1. The Nature of Man

2. The Nature of Man - Introduction b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

3. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b Man is a creature formed from the dust b b Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

4. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. b Formed b Heb. = “Yatsar” b = “To sqeeze into shape b Like a potter squeezing clay b The LORD God made mans body from the dust b But man was not yet living

5. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. b Breath “Neshamah” = “breath” or “atmospheric air” - God filled our lunges with air

6. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. b Do we have a soul that is separate from our bodies? b Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. b “soul” = “nephesh” = “body” b Man became a living body

7. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Man is sustained by the Spirit and by the breath of God b b Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. b b What is the Spirit of God? b b What is the breath of the Almighty?

8. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Spirit of God = The Power of the Highest b Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

9. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Job 37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. b b Breath of God = God’s Power

10. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Elihu speaks in Job... b b Job 33:6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. b Elihu’s body was like Adam’s, made of the dust of the ground (Gen.2:7; 3:19; see also Gen. 2:7; Job 27:3; 34:14- 15).

11. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Conclusion: Man is sustained by the Power of God b b The Spirit of God & The breath of the Almighty are talking about the same thing - Gods Power

12. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b Psa. 104:25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. b b 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. b b 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

13. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. b What can we learn from these verses? b “Breath” = “ruach” usually translated “spirit” as in v.30. b “breath” (air) is not mentioned here b If man had a soul then this verse tells us that so must animals b The removal of God’s Spirit (the life power of God) - leads to the animals death

14. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b b 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. b b 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. b Creatures return to the dust from whence they came b “Spirit”=“ruach” the life power of God which He used to create man

15. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b Recap b Man is formed from the dust b He does not have a Soul separate from his body b He is sustained by the Power of God b This is identical to animals

16. The Nature of Man - Man’s Existence b Body - Our meat, bones and guts b Breath - The air that we breathe - Hebrew “Neshamah” b Spirit - Gods sustaining power - Hebrew “Chayim”

17. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

18. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; b b 15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

19. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; b b 15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. b Spirit = “Ruach” - Gods Power b Breath = “Nashamah” - the air in our lungs b These two added to the formed body gave life b Death is the reversal, God takes them away

20. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b Body - Our meat, bones and guts b Breath - The air that we breathe - Hebrew “Neshamah” b Spirit - Gods sustaining power - Hebrew “Chayim” b Take away any one of these and we die

21. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl. 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

22. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl.3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. b b 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

23. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl. 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. b Man, in respect to death differs not from the beasts b In mental capability he is the highest of the creatures and was hence promised dominion over them (Gen.1:26,27)

24. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl.3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. b In death the same thing happens … “Breath is removed” b Breath = “ruach” = “Spirit” - the sustaining power of God which is common to man & beast alike

25. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl.3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. b Their bodies dissolve and corrupt to dust b An animal dies in exactly the same way as a man does

26. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Some people have problems with verse 21. b b Eccl.3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? b Word Spirit carries meaning “mental disposition” cp. Eccl.2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

27. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b b Eccl.3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? b Man aspires to greater things b While men and beasts are alike in death, during life, however their ambitions differ. b The beast is incapable of man’s ambition and pride (See Eccl.12:7; Job 34:14-15).

28. The Nature of Man - Man’s Death b Conclusion b When man dies, God’s Power is removedGod’s Power is removed He stops breathing airHe stops breathing air He returns to dustHe returns to dust b In death man is identical to animals

29. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

30. The Nature of Man - Is life now everlasting? b b James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. b Seeing man’s life is in God’s control, he cannot presume to make future plans with any certainty. b Life is not, naturally, man’s eternal possession

31. The Nature of Man - Is life now everlasting? b b James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. b Man and the hundreds of generations that have come and gone are just like the vapour cloud of steam, which appears so tangible but dissipates leaving no trace of its existence.

32. The Nature of Man - Is life now everlasting? b b Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. b b 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. b Life is like a flower; one day it is full of blooms, but the next day - withered and gone b A second comparison. Like a shadow of no substance and leaving no trace of its existence

33. The Nature of Man - Is life now everlasting? b b Psa. 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

34. The Nature of Man - Is life now everlasting? b Conclusion b Life as possessed now is not everlasting

35. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

36. The Nature of Man - The death state b b Man is unconscious knowing nothing b b Eccl. 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. b b 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

37. The Nature of Man - The death state b b Isa.38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the grave cannot hope for thy truth. b b 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

38. The Nature of Man - The death state b b Psa.49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: b b 9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. b b 10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

39. The Nature of Man - The death state b Conclusion b In death man is unconscious, knowing nothing b His body corrupts

40. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

41. The Nature of Man - Why do we die? b b Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. b b What is Sin? b b 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

42. The Nature of Man - Why do we die? b b Gen.3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

43. The Nature of Man - Why do we die? b b 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; b b 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

44. The Nature of Man - Why do we die? b Conclusion b God has condemned all men to death because they inherit Adam’s nature and walk in his sinful ways

45. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

46. The Nature of Man - Is man immortal? b Contradictions that arise if man is immortal b 1 - Men would not perish like beasts Psa.49:14, 19-20 b 2 - Immortality would not only be for the righteous Rom. 2:6-8 b 3 - Immortality would not be the gift of God Rom. 6:23 b 4 - Neither could immortality be now hidden with Christ in God Col.3:3

47. The Nature of Man - Is man immortal? b 5 - Immortality could not be said to have been brought to light by Jesus and the Gospel 2 Tim.1:10 b 6 - Immortality would not be dependant upon belief in Jesus Christ Jn.6:40; 11:25; 3:16,36. b 7 - Paul would not have waited anxiously for the “redemption of the body” Rom.8:23

48. The Nature of Man - Is man immortal? b Conclusion b Man is Mortal... b …. Because of sin b …. (disobedience to God’s Laws)

49. The Nature of Man b Introduction b Man’s Existence b Man’s Death b Is life now everlasting? b The death State b Why do we die? b Is man immortal? b Conclusion

50. The Nature of Man - Conclusion b Man is a creature formed from the dust b He lives by the Power of God b This is identical to animals b Life as possessed now is not everlasting b In death man is unconscious, knowing nothing, His body corrupts b God has condemned all men to death b Man is Mortal

51. The Nature of Man - Conclusion b What hope is there? b b Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

52. The Nature of Man - Conclusion b Man’s True Hope b Is the Kingdom of God b On earth b Ruled by Christ & His Saints b How can I be in this Kingdom?

53. The Nature of Man - Conclusion b b Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.