Upload
michael-morrison
View
215
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Christian DoctrineSemester 1, 2011
Week 6:Humanity in the
image of God[Week 3: The God Who Is]
[Week 4: The Creator God][Week 5: The Nature of God]
Week 7: The Humanity of Jesus
Humanity in the Image of Humanity in the Image of GodGod
The Anthropological aspect of Christian Doctrine.
“Who am I?”
“What am I here for?”
The Importance of theThe Importance of theDoctrine of HumanityDoctrine of Humanity
1. Relationship to other major doctrines1. We creatures testify to The Creator (God)
Made in His image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27)
2. Jesus took on human nature To understand Him we need to understand
humanity (Lecture 7: The Humanity of Jesus)
3. Understanding human need =
understanding Jesus’ work, i.e. dealing with human sin
The Importance of theThe Importance of theDoctrine of HumanityDoctrine of Humanity
2. Addresses crisis of human self-understanding Always a struggle – in every age
e.g. existentialism Especially in midst of lost historical / cultural
roots e.g. Bible defines our original roots
The Importance of theThe Importance of theDoctrine of HumanityDoctrine of Humanity
3. Links Human Concerns with Biblical Revelation e.g. people don’t feel valuable
Bible says God created them and called them good
e.g. people are just drifting through life Bible says God created them for purpose
e.g. people don’t know what they are here for Bible says they are made for God and
relationship
The Importance of theThe Importance of theDoctrine of HumanityDoctrine of Humanity
4. Defines humanity & its responses In a humanistic society it gives understanding
and provides a norm for morality & ethics. Answers the questions:
“What should we do?” “What is right?” “How should we treat these people?” “Why do I feel like this?”
The Importance of theThe Importance of theDoctrine of HumanityDoctrine of Humanity
5. Affects how we minister Our concept of human beings and their destiny
matters It needs to be truthful & wholistic
Images of HumanityImages of Humanity1. A machine
2. An Animal
3. A Sexual Being
4. An Economic Being
5. A Pawn of the Universe
6. A Free Being
7. A Social Being
The Christian View of The Christian View of HumanityHumanity
Created
By God
In His Image
What are the implications of that?
The Christian View of The Christian View of HumanityHumanity
Intentionally created
Purposefully created
Relational Like He is To relate to Him To relate like Him (Trinity)
Eternal
Valuable
The Origin of The Origin of HumanityHumanity
2 accounts in Genesis 1:26-27
In His image To be fruitful & multiply
2:7 … breathing His life in to Adam … 2:22 … creating Eve out of Adam’s life …
Paul re “one man Adam” as significant to us... We derive from them – particularly in sin
nature…
Humans and Creation Humans and Creation 1. Created = no independent existence
2. Created = part of creation
3. Created as pinnacle of creation Not “according to their kind” But “in the image and likeness of God”
4. Shared origin & nature with rest of humanity
5. Whilst valuable – it is the Creator’s glory that is to be worshipped
Humans and CreationHumans and Creation6. As created – we are limited / finite
Limitation is not inherently bad NOT the cause of sin
7. As created – we are not to aspire to be God In part the cause of Adam & Eve’s sin
8. As created – we are nonetheless – good We do not need to diminish for God to be
greater!
Humanity in the Image of Humanity in the Image of GodGod
Genesis 1:26-27 & Genesis 5:1
Should not kill another human made in the image of God (Genesis 9:6)
1 Corinthians 11:7
James 3:9
Becoming the image of God- Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 4:23-24; Col 3:10
Views on The Image of Views on The Image of GodGod
1. The Substantive View
Also called The Structural View Concerns our nature or essence
rational, moral, thinking, emotions, will, personality That which connects with God
How is this truthful / helpful / limited / weak?
Does not concern the physical (He is non-material)
Views on The Image of Views on The Image of GodGod
2. The Relational View Our ability to relate/ commune with God & people Brunner: we cannot be human by ourselves Barth: Vertical & Horizontal relationships
Look to Christ not other humans! (Nonetheless recognise others as imaging God)
Relational view is not static but dynamic Not something to think about but be and do!
How is this truthful / helpful / limited / weak?
Views on The Image of Views on The Image of GodGod
3. The Functional View Concerned with what we do.
E.g. exercise dominion – “let them rule”
How is this truthful / helpful / limited / weak?
Views on The Image of Views on The Image of GodGod
4. The Dynamic View Concerned with who we are becoming…
… post-Fall, in Christ Christ is the Image of Who we are to become:
Col 1:15 2 Corinthians 3:18 Romans 8:29
Being brought in to relationship with God and each other – fully
How is this truthful / helpful / limited / weak?
Human ConstitutionHuman Constitution A. Trichotomism
We are a trichotomy of body, soul & spirit
B. Dichotomism We are a trichotomy of material & non-material
Body & soul Esp. because spirit & soul used interchangeably
C. Monism We are a radical unity. Synonymous not distinguishable parts. Self. Being body – no post-death experience.
Human ConstitutionHuman Constitution D. Conditional Unity
Unified persons – material & immaterial with multiple functions
Whole person – interconnected & indivisible
Jesus’ resurrection was physical / spiritual
1 Cor 15:1-11 We also will have a bodily resurrection Won’t be our natural body but a perfected
spiritual body
ImplicationsImplications We belong to God
We won’t know who we are till we know whose we are
We should pattern ourselves after Jesus Whose humanity was never spoiled by sinning
(Heb 4:15)
We are being restored to His image by Him (2 Cor 3:18)