The True Christ

CREATION OF MAN

     The first book of the Bible, Genesis, records the creation of man on the sixth day.  “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that moves upon the earth.  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.  And God blessed them. And God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply. And replenish the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea. And over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Gen 1:26-28).

     According to these words they speak singularly of a man in the image  and likeness of the triune God. Then speaking plurally it says that they will be the ruler of living creatures subsisting on the dry land, in the seas, and in the air; and it is concerns man that the entire world was created. For the sake of man God created both the spiritual world of angels and the material world of animate and inanimate objects, and man is the most perfect work of God. God created man in His own image, and the  man represents the Father, the woman represents the Son, while the Holy Spirit of God which unites them into one, represents the Holy Spirit. The first created man was imperfect and only in the image of God not also the likeness which would make him like God. The perfect man in the image and likeness of God, perfect and sinless is our Lord Jesus Christ, prevailing contrary opinions are incorrect. Jesus Christ is the only one who is both perfect man and perfect God, and the only perfect man in God’s image and likeness.

     The first man being imperfect but capable of progress toward ultimate perfection, could only progress with his divine guidance and submission to the will of God which man accepts and follows/.

However man had an adversary to whom God gave the right to antagonize man’s progress and ultimate perfection, so that man situated between God and the Devil, being drawn by two opposing influences might choose to freely follow God.

     The creation of man as recorded in Genesis: God made man male and female in His own image, Here are details on the creation of man: “And God formed man out of the clay of the earth, and breathed into his person the breath of life and the man became a living soul.” The soul of man is not man and the body is not man, but the body and soul together compose man Both the body and soul of man come from the earth. But the spirit of life came out from God and is His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit in man that, with man’s cooperation can render Him immortal and beautiful. There is much confusion on this subject and this will help to clear it. The soul and body are two different things and together they are called man, but are lifeless. 

      But when God out of His Holy Spirit breathes into the man a breath of life the man becomes a living soul. Therefore the confusion of the soul with the spirit is clouds the text which is clear, for the soul comes from the earth and the spirit comes out of God and is the presence of divinity in man, which exalts him above all other creatures. Thus the correct definition of man is that he is body, soul and spirit, triune man in the image of the triune God.

     St. John Chrysostom says: “If the word speaks of flesh and spirit, where is the soul? Therefore does it discourse of inanimate things? By no means. For it also speaks of control over the passions and concerning the soul.” “The soul being the medium which draws the body down to pleasures, the spirit draws it up to God, commanding it to bless Him, that is, to glorify God always. Of the three constituent parts Paul also makes mention saying, God will sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole body, soul, and spirit be preserved.