ANTHROPOLOGY – STUDY OF MANKIND

THEOLOGY – CREATION – ANTHROPOLOGY

Table of Contents

• Anthropology
  • The Study of Mankind
• ORIGINS OF MAN
  • Creation of Man
  • Purpose for Man
  • Original Environment & Conditions
  • Equality of Man
  • Beginning of Nations
  • The First Family (Adams) to World Population
  • Noah’s Family to World Population
• DESIGN & COMPOSITION OF MAN
  • Man – A Created Living Being
  • Divine Institutions – life
  • Definitions & Kinds of Life:Nature of Man
• HUMAN DESIGNED COMPONENTS
• SPIRIT & SOUL
  • Birth & Creation of a Soul
• MIND [& HEART] – PSYCHOLOGY
  • Dual Nature of the Mind – Physical & Spiritual
  • Dominance & Survival
  • Original Intellect of Ancient Man
  • Imagination Without Restraint
  • Personality
  • Intellect & Memory
  • Emotions & Feelings
  • Conscious Mind
  • Unconscious Mind
  • Infection of Sin in Our Mind
• THE BODY – ANATOMY & GENETICS
  • Human Nature
  • Genetics
  • Ordinances of Man
  • Future for Mankind
• Appendix 1 – Outline of Views
  • The Relationship Between Body & Soul
• References

Anthropology

The study of mankind, or humanity. This study is specifically focused on the origins of man, as individual, all sociological aspects regarding the studies of mankind are discussed later in the Theology: Sociology article.

ORIGINS OF MAN

Creation of Man

God created man. In scripture we find that God created man from the dust of the earth, and man came alive after God breathed into him. Man is the only known creature, as recorded in the Bible that was actually created in the image of God, after the likeness of God.

Then 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 livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  – Genesis 1.26-27

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  – Genesis 2.7

Purpose for Man

God created man for a very special purpose:

1. To rule over the earth (v.28)
2. To rule over the creatures of the earth (v.28)
3. To be fruitful (v.28)
4. To multiply (v.28)
5. To fill the earth (v.28)
6. To subdue the earth [in population] (v.28)
7. Enjoy everything God created (v.29)
8. Man was created good, and to do good (v.29)

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29.  And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food…. 31.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.  – Genesis 1.28-31

God created man to care for the earth and rule over it. Mankind was originally created not to be subject to nature, but to be master over it. Mankind was created to dominate and take care of all the creatures God created on the Earth. Man was made to be fruitful and completely populate the entire earth, and bring it into bondage, subjection (v.28 – the word subdue in Hebrew is ‘Kabash,’ meaning to bring into subjection).

Original Environment & Conditions

Perfect Relationship –  Mankind had a perfect relationship with God. We see in Genesis that Adam had a relationship with God so close, that Adam even spoke directly to God, until the time he was cast out of Eden. In Genesis we see God directly speaking with Adam, and giving his duties, as well as directly interacting with him, such as, in the instance when we see God using Adams body to make the woman.

Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden – Genesis 2.15

Lord God gave the man orders, – Genesis 2.16

the Lord God sent a deep sleep on the man, and took one of the bones from his side – Genesis 2.21

Good & Innocent

Mankind was originally created as good being, being in perfect relationship with God. Mankind was innocent of all sin or evil. Man originally had no guilt or shame and was completely perfect. This is further proven as we see later in the Bible, specifically when it says man became sinful.

And the man and his wife were without clothing, and they had no sense of shame. – Gen 2.25

For this reason, as through one man sin came into the world, and death because of sin, and so death came to all men, because all have done evil: – Romans 5.12

This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions. – Ecclesiastes 7.29

Eternal Life

All creatures have the fear of death, and a strong will to live. This is because mankind was originally created to live forever, and to have a never ending dwelling within this universe that God created (as seen in Gen 3.22 and Isa 40.22; of course this is no longer the case since man corrupted the world with his sin). The tree of life was given to man, so that he could eat of it, and live forever.

Now if he puts out his hand and takes of the fruit of the tree of life, he will go on living for ever – Genesis 3.22

Environment – Paradise

The Bible records that the initial created conditions for the entire universe was perfect and good.

And God saw everything which he had made and it was very good. – Genesis 1.31

And out of the earth the Lord made every tree to come, delighting the eye and good for food; – Genesis 2.9

Mankind along with every other creature on earth was made to dwell in a garden, the Garden of Eden, with perfect paradise conditions, alleviated from anything unpleasant.

Further research:

Þ    Noah’s Flood – Original Conditions of the Earth

It is from this original creation, or initial condition, that people get the strong urge both psychologically and spiritually, and desire to return to a place of paradise and rest. We were created to dwell in place of beauty, goodness and paradise and this creates a strong desire within us to want to return to it. We all crave rest, and peace, and beauty, and a place where we can live our lives in continual paradise, because this is what mankind was originally designed to partake in.

Equality of Man

God brought to Adam all the animals of the earth to reveal to him that he has no equal, and that man is superior to all other creatures on earth. God created all men equal, and all of mankind was originally meant to be the dominate creature of the world. Adam exercised his dominion over the creatures by giving them their names.

And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him.

Gen 2:19  And from the earth the Lord God made every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and took them to the man to see what names he would give them: and whatever name he gave to any living thing, that was its name.

Gen 2:20  And the man gave names to all cattle and to the birds of the air and to every beast of the field; but Adam had no one like himself as a help. – Genesis 2.18-20

Equality of Man is referred to and seeing in the following verses – Gal 3.28, Acts 17.26, Rom 10.12, Acts 10.34-35, Mal 2.10, Gen 1-3 also infers that God created all men equal, as we are all ‘seed’ form the first man.

Beginning of Nations

God created the first man perfect, and created man to multiple and subdue the entire Earth. It is from the first man that all the nations of the world came; an origin of human kind that causes some to stumble in their understanding or how the whole world’s population could come from just 2 people. When you study the facts behind this historical occurrence, it become very apparent not only how it happened but the statistical probability of an entire population coming from only a few people.

The First Family (Adams) to World Population:

Adam and Eve had many children and they each lived to be roughly 900 year old. Their children would have married each other to have the next generation of families. Genetically this would have been no problem.

The reason we have birth defects today when family member’s marry each other is because there are ‘holes’ in everyone genes. In today’s time, when you marry someone outside of your family, probability is exceedingly high that you will match and fill in the missing genetic information from your partner. When you marry someone from inside your family, you will exceedingly increase the probability for defects in children’s genes. Genetic information continues to become more defective since man has cause the deterioration of the universe when he sinned against God. In Adams time, this would have been no problem at all because there would have been little to no genetic damage from common heredity.

Noah’s Family to World Population

After the flood, Noah, his 3 sons and their wives had many children. Each of them lived to be roughly 200 years old. If each of the 3 families had only 1 child every 3 years: 200/3 = 66 children each. If each of those children only lived to be 100 years old, and had 8 children each = that would be a total world population of 1386 people after only 3 generation.

(66 * 8 = 528 * 3 = 1584 – (198 people died) = 1,386)

If each generation only had 5 children per family (and I’m sure they had a lot more)we would get:

Generation 4 – 1386 * 5 = 6,930 (approx)

Generation 5 – 6930 * 5 = 34,650 (approx)

Generation 6 – 34650 * 5 = 173,250 (approx)

God used the first man and woman to bring fourth the entire world of nations. For further study on the sociological aspects of mankind or the history of nations

Þ    See Theology: Creation – Mankind – Sociology

Þ    See Archeological facts in the Bible – Origin of Nations

DESIGN & COMPOSITION OF MAN

Man was created as a complete, complex divinely designed being. God created & designed every component that makes up every person, each part with its own unique purpose and specific function.

For thou didst form my inward parts: Thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. 14.  I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.  – Psalms 139.13-14

Man – A Created Living Being

Created: Ex Nihilo (bara) vs. Made (asah)

There are two different words for create in the Bible; Bara which means to create out of nothing, also known as ex nihilo; and Asah which means to make out of already existing material. Mankind was created (Asah) out of pre-existing material – the dust of the earth, thus Adam was created!

Divine Institutions – life

The Bible teaches us that God created specific divine institutions that belong to Him and reflect His character and heavenly principles. One of the divine institutions is that of life itself. God teaches us that life is sacred and belongs to Him. God alone, the creator, has the right to give or take a life.

I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. – Deut 32.29

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man. – Job 12.10

When you take away their breath, they come to an end, and go back to the dust. 30. If you send out your spirit, they are given life…  – Psalms 104.29-30

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy – James 4.12

For Further Reading on divine institutions:

• See – Theology Divine Institutions

Definitions & Kinds of Life:

In Hebrew, the word for life is Nepesh, meaning specifically a breathing creature; as in a person, animal or referring to vitality. Every created being has life and every living creature is considered to have a spirit. The entire living being is considered a soul. We can see in Genesis 2.7 the components that make up the entirety of a man – a physical body and all it encompasses and the breath of God which is the spirit of the man.

And the Lord God made man from the dust of the earth, breathing into him the breath of life: and man became a living soul. – Genesis 2.7

Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth? – Ecclesiastes 3.21

Life of the Flesh

The life of the flesh is in the blood. When a physical body loses its life, it ceases to function, yet remains in the physical world, and its spirit moves to a different location, in the spiritual dimension.

For the life of the flesh is in its blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to take away your sin: for it is the blood which makes free from sin because of the life in it. – Leviticus 17.11

Life of the Spirit

Above the physical dimension, and more importantly is the life of a spirit. God is the life of all spirit, and those spirits that are separated from God exist in spiritual death. Physical death results in the absence of consciousness and presence from the physical world, but spiritual death is the separation eternally form the one who is life – God. When people are born into the world physically, they are born spiritually dead, due to the conditions of sin. This spiritual eternal separation from God is known as hell, and people are tormented forever in this place, they are separated from all that is life and goodness – God Himself!

And to you did he give life, when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins, – Ephesians 2.1

The spirit is the life giver; the flesh is of no value: the words which I have said to you are spirit and they are life. – John 6.63

Nature of Man

God created man with a nature, or psychological inclination within the mind to conscientiously make choices and have emotional feelings to allow him relate to specific issues. The nature of man became corrupt when sin was introduced into the world, and it now seeks a self-gratification rather than retain a perfect God-centeredness it was originally created to retain.

Þ     See Theology – Sin & Salvation

Man has 2 basic natures:

1. Flesh (of the body)
2. Spiritual (of the spirit)

The spiritual nature and the spirit of a man are dead until regenerated by faith in God. The flesh nature causes the desires and compulsions of the sinful human mind that has been separated from God since the fall of mankind.

I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh. –         Romans 7.23

For those who are living in the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh, but those who go in the way of the Spirit, to the things of the Spirit. –         Romans 8.5

Carnal Mind =>          Flesh Nature =>          Laws of Sin=>             Death

Spiritual Mind =>       Spiritual Nature =>     God’s Grace=>           Life

HUMAN DESIGN – COMPONENTS

God designed mankind with 3 primary components;

1. Spirit
2. Mind
3. Body

Each with a specially designed function.

May your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless – 1 Thessalonians 5.23

Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. – Luke 10.27

SPIRIT & SOUL

The spirit is the reference to the immaterial dimension or “body” of a human being, their presence and existence in a higher dimension. Due to the fact that true life and reality is spiritual, and is retained in the spiritual world, the term soul and spirit is often used interchangeably, which is not necessarily incorrect, it just needs to be understood that the soul is referent to an entire ‘living being,’ and the term spirit is specifically referencing the actual spiritual body. It is thought by many that the ‘soul’ is the entirety of a person – body, mind and spirit, while others believe that the soul, spirit and body are all distinctly separate. Each can be scripturally defended to a certain degree based on ideological assumptions.

God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul. –         Genesis 2.7

The Bible tells us the soul and spirit can be separated, thus are distinctively different things, but could still be argued that the spirit is a part of the soul:

Piercing to the division of soul and of spirit –         Heb 4.12

The body is dead without the spirit, as the spirit is the life of a soul. Here in James 2.26 we see that true life comes from the spirit, that the physical body is the material manifestation of a living being.

For as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without works is dead. –         James 2.26

Birth & Creation of a Soul

There are three primary beliefs about how the creation of each individual soul occurs:

Preexistence View

Uncreated-Preexistence – A thought originating from Greek philosopher Plato (437 – 347 b.c.), stating that the human soul transcends outside of God’s creation, and are eternal. Before birth, a soul enters the flesh and incarnates the body. This theory however exists with biblical, scientific and philosophic problems. First, the Bible says we were created, second, scientifically we know life begins at conception, and third, philosophically a now temporal (non-eternal) human soul could never have existed eternally.

Created Preexistence- The belief that the human soul existed before birth. A philosophy based on Plato & Origen (185-254 c). This belief was combined with scripture to show that the human soul did have a beginning (Gen 1.27, Matt 19.4) created by God in eternity.

Creation View

The creation view is one that holds that God directly creates a soul new and individual for every person born into the world. Thus, while a body is being formed in the womb, God will at that time supernaturally create a soul for that body.

Forms of Soul Creation Views:

Creation of the soul at conception = creation at the moment of conception

Creation of soul at implantation = creation after the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus.

Creation of soul after implantation = creation of the soul after the egg is implanted in the uterus.

Creation of soul at animation = creation once the baby movesin the mothers womb

Creation of soul at birth = creation after the baby is born

The only biblically sound Creation view is at the moment of conception (Ps 51.5, Matt 1.20). Scientifically at the moment of conception, no more genetic information is added, and the baby begins to form instantly.

Traducian View

This is the view that the soul is created indirectly through the parents. This is the view that every new human is a branch off of his or her parents; both body and soul are generated by father and mother. God uses already created material to form the new human baby’s spirit, mind & body (i.e. each on its own dimension or level). God directly creates every new life in the womb.

My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother’s body. –         Psalms 139.13

Before you were formed in the body of your mother I had knowledge of you, –         Jeremiah 1.5

Biblically, the Traducian View also explains why human soul are fallen, as they are derived directly from their parent, and a perfect God would not directly create a new being out of nothing ‘bara’ as a sinful creature, but rather uses the nature means He originally created, to generate people from their parents. The Bible tells us that creation (bara) was complete on the 6^th day. There has been nothing new created since the 6^th day of creation, and God uses already created material to continue to work in the universe. (Gen 2.2, Deut 4.32, Matt 13.35) This would explain scriptures that relate children to their parents, and even as working deeds while still in their parents, like Levi that paid a tenth to Melchizedek, even though he was not born. Yet through scripture we see that he was still present in the body of his ancestor. Thus, we have evidence that God uses the bodies of parents to create the whole being (spirit, mind, body).

And we may say that in Abraham, even Levi, who has a right to take the tenth part, gave it; 10. Because he was still in his father’s body when Melchizedek came to him. – Heb 7.9- 10

MIND & HEART – PSYCHOLOGY

The word for mind in the Hebrew is Rooakh, which means mind, spirit, wind. The word for mind in the Greek is nous which means intellect, mind, understanding, though feeling will. The word for heart in the Hebrew is Labe, meaning heart of feelings, mind, wisdom, willing, and understanding. The word for hear in the Greek was Kardia, meaning heart, middle, thoughts or feelings.

Dual Nature of the Mind – Physical & Spiritual

The mind is the virtual and programmed part of our being that collectively makes up who we are. The mind is not just a physical part of the human body, namely the brain; but retains a spiritual aspect. It literally exists both in the physical world and the spiritual as well, and is theologically a link between both the material and spiritual worlds.

He who is the searcher of hearts has knowledge of the mind of the Spirit  – Romans 8.27

And be made new in the spirit of your mind  – Ephesians 4.23

Dominance & Survival

Humanity was created to care for the earth God had made, and He gifted us with the mind to be able to accomplish it. It is mankind’s superior intellect that we are able to understand and problem solve our way to achieving greatness, and dominate the earth, as in accord with God’s originally intent. God didn’t just give us our intellect to rule and dominate the earth; He gave it so we would be able to survive anywhere we go in the world, and to be able to expand over the face of it. Mankind has been given the ability intellectually, to migrate and survive anywhere, building up cities only after a few generations simply because of the superior intellect God has given to him. Using their surrounding, inventing new technologies and working to create systems of infrastructure mankind is able to build great societies out of wastelands and wilderness areas.

Original Intellect of Ancient Man

Man was created as a very intelligent being. We see from Genesis that Adam was intelligent enough to give all the animals of the world their original names. Some infer from ancient traditions, that Adam probably followed a similar pattern that many ancient civilizations followed, which was giving names that had meaning. In other words, names where used for animals as descriptions base on their attributes and design. Adam would had to have been very intelligent to name each animal according to specific characteristics, understanding the intent and design of each creature.

Only a few generations after Adam where musical instruments created, agriculture was used and other technologies became prevalent. In Genesis 6, we see that the Sons of God came to earth violating their created domain, and it is highly speculated they increased mankind’s understanding and technologies to even great limits.

Þ     See Archaeological Facts – Ancient Civilizations: Intelligent of Ancient Man

Imagination Without Restraint

Even without the told assistance of other created being, the Bible records the fact the mankind is capable of obtaining the ability and technological means to achieve anything our minds are capable of imagining. Therefore we find the fulfillment of God’s original plan, for mankind to dominate or rule over the universe, or physical world, that He created us within. As man is able to imagine in his mind, within the confines of his created domain, he will eventually be able to achieve with the proper resources- anything he wants to do.

And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. – Genesis 11.6

It provides additional proof and is interesting to note when we examine the imagination and potential of the human mind, that God really did create humanity to be the ruler of the physical world. Even though it is far from complete, scientific understanding of today is capable of reaching the edges of our known universe and edges of reality in astronomy and quantum mechanics. Giving us the ability to not only comprehend a complete view of how the universe works, but develop theories and potentially create technology that will be able to manipulate it however our imaginations choose.

Design of the Mind

Psychology is the study of the mind and all its cognitive functions & behaviors, scientifically it has given us insight into defining some theological understanding of the mind. The Human Cardio, or mind & heart is composed of different yet interacting parts:

• Personality
• Intellect & Memory
• Emotions
• Consciousness – Will & Morality

Diagram of How the Mind Works

Personality

This is the aggregate compilation of a person’s unique factors that makes them a special individual, including their:

1. Inherit nature
2. Genetics (genetic conditions help for a person’s personality)
3. Environment & experiences
4. Memories (to retain personality traits and experiences)
5. Imagination
6. Personal Perception

The personality directly influences a person’s conscious choices and willpower, their emotional control, and their moral capabilities. The ‘kind’ of person someone is, meaning their physical actions and intentions, are integrated and represented by their personality. Every individual person has a different personality, but every personality can be categorized into specific types. Personality types can be defined as the reference to a specific pattern of relatively consistent behavior occurring between different individuals. A person’s personality is deeply rooted in their subconscious, and causes a person to react to situations in a special & specific way that is unique to their persona.

Personalities Influenced by the Flesh Nature

It is in within our personality our flesh nature and our carnal mind continually retains sinfulness and drives us towards wrong choices, and strives against our moral choices so we act willfully in contrast to God’s ways. Our sinful nature & personality will often employ our emotions, or have been invoked by our emotions in attempt to cause us to do something sinful.

be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind  – Romans 12.2

casting down imaginations, … , and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ  – 2 Corinthians 10.5

Personalities Form Early in Life

God knows what kind of person we are going to be when He makes us in the womb, our personality is shaped by God.

(God speaking to Jeremiah) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.  – Jeremiah 1.5

Personalities Dictate Our Actions

Our personality is going to cause us to follow similar patterns throughout our entire life, ad cause us to perform ‘like’ actions in the things we do.

16. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17.  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  – Matthew 7.16-18

Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.  – Proverbs 20.11

Further Reading

Þ    see Personality Trails

Intellect & Memory

Intelligence is the mental ability to be able to comprehend and understand information presented. This is the information storage and processing capacity of a person, which would include

• Memory – Ability to retain information
• Comprehension – ability to understand and categorize information
• Information retrieval capabilities – ability to retrieve stored information
• Information correlation – ability to correlate different information to each other.

A person’s intelligence includes their abilities to use the information they have stored after proper comprehension including the mental abilities to:

• think constructively
• comprehend information
• allocation & retrieve information
• apply information constructively

Emotions & Feelings

Emotions refer to a person’s mental ability to feel and relate according to their personal perception of something. Emotions also relate to all unconscious functions of judgment such as intuition and sensation.

Dangers of Emotions

Human emotions can be very dangerous as we see endless examples of anger and rage causing us to do very wicked and sinful things apart form out better judgment. In fact we can see that it bypasses our judgment and morality causing us to do great harm to others and ourselves. This is why it is so important to keep our emotions in check, and rather than trust in our sinful hearts, put everything in God’s hand.

Do not give punishment for wrongs done to you, dear brothers, but give way to the wrath of God; for it is said in the holy Writings, Punishment is mine, I will give reward, says the Lord.  – Romans 12.19

Be angry without doing wrong; let not the sun go down on your wrath  – Ephesians 4.26

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt:  – Jeremiah 17.9

Purpose of Emotions

Emotions have a very direct purpose, so we can feel the connection to others and to situations, to be able to process the information concerning the depth of the meaning of a situation, action or event. God gave us a heart and mind to feel and understand Him and His ways, to be able to experience the fullness of the depth of all of who God is. An emotionless being would never be able to feel or express the fullness of the joy of God’s presence, which is a primary point to our existence to get to experience the fullness of all of who God is. i.e. For all believers to get to experience God’s joy and feel His love and mercy.

Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.  – Psalm 97:11-12

And the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.  – Isaiah 35:10

You will make clear to me the way of life; where you are joy is complete; in your right hand there are pleasures for ever and ever.  – Psalms 16.11

I have said these things to you so that I may have joy in you and so that your joy may be complete.  – John 15.11

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  – Proverbs 15:13

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  – Proverbs 17:22

Conscious Mind

This is the part of our mind that is in a state of being self-aware and execute control over all mental systems. This is the rational thinking part of the person in regard to consciousness. This is where our perceptions and interaction take place to allow us to experience ‘life.’

• Will & Choice – decision making ability and execution
• Attitude – The composition of both our emotional status and momentary perception, with our conscious choice to express favor or disfavor.
• Moral Capacity – the ability to institute judgment and distinguish between right and wrong.

After we have considered the information and data that we have available in our memories, we are able to execute a moral judgment or willful decisions that we are able to choose, even against our own better judgment, morality or personality. (i.e. like running in front of a bus to push a child out of the way.) Our conscious mind has the ability to make any choice we would so desire, and gives us the capability to perform any action from the most blessed and giving deed to the most heinous and abominable of sins, in spite of the typical patterns our personality, attitude or belief system would normally lead us to follow. This is typically the cause of our flesh nature taking hold of our desires and causing us to stumble into sins, or visa-versa, the result of spiritual convictions causing us to do good. The Bible teaches us the flesh nature infects both our personality and our conscious mind with a drive to go against God’s ways, while the Spirit of God speaks to us convicting us of wrongful acts.

And I have no clear knowledge of what I am doing, for that which I have a mind to do, I do not, but what I have hate for, that I do.  – Romans 7.15

For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practice.  – Romans 7.19

Unconscious Mind

The unconscious mind is the entire compilation of all processes in the mind that occur automatically, not available to the cognitive desire or the conscious thought process; yet it includes the ability to process every mental ability, and all physiological motor functions. This part of our mind is very important as it is the access to all of our memories, and deep rooted personality traits. Many scientific studies would suggest that the unconscious mind is also responsible for many different kinds of feelings, thoughts and habits; automatic skills, subliminal perceptions, and automatic reactions while possibly retaining hidden or suppressed phobias and desires. The unconscious mind has also been demonstrated to be the source of all dreams and automatic thoughts. The Bible reveals to us that God speaks to our unconscious and in our dreams.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed; 16.  Then he (God) openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction, 17.  That he may withdraw man from his purpose, And hide pride from man; 18.  He keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.  – Job 33.15-18

Infection of Sin in Our Mind

Since man sinned against God, the infection of sin is present in both our physical bodies and our minds, killing the spirit until regeneration by faith. The Bible shows us that the entire mind is affected by sin, not just one part as seen in various verses – [ Wicked thoughts – Matt 15.19,  Wicked imagination – 2 Corin 2.10, Evil mind and heart –  Eze 36.26, Jer 17.9, Eph 4.23; here God tells us He will replace our entire heart and mind because they are infected with sin and cannot be cured, they have to be replaced supernaturally.]

THE PHYSICAL BODY – ANATOMY & GENETICS

The Design of the Body is very unique; it is typically quantified by understanding specific dynamics such as:

• The Flesh
• Human Nature
• Anatomy
• Genetics

God created the body of man to be a physical vessel so a person would be able to interact in the material world. The human soul is more than just a body, but the body is a very important part of the person, and is to be treated and respected, it is our temple for both our own spirit and the Spirit of God whom dwells with us.

Or are you not conscious that your body is a house for the Holy Spirit which is in you, and which has been given to you by God? – 1 Corinthians 6.19

God created the physical body by using pre-existing, ‘already created’ material – the dust or clay of the earth. Chemically, we find that the same common elements found in dust and clay, are present in our bodies. This process is specifically different from many of the animals God created, as they were created from nothing (Bara).

The Lord God made man from the dust of the earth – Genesis 2.7

Further Information:

See – Scientific Facts in the Bible: Created from Dust

See – Creation Science Anatomy of the Body

Human Nature

The Bible depicts the human impulses and capabilities being influenced and driven by the human nature. The human nature encompasses the primary ‘drives’ of a person that influences him/her to perform some sort of action/s. It is because we are physically alive and from our fleshly physical impulses that we gain a carnal, meaning purely physical mind frame. Additionally, this means our mind only focuses on the needs of the body, and the body continually gives impulses and sensations that cause the mind to crave a continual carnal & materially focused life.

The Bible clearly defines two types of natures:

Flesh Nature (Carnal Mind) – We are born with the flesh or carnal (physical) nature that has been corrupted due to mankind’s original sin. The flesh nature compels a person to do what is selfish and in the best interest of oneself regardless of the consequences.

Spirit Nature (Mind) – For those that put their faith in God, because He is the source of life, has been revived spiritually as a person and takes on a second nature that compels us towards God.

Genetics

God is awesome and perfectly designs every one of His creations. The human body possess so many wonders that genetics have just scratched the surface of. The complexity of the human body on every level is a marvelous feat of engineering. The human body begins its formation in the womb and we know from modern science that no further information is added after the point of conception. It is from the point of conception that God fashions ever person, using the material and information from each parent to create a baby.

My flesh was made by you, and my parts joined together in my mother’s body. –         Psalms 139.13

Human DNA is more complex than the most advanced computer program, think about a computer program that can not only duplicate itself and form different cells to create an entire being, but is able to diagnose and repair itself as well. The creators fingerprints remains on every one of His works.

Further Information:

Þ     See Creation Science & Evolution – Genetics

Ordinances of Man

God has given to mankind ordinances to exist and work according to His created purposes. Mankind retains the original purpose God has given to him, but now due to the curse of sin, must be executed with an ongoing struggle of suffering and tribulations. God has given a very specific message for all mankind; to trust in Him. God also individually gives to each person His will for their life and purpose for their created existence.

Þ     See Will of God for Your Life

Future for Mankind

According to God generic plan for all humanity, God has great plans for the people He has created. For all His children that put their faith in Him, they will live forever in peace and paradise. For the unbeliever and those that reject God, they will suffer God’s wrath and exist in torment forever in hell.

Further Information:

See Bible Study – Heaven

See Bible Study – Hell

Appendix 1 – Outline of Views

The Relationship Between Body & Soul

It is important to understand the relationship between the two human dimensions – the body and soul, and how they interact with each other.

The most Biblical solution for this problem would seem to logically be Hylomorphism, as this view hold that the human soul and body where created in a form/matter unity when God created mankind. In Ps 16.10 w can see that soul here includes the body, which as prophesied, Jesus Christ did not see corruption but was resurrected. If the soul was not in unity, then the murder of a man would not be a sin, in Gen 9.6, this implies that the image of God includes the body, otherwise prohibition against murdering the body would not apply. The Bible declares the soul without a body is naked and incomplete 1Corin 5.1-4, this would not be so unless there was a very important unity between them.

REFERENCES

Evidence for the Spirit & Mind working independently form the brain organ.

Now, when the body, the brain, or some other organ is impaired, the mind is affected, and we’ll get to what mind is in a little while. The body, we said, is like a damaged tool. That means it doesn’t function properly. And so, the mind cannot use, or use to the full, that impaired part of that body. Wilder Penfield, the famous Canadian neurosurgeon, who worked for 30 years on brains, treating epilepsy, said that he observed mind acting independently of brain under controlled conditions that were reproducible at will. An interesting book called The Self and Its Brain (the title was changed from The Self and the Brain) –  by John Echols and Charles Popper, confirmed this view.

Research done by: The concept was developed and popularized by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.

Miller, G.A. & Keller, J. (2000). Psychology and Neuroscience: Making Peace. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(6), 212-215.