UNFALLEN ADAM
The
essential truth concerning the nature of man is contained in a descriptive
expression found in the book of Genesis, and in New Testament Scriptures. He is
spoken of as being "created in the image and likeness of God." In
order to understand the significance of this expression, it will be best to
read the whole of the Scriptures where it occurs.
"And
God said; Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God
created He him; male and female created He them." (Gen 1:26-27)
"This
is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the
likeness of God made He him." (Gen 5:1)
"Whoso
sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God
made He man." (Gen. 9:6)
"For
a man indeed ought not to have his head veiled, forasmuch as he is the image
and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man." (1 Cor.
11:7)
"In
whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the
light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should not
dawn upon them." (2 Cor. 4:4)
"Who is the Image of the
invisible God, the First-born of all creation." (Col. 1:15)
"And
have put on the new man that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of
Him that created him." (Col. 3:10)
"Who
being the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His substance, and
upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had made purification of
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:3)
These are the only passages in
which the fact of man's being created in the image and likeness of God is
definitely declared. What is intended by the expression may be illuminated by
an examination of the actual words used. The root idea of the Hebrew word
translated "image" is that of a shadow.
Of the other word there can be no better translation than the one adopted that
namely, of likeness.
Turning to the New Testament, the
word translated "image" in the first four Scriptures quoted,
is the word Etikwn, which suggests the idea of an outline resemblance,
very literally a profile. The word translated "image " in the
passage from Hebrews is the word capakthr, which simply means an exact
copy, or an engraving. Thus it will be seen that both in Old and New
Testaments, the expression suggests a definite resemblance, rather than an
exact representation, except where, as already indicated in the letter to the
Hebrews, the language is descriptive of Christ in such aspect of His Person as
is peculiar to Himself, and in which men by original creation have no
participation.
Passing over these Scriptures
again, let the progression of thought be noted carefully. In the account of
creation, it is affirmed that man was in some respect a shadow or manifestation
of God. Here are two ideas, arresting thought, and not to be forgotten in the
subsequent discussion. First, man is but a faint representation, a shadow merely;
and secondly, the
very dignity of his being lies in the fact that he is even so much as that.
Perhaps the simplest exposition of the thought would be gained by a contemplation
of the shadow of a man cast upon some white background, by the shining of a
great light. What the shadow would be to the man, the man would be to God: like
and unlike, suggesting an idea, but by no means explaining the mystery,
impossible apart from the substance, and yet infinitely less in essence than
the substance. Man no more perfectly expresses all the
facts concerning God, than does the shadow those concerning man.
Nevertheless the shadow is the image of the man, and indicates
truth concerning him.
This expression never occurs in the
Old Testament after the account of creation, except when in Genesis 9:6,
man is safeguarded from murder, the reason given being that no man has a right
to destroy that which was made in the Divine image, thereby government was
instituted to cover such cases. By the act of sin, the image and likeness of
God in man was not destroyed but defaced, and in all the history, contained in
Old Testament Scripture, is seen a degraded ideal.
Turning to the New Testament, after
the completion of the work of Christ, the expression is restored in the writings
of the apostle. In the Scripture first quoted, he is evidently referring to man
as to the original Divine intention concerning him, and he speaks of him as
the “image and glory of God." (1 Cor. 11:7) In the second
reference he uses the expression of Christ, as the One Who has realized that
primal Divine intention, and in Colossians he declares that the original Divine
ideal may be restored through the work of Christ. In Hebrews, where it has been
shown, the word is a far stronger one; it is used of Christ, Who is infinitely
more than a shadow of God, seeing that He is "the effulgence of His
glory, and the very image of His substance." (Heb. 1:3)
Having thus examined the
Scriptures, and the use of the phrase therein, it may be asked, in what sense was
man created in the image of God? The answer to the question may be
found, by suggesting another question. What is man essentially, for it is in
his essential nature that he is in the image of God? Man essentially is SPIRIT,
his present BODY BEING HIS PROBATIONAL DWELLING PLACE, that through which he
receives impressions, and that through which he expresses the fact of his own
being. In his letter to the Romans the apostle says, "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service."
(Rom. 12:1) The marginal reading of the Revised Version changes the word
“service" into "worship," and therein lies a
revelation of the true relation of the spirit of man to his body. Through the medium
of the body, the truth concerning the spirit expresses itself. WHERE
THE BODY IS PRESENTED, IT IS PRESENTED BY THE SPIRIT, AND THROUGH THIS DEVOTION
OF THE BODY, THE SPIRIT EXPRESSES ITS “WORSHIP.” THE ESSENTIAL FACT IN MAN
THEREFORE IS HIS SPIRIT, AND IT IS IN SPIRITUAL ESSENCE THAT MAN IS MADE IN THE
IMAGE OF GOD. There are secondary senses in which even in bodily form, man is a
shadow of Deity. As THE BODY OF MAN IS THE EXPRESSION OF HIS SPIRIT, and THE
SPIRIT IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, so through the tabernacle of man's spirit there are
made certain suggestions concerning God Himself.
The present article however, is
confined to the essential fact. Within the spiritual fact of man's being there
are three constituents. These have been variously described. Perhaps at once
the simplest and most lucid analysis is that of Kant. He speaks of
INTELLIGENCE, EMOTION, and WILL. It is in the possession of these things that
man is in the image of God. GOD IS A SPIRIT, HAVING INTELLIGENCE, HAVING
EMOTION, HAVING WILL. Man is in the shadow of God. He also is a spirit, having
intelligence, having emotion, having will. In all these things he is but a shadow,
that is to say, there are limitations upon these facts in human nature, which
in the Divine are illimitable and consequently cannot to be perfectly
understood of men, it has been objected to the doctrine of the personality of
God that the thought of personality implies limitation. This, however, is to
argue from a false hypothesis. Perfect personality is unlimited, so that personality is
only perfect in God, and is imperfect in man. In God intelligence is
unlimited, emotion is unlimited, will is unlimited. In man all these facts are
found, but in each case within limitations. He does not know all things, his
intelligence being limited, his emotional nature also can only act within
comparatively narrow limitations, and the exercise of his will is limited by
the demand for a cause, which is never perfectly found within himself.
Man as originally created, was not only in the image of God.
He was also made to live in union with God, so that all his limitation might
find its complement in the unlimited life of the Eternal. It is a great
mistake to think of man as made, and then put into some position, where he
might rise or fall, according to the capacity of his own personality. It is
rather to be remembered that he was created in the image of God, and then put
in the probationary position through which he was to pass unharmed to some
larger form of existence, if his life were lived in union with the God Who had
created him. If however he chose a separate existence, and cut himself off from
union, in that act, he would encompass his own ruin, he would fall. And Satan
understood that himself a fallen creature.
This intended life of union with
God may be described in two ways, as personal fellowship, which is holiness
of character; and as cooperative activity, which is righteousness of
conduct. For a full understanding of what this meant, it is useless to
linger in the Garden of Eden. There, in the account of creation, a faint
suggestion is given of the Divine intention is necessary, however, to come to
the last Adam, the Man Jesus, for a full appreciation of this Divine
intention. In Him unbroken and constant fellowship with the Father manifested
itself in holiness of character, and unceasing cooperation with God expressed
itself in absolute righteousness of conduct.
In order to an appreciation of the
meaning of fellowship with God there must be remembered the analysis of personality
already referred to, intelligence, emotion, and will. In unfallen man the limited intelligence was
nevertheless enlightened, and was able to understand the things of God through
God sharing with him in the cool of the day. (Gen. 3:8) Limited emotion was nevertheless enkindled towards the things
thus known, and man loved God and all He loved. The limited will was yet
energized by the superior and Infinite Will of God, and so chose always the
things that were in harmony with that Will. Thus in unfallen man there was to
be found enlightened intelligence, enkindled emotion, energized will, wholly
within the realm of the Divine Sovereignty.
Then beyond that personal
fellowship, there was cooperative activity, which is righteousness of conduct,
naming the animals, dressing and keeping the garden. And again the analysis of
personality may be taken as the basis of consideration. All activity is the
outward expression of an inward intelligence. The enlightened intelligence of
unfallen man, appreciating the things of God, the deeds of the life of such a
being were in perfect harmony with the purposes of God. The emotional nature of
such a being, appreciating and loving the things of God, became the spring from
which streams of action emerged, which were all moving in the Divine direction.
In such a being the will exercised its highest function in choosing the things
of God, and the activities of the life were therefore always those of
partnership with the enterprises of God. The old word spoken to the father of
the race was "have dominion." (Gen. 1:28) In the midst
of a wondrous creation God set man. The creation in which man found himself had
not yet realized all the possibilities of its own being. It waited the touch of
man in cooperation with God for that realization. God put man into a garden to
dress it, and to keep it. The preparation of man's work was of God, the creation
of the worker was of God, there was perfect fitness between the work to be
done, and the workman prepared, and while man lived in fellowship with God, and
cooperated with God, all creation recognized his leadership, yielded to his
dominion, and moved along the line of a new progress towards a yet more
wondrous beauty and perfection.
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