The Nature of Man

1. The Nature of Man

2. The Nature of Man - Introduction • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

3. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Man is a creature formed from the dust • Gen. 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

4. Gen. 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Formed Heb. = “Yatsar” = “To sqeeze into shape Like a potter squeezing clay The LORD God made mans body from the dust But man was not yet living The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

5. Gen. 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Breath “Neshamah” = “breath” or “atmospheric air” - God filled our lunges with air The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

6. Gen. 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Do we have a soul that is separate from our bodies? Ezekiel 18:20The soul that sinneth, it shall die. “soul” = “nephesh” = “body” Man became a living body The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

7. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Man is sustained by the Spirit and by the breath of God • Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. • What is the Spirit of God? • What is the breath of the Almighty?

8. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Spirit of God = The Power of the Highest Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

9. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Job 37:10By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. • Breath of God = God’s Power

10. Elihu speaks in Job... Job 33:6Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. Elihu’s body was like Adam’s, made of the dust of the ground (Gen.2:7; 3:19; see also Gen. 2:7; Job 27:3; 34:14-15). The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

11. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Conclusion: Man is sustained by the Power of God • The Spirit of God & The breath of the Almighty are talking about the same thing - Gods Power

12. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Psa. 104:25So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. • 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. • 30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

13. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. What can we learn from these verses? “Breath” = “ruach” usually translated “spirit” as in v.30. “breath” (air) is not mentioned here If man had a soul then this verse tells us that so must animals The removal of God’s Spirit (the life power of God) - leads to the animals death The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

14. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. Creatures return to the dust from whence they came “Spirit”=“ruach” the life power of God which He used to create man The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

15. The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence • Recap • Man is formed from the dust • He does not have a Soul separate from his body • He is sustained by the Power of God • This is identical to animals

16. Body - Our meat, bones and guts Breath - The air that we breathe - Hebrew “Neshamah” Spirit - Gods sustaining power - Hebrew “Chayim” The Nature of Man- Man’s Existence

17. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

18. The Nature of Man- Man’s Death • Job 34:14If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; • 15All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

19. Job 34:14If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; 15All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. Spirit = “Ruach” - Gods Power Breath = “Nashamah” - the air in our lungs These two added to the formed body gave life Death is the reversal, God takes them away The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

20. Body - Our meat, bones and guts Breath - The air that we breathe - Hebrew “Neshamah” Spirit - Gods sustaining power - Hebrew “Chayim” Take away any one of these and we die The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

21. The Nature of Man- Man’s Death • Eccl. 3:18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

22. The Nature of Man- Man’s Death • Eccl.3:19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. • 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

23. Eccl. 3:18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. Man, in respect to death differs not from the beasts In mental capability he is the highest of the creatures and was hence promised dominion over them (Gen.1:26,27) The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

24. Eccl.3:19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. In death the same thing happens … “Breath is removed” Breath = “ruach” = “Spirit” - the sustaining power of God which is common to man & beast alike The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

25. Eccl.3:20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Their bodies dissolve and corrupt to dust An animal dies in exactly the same way as a man does The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

26. Some people have problems with verse 21. Eccl.3:21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Word Spirit carries meaning “mental disposition” cp. Eccl.2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

27. Eccl.3:21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Man aspires to greater things While men and beasts are alike in death, during life, however their ambitions differ. The beast is incapable of man’s ambition and pride (See Eccl.12:7; Job 34:14-15). The Nature of Man- Man’s Death

28. The Nature of Man- Man’s Death • Conclusion • When man dies, • God’s Power is removed • He stops breathing air • He returns to dust • In death man is identical to animals

29. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

30. James 4:14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Seeing man’s life is in God’s control, he cannot presume to make future plans with any certainty. Life is not, naturally, man’s eternal possession The Nature of Man- Is life now everlasting?

31. James 4:14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Man and the hundreds of generations that have come and gone are just like the vapour cloud of steam, which appears so tangible but dissipates leaving no trace of its existence. The Nature of Man- Is life now everlasting?

32. Job 14:1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Life is like a flower; one day it is full of blooms, but the next day - withered and gone A second comparison. Like a shadow of no substance and leaving no trace of its existence The Nature of Man- Is life now everlasting?

33. The Nature of Man- Is life now everlasting? • Psa. 39:5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

34. The Nature of Man- Is life now everlasting? • Conclusion • Life as possessed now is not everlasting

35. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

36. The Nature of Man- The death state • Man is unconscious knowing nothing • Eccl. 9:5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. • 6Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

37. The Nature of Man- The death state • Isa.38:18For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the grave cannot hope for thy truth. • 19The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

38. The Nature of Man- The death state • Psa.49:7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: • 9That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. • 10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

39. The Nature of Man- The death state • Conclusion • In death man is unconscious, knowing nothing • His body corrupts

40. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

41. The Nature of Man- Why do we die? • Rom. 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. • What is Sin? • 1 John 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

42. The Nature of Man- Why do we die? • Gen.3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

43. The Nature of Man- Why do we die? • 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; • 19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

44. The Nature of Man- Why do we die? • Conclusion • God has condemned all men to death because they inherit Adam’s nature and walk in his sinful ways

45. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

46. The Nature of Man- Is man immortal? • Contradictions that arise if man is immortal • 1 - Men would not perish like beasts Psa.49:14, 19-20 • 2 - Immortality would not only be for the righteous Rom. 2:6-8 • 3 - Immortality would not be the gift of God Rom. 6:23 • 4 - Neither could immortality be now hidden with Christ in God Col.3:3

47. The Nature of Man- Is man immortal? • 5 - Immortality could not be said to have been brought to light by Jesus and the Gospel 2 Tim.1:10 • 6 - Immortality would not be dependant upon belief in Jesus Christ Jn.6:40; 11:25; 3:16,36. • 7 - Paul would not have waited anxiously for the “redemption of the body” Rom.8:23

48. The Nature of Man- Is man immortal? • Conclusion • Man is Mortal... • …. Because of sin • …. (disobedience to God’s Laws)

49. The Nature of Man • Introduction • Man’s Existence • Man’s Death • Is life now everlasting? • The death State • Why do we die? • Is man immortal? • Conclusion

50. The Nature of Man- Conclusion • Man is a creature formed from the dust • He lives by the Power of God • This is identical to animals • Life as possessed now is not everlasting • In death man is unconscious, knowing nothing, His body corrupts • God has condemned all men to death • Man is Mortal