March 06, 2022

DOCTRINE OF MAN

March 06, 2022

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Do you wish you were perfect? (Your spouse probably does, too). What was your worst action this past week? Could you have controlled how it went? What did you learn?

This week we continue our series on Doctrines of the Christian faith, focusing today on creation in general and humanity in particular. We cite the corresponding doctrinal statement formed by the founders of Thomas Road: “We affirm that human beings were directly created, not evolved, in the very image of God. As reasoning moral agents, they are responsible under God for understanding and governing themselves and the world. Adam, the first man, willfully disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into the world. As a result, all persons are sinners from conception, which is evidenced in their willful acts of sin; and they are therefore subject to eternal punishment, under the just condemnation of a holy God.”

How we got here

  • In Genesis 1:1-25, God, through Moses, records the creation of the universe. What are the three major views that the world believes explain creation? Why do Bible-believing Christ-followers believe the Biblical account is true? Read John 1:3, Romans 1:20, and Isaiah 42:5. Which view takes more faith to believe? Why?
  • How does the Bible record the creation for each day? God said to rest on the 7th Why is this additional evidence of a twenty-four-hour day?
  • Why is it imperative that we believe Genesis 1 as God has recorded it? If you don’t believe God’s account of creation, why would you believe the Bible?

How we were created

  • Read Gen. 1:26b. Who do “Us” and “Our” refer to? What did He mean by image? Why must the characteristics of “image” be in our spirit? What are the three characteristics from the sermon that show we are created in God’s image?
  • What did the word “likeness” refer to? Were Adam and Eve created without sin?
  • Think of your children or those in your family. What are some of the “likenesses” that they have inherited? Are these traits physical, spiritual, or both?
  • Read 2 Cor. 5:17. When do we obtain a spiritual likeness to Christ? When will we receive a character likeness (Rom. 8:29)? When will we receive a physical likeness?

Why we were created

  • We read in the Doctrinal Statement that “as reasoning moral agents..” we have responsibilities. What are they?
  • Read Rev. 4:9-11. Almost everyone has struggled with a “why am I here” scenario. Why did you have children (if you did)? What situations did you imagine? How did you envision a life of love with them? Is it possible God wanted you that much, with plans, hopes, and a purpose to enjoy you forever?
  • Read Jer. 29:11. Why did God say He created you? Can you insert your name in that verse? Read Mark 16:15. What work did God give you to do?

How we messed it all up

  • How did Adam and Eve sin? Read Gen. 3:1. Why was the serpent intent on ruining man’s relationship with God? Read Rom. 5:12 and 3:23. What was the result? How does he do this to us today? Read Eph. 6:12 and John 10:10.
  • Read Gen. 3:15. Because we have free will and are prone to satisfy the flesh, what did God have to do? Is His plan of redemption open to anyone? Why? Read 2 Pet. 3:9. Why is God being “slow” in telling Jesus to “go get His children”?
  • Read Rom 6:12-15 and 2 Pet. 1:2-4. Is it inevitable that we sin or is it a choice each time? Read 2 Pet. 1:5-9. Should we be able to resist choosing to sin?

God’s great plan of redemption

  • Read Rom 5:8-11 and 6:23. Why did Jesus love us so much that He endured the Cross?
  • Read Rom. 5:18-19. Why did God make a way out? Are you able to grasp how much He loves you?

 

Close

Have you ever thought of Creation as one of the most magnificent works of art there can be? Sunsets, sunrises, flowers, music, animals…the list goes on. We humans can make nothing without imagining things we have seen, yet God spoke everything into existence—from nothing!

Do you want to witness to friends or acquaintances about the goodness of God and His plan of redemption, but feel you lack the tools? Just look around you! Romans 1:19 tells us that everyone who can think or reason can see there is a God who reigns over everything because God has shown it to them through creation. Verses 20-23 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” People can see that God exists, but if they admit it, they will be responsible for their actions.

What about you? Have you waffled about the topics of evolution or creation? As Pastor Falwell stated, If you don’t believe in the literal 6-day creation, you will eventually question the rest of the Bible.  And to believe that the six days of creation were eons of time, rather than twenty-four-hour periods, would leave the Day of Rest open to various interpretations as to how long we rest in it! Try telling your boss you’re taking the next million years off.

The bottom line: God spoke all things into existence, knew man would sin, made a plan for redeeming us, and paid that price Himself. He is good—all the time. You can trust Him.

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