Day Seven: The Nature of Man

What do we believe about mankind? We must begin by asking, “Is man basically good or basically bad?” As Christians, we believe the nature of mankind is fallen and in need of transformation. This raises other questions, such as, “Does man have a purpose or design?” and “Who defines our value and the value of life?“

These questions lead us to issues regarding lifestyle, public policy, and what we deem as “good.” Human nature is revealed throughout history—and in whatever you did last night! Fallen human nature always comes out, yet we are also made in the image of God.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” —Genesis 1:26

Because we were made in His image, we cannot truly know ourselves if we do not know God. We are spiritual and creative beings, and these attributes can be distorted in humanity under the influence of partial truth. We were made in God’s image, but our fallen, sinful nature has led to corruption.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. —Romans 3:23

We need a savior, we need His authority, and we need to be renewed and transformed. Even Christians can fall into the trap of doing what is right in our own eyes if we have not fully submitted every part of ourselves to God. Because God is involved and cares about every detail of our lives, He gives us guidance and limitations. These boundaries are there to protect and direct us. If we don’t seek God and His Word for counsel, we become subjective and look to ourselves for wisdom.

Man was designed to work with God. We are tri-part beings consisting of body, soul, and spirit. God wants to work with us, in us, and through us.

Thought of the Day: We were made in God’s image, and only by knowing Him can we truly know ourselves. In our fallen state, we require a Savior to guide us toward the destiny God intended for our lives.