Page 104 - Bible Doctrines II w videos short

Study Section 16: Theological anthropology

16.1 Connect

Some people believe that the creation of the first man and woman is myth. They also question
if there is a creator and sustainer of universe. In this next section we will focus on the pinnacle
of God’s creative activity, his creation of human beings, both male and female, to be more like
him than anything else he has made. We will consider first God’s purpose in creating man and
the nature of man as God created him to be. Then we will look at the nature of sin and man’s disobedience
to God. The biblical teaching on man begins with a right view concerning God. The biblical perspective of
anthropology is centrally displayed in the context of an elevated theology. A high and reverent view of
God leads to a noble and dignified view of man, whereas a poorly developed concept of God often
produces a distorted perspective on man. Hence, man may be viewed more importantly than he ought,
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or man may be seen less importantly than is biblical.
Let us looks at the following questions: why did God create us? How did God make us like himself? How
can we please him in everyday living?

16.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain what it means that man is made in the image and
likeness of God.

2. The student should be able to defined Anthropology from Christian perspective.

3. The student should be able to describe composition and nature of man.

16.3 What is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the Study of the origin, nature and destiny of man. In a theological sense,
the study of what the Bible says about man and the relation in which he stands and should
stand to God. Christian anthropology is the study of humanity from a biblical perspective.
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It is primarily focused on the nature of humanity - how the immaterial and material aspects
of man relate to each other. Against the naturalistic, materialistic theories of origins, the
biblical view starts with the assertion that the eternal God has created man, the most important of all
his created works. Man is made in the image and likeness of God.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the
fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:26–27, NASB95).

Why Was Man Created

Man was created by the unusual act of God, in His own image, and is the uppermost work of His creation.
The creation of man is clearly taught in the Scriptures. "So, God created man in His own image. . . And the

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