“Ontology”

Our Purpose in Life 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:1-2, 10

Doctrine of Humanity “Without knowledge of God there is no knowledge of self and without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God” John Calvin

God the Creator Historicity of Adam “...the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Luke 3:38

13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Timothy 2: For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Neo-Darwinian Theory of Macroevolution Darwin, Origin of a Species (1859) Fossil record characteristics: – Sudden Appearance – Stasis

Humanity’s Constitution: Theories 1.Monism – Luke 23:43 – 2 Cor. 5:8 2.Dichotomy – Body and Soul – Is. 54:6, 26:9, Luke 1 3.Trichotomy – 1 Thess 5:23, Hebrews 4:12

Keswick Theology Belief: The way we grow in the Christian life is by acknowledging our inabilities to do anything. Christ must work within us. “Let go and Let God.”

Transmission of the Soul: 2 Views 1.Creationism – Ensoulment – Support: Genesis 2:7, Zechariah 12:1 2.Traducianism (Realist) – traduco – to bring across, transfer, carry over – Support: Hebrews 7:9-10, Doctrine of Original Sin

The Image of God imago dei

Structural Views 1.Spiritual Nature View 2.Physical Nature View 3.Holistic View

Relational Views 1.Dual Gender Views 2.Spiritual Relation View 3.Functional View

Image of God Definition The image of God in man as functional holism means that God made human beings, both male and female, to be created and finite representations (images of God) of God’s own nature, that in relationship with him and each other, they might be his representatives (imaging God) in carrying out the responsibilities he has given to them. In this sense, we are images of God in order to image God and his purposes in the ordering of our lives and carrying out of our God-given responsibilities

Effects of the Fall Marred by sin: – Body – Spirit – Relationship

Restoration of the Image of Christ Christ restores the image of Christ in us as an unblemished image. Romans 12:1 Our structure is redeemed so our function may be redeemed.

True Humanity Expressed God’s Created Design The Bondage and Freedom of our True Humanity