care of his needs.

1.     Psalm 23:1

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 

2.    The promise has been given that our basic needs will be provided, if we will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33).

 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

3.     Psalm 37:25

 

I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

 

III.      MAN IS A BEING WHO NEEDS LAW

 

A.   Genesis 2:16-17

 

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 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 thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

B.   Many look at laws as something that are evil and constraining.  They try to cast off the bonds they believe confine them (See Psalm 2:1-3).

 

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

 

C.   Law, however, serves many useful purposes: healthy living, holy living, and happly living.

 

D.   When man abides by law, he is set free (John 8:32).

 

IV.       MAN IS A BEING WHO HAS FREE MORAL AGENCY

 

A.   All we mean by free moral agency is the ability to choose.

 

B.   God told man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

1.     It was man’s choice to obey or disobey.

2.    The devil could attempt to make the choice appealing and enticing.  He could not, however, force the man or the woman to eat.  That was their choice.

3.     NOTE:  We still are people of choice today. 

a.    I choose to serve God or not.

b.    I choose to be faithful nor not.

c.    I choose to be zealous or not.

d.    I choose to study, pray, worship, visit, and bear fruit.

 

C.   Because we have the ability to choose all that we say and do, God can hold us accountable for our actions.  NOTE:  If all we say and do is predestined, God would be cruel to punish us for that over which we have no control.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have seen some very important things about man in this lesson.

1.     He is a being of ability.

2.    He is a being with needs.  This includes the need to be governed by law.

3.     He is a being who can choose.

 

B.   Every day we evidence in our lives the choices that we make.  Every day God sees the choices that we make.

 

C.   Question:  Do your choices evidence to the world that you put Him first and foremost in your life?  Do your choices prove to God that you love Him with all you heart, mind, strength, and soul?