ANTHROPOLOGY 
Lesson Six

THE THEOLOGY OF Man

Neither medical science nor sociologist can formulate an intelligent reason for man’s sinful behavior. We now come the point in our study when we will briefly look at the origin of sin, it’s effect on mankind, and also, the future of sin.

What is sin? Sin is the willful violation of the boundaries God has set for us His creation. God gave to Adam & Eve definitive boundaries. Of all the trees in the garden, they were free to eat from them. The only restriction was to not eat from the one - certain tree in the middle of the garden.

Genesis 2:16-17 … And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:2-3 … And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Due to the deceptions of the devil, Adam & Eve made the conscious choice to circumvent the directives of God, listen to the devil, and partake of that which God placed definitive restrictions.

Genesis 3:6 … And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

However, does the Bible give us the precise moment of when mankind went from a state of innocence, to the state of responsibility? Does the Bible reveal that moment in time and history when man took on the sinful nature?  Yes the Bible does. You will find this in Genesis 3:7.

Genesis 3:7 … And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

This would be the eyes of their understanding. Man now understood the principles of mankind intelligent conscious decision to obey God or to disobey God. And that for the most part, man would choose to be disobedient to the Lord God. 

This brings us yet another question. At any time in Scriptures, does God ever declare man a sinner?  The answer to this question is a definitive yes. Please consider the following verses:

Genesis 3:22-24 …. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: [23] Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. [24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis 6:5 - And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.

Genesis 8:21 - And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

1 Samuel 16:7 - But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Psalms 14:1 - (To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David.) The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good.

Psalms 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalms 119:2 - Blessed [are] they that keep his testimonies, [and that] seek him with the whole heart.

Psalms 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Proverbs 23:19 - Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 - The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?  (Read More...)

Jeremiah 29:13 - And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Ezekiel 36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Mark 7:21-23 - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornicators, murders,  (Read More...)

Mark 12:30 - And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.

Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Luke 8:15 - But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience.

2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 13:9 - Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.  

And these are not all of the verses. There are many more. However it was our sin nature that drove Jesus to the cross in payment for that sin nature.

Romans 5:8 … But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Sin carries with it numerous consequences. Some of these consequences are experienced in this life, and other consequences will be experienced in eternity to come.

Genesis 3:1-7; 3:13-17; 3:22; II Samuel 14:17-20; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; John 8:44; Romans 5:12-19; 5:21-27;, I Corinthians 15:21; II Corinthians 11:3; 15:22; I Timothy 2:13-14; I John 2:16 & Revelation 12:9.