Monday, October 1, 2012

Man

What is man?  What is his/her purpose?

The world says: You are the best, the most evolved out of billions of years of evolution.  Everything else was a failure, but you are the crown of man's evolutionary accomplishment.
Therefore our value is determined by the community around us.  Other people determine whether we have stronger/weaker genes by our looks, intelligence, social standing, wealth, speech, anything that they determine is good or bad.
(This is called Secular Humanism.  It is defined as any system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values, or dignity predominate.  It is a worldview that places man at the center of its beliefs.  For a longer definition visit: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-sum/sum-r002.html)

Man Is Created in the Image of God.

26 Then God said, Let us make man[h] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  Genesis 1:26

This means that there is intentional purpose and design behind who and what we are.  After knowing a little bit about how incredible God is, that we are made in the likeness of God makes us shake our heads in wonder.  His mark is on us as the Creation of the Creator.  What an incredible truth!  This should change how we see EVERY PERSON (even your sister or brother, even your teachers, even that person you can't stand to be around).

Man Is Created with a Purpose

I will say to the north, Give up,
    and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.

Isaiah 43:6-7

We were created to glorify God.  He formed us and made us with intention.  He has a plan for our lives.  Only when we submit to him will be able to find happiness no matter the circumstances.

Adam fell into sin.

The world tells us that man is inherently good.  At our core we are good people, but the Bible does not teach this:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalm 51:5


10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
Romans 3:10-12

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23

All the world is in need of a Savior.


If not for the Redemptive work of Christ, man remains in his sin.

Thanks be to God for the work that he has done to bring us to him, regardless of any faults we have.  Regardless of height, weight, intelligence, looks, skills, language, country, background or record, we can draw near to the one that Created us.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

18 For Christ also suffered[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
1 Peter 3:18

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[a]Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6

Who you are in Christ



I am accepted...
I am God's child.
As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
I have been justified.
I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
I am a member of Christ's body.
I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
I am complete in Christ.
I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure...
I am free from condemnation.
I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
I am hidden with Christ in God.
I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
I am a citizen of heaven.
I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...
I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
I am God's temple.
I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
I am God's workmanship.
I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
 Freedom in Christ Ministries. Neil T. Anderson, 2012

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