|
|
MAN
Man was created by the special act of
God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation. In the
beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of
choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human
race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and
fell from his original innocence; whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an
environment inclined toward sin, and as soon as they are capable of moral action
become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring
man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of
God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in
His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore every man possesses
dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. Genesis 1:26-30; Genesis 2:5, 7, 18-22;
Genesis 3; Genesis 9:6; Psalm 1; Psalm 8:3-6; Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah
6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; Romans
3:10-18, 23; Romans 5:6, 12, 19; Romans 6:6; Romans 7:14-25; Romans 8:14-18, 29;
1 Cor. 1:21-31; 1 Cor. 15:19, 21-22; Ephes. 2:1-22; Col. 1:21-22; Col. 3:9-11 |