ANTHROPOLOGY — THE DOCTRINE OF MAN
Chapter 4 from '
BIBLE DOCTRINES (Beliefs That Matter)'by MARK G. CAMBRON, D.D.
OUTLINE FOR CHAPTER IV
ANTHROPOLOGY
I. Man in His State of Integrity.
A. His Origin.
B. His Nature.
C. His Constitution.
D. His Condition.
E. His Headship.
II. Man in His State of Sin.
F. The Fall of Man.
G. The Fallen Sons of Adam.
III. Man in His State of Grace.
A. His Standing.
B. His State.
C. His Two Natures.
Chapter IV
ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology comes from the Greek word “anthropos,” meaning “man.” Anthropology is
the doctrine of man. There are many different definitions of man, some comical, some
tragic. In this study of anthropology we shall go to the true source — the Scriptures.
Man has always wanted to know who he is, where he came from, and where he is going.
God’s Holy Word gives the only complete account.
I. MAN IN HIS STATE OF INTEGRITY
By this we mean man in his original state of purity, his uprightness.
A. His Origin.
1.
Negative.a. Not by Abiogenesis or Spontaneous Generation.
This theory holds to the beliefthat there was no creator of man, but that man simply came into being without a cause
and began to exist, fulfilling the nursery rhyme, which reads:
Where did you come from, Baby dear?
Out of the nowhere, into here!
This argument needs no answer, but in order to forestall criticism, we simply state that if
such a thing as abiogenesis were possible, there would be no power to keep it from
happening again. There is no record of a second occurrence, and, of course, it never
happened in the first place.
b. Not by Evolution or Natural Developments. A short definition of evolution is:
“That process by which, through some kind of aggregation of matter through many ages
and species, by chance or by law, man appears.” This concept has held sway for many
years, but its adherents are on the decline. Modern science, such as anthropology, is
refuting all of its claims. The Bible declares that man is a separate creation of God, and
that the animals were created at a different time, completely apart from man. Evolution
teaches that man and animals have a common origin, which branched out into the
different species. In refuting this we use the Scriptures and human reasoning as follows:
(1) It is Opposed to Scripture. The Scriptures state: “After his kind” (Gen. 1:24).
This pins the species down to themselves, forbidding them to evolve into a completely
new species.
(2) There is No Record of Animal Becoming Man. Surely, in six thousand years, if
121
evolution were true, there would be living examples of it today.
(3) There is No Evidence that the Missing Link Has Been Found. Many so-called
history books show pictures of the creature they term as the missing link. These pictures
are photographs of drawings, and not photographs of real creatures, as none of these
exist. The “missing link,” we are told, is that creature between man and the ape. Its
picture is wholly the imagination of the artist who took a piece of a bone or tooth and
built a man around it. It is the same as a man taking a key hole and building a house
around it. We would like to quote William Jennings Bryan concerning the “missing link”:
“If the missing link has been found, why are they still looking for it?”
(4) There is No Evidence that Primitive Man Differed From Man Today.
(5) There Is Proof that Human Blood is One Blood. (Acts 17:26). World War II has
proved this. The blood of a white man can be placed into the veins of a black man, and
vice versa, and give life. Blood transfusions have only been in practice during the last
hundred years, but God revealed this to us several thousand years ago.
(6) There is a Great Difference Between the Constitution of Man and Animal.
(a) Physically. Man is an upright being, while animals are on all fours.
(b) Mentally. Man has intellect, while animals have instinct.
(c) Morally. Man is the only creature of God that has moral qualities.
(d) Spiritually. Man alone has been created with spiritual concepts. He alone of
all the creatures can worship God.
2. Positive. Man is a direct creation of God. “God created man in his own image, in
the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:27).
B. His Nature.
1. Original Image of Man. “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness” (Gen. 1:26a). “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed:
for in the image of God made he man” (Gen. 9:6). See also I Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9.
a. Seen in Man’s Triunity. “The LORD God formed man out of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”
(Gen. 2:7). “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ” (I Thess. 5:23).
b. Seen in Man’s Intellectual and Moral Nature. “Lie not one to another, seeing that
ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:9, 10). See also
Ephesians 4:24.
c. Seen in Physical Likeness. It is true that God is a Spirit (John 4:24); God is
invisible (Col. 1:15). Yet God has always had a form in which He manifests Himself: “As
for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake with
beholding thy form” (Ps. 17:15, R.V.). See also Philippians 2:6,7; Mark 15:12; John 5:37,
R.V.
122
Christ was not made in the form or image of Adam, but Adam was made in the form, or
image of Christ, who was to come: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is
the figure of him that was to come” (Rom. 5:14).
2. Original Innocence of Man. Some declare that Adam was created in holiness, or
righteousness. This is not quite correct. Man was created perfect, yes, but he was created
in innocence. There is a vast difference between innocence and righteousness. Innocence
is sinlessness that has never faced trial. Righteousness is innocence that has been tested
and tried, and has come out victorious.
C. His Constitution.
As we shall see, man is composed of earthly (Gen. 2:7) and spiritual elements (I Thess.
5:23; Heb. 4:12).
1. Body. His body was made from the earth. This was the first part of man that was
formed. “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” (Gen. 2:7). The body is set forth
in Scripture as the house of the inner man. “How much less in them that dwell in houses
of clay, whose foundation is the dust, which are crushed before the moth?” (Job 4:19).
See also II Corinthians 5:1, 3, 4. The process by which God made man is not known; we
leave that up to God. Men give their opinions and speculations, but they remain as such.
The word “dust” does not mean clay, or old dirty dirt, but the finest materials of the earth.
a. Analysis Proves Man’s Source. Modern chemical analysis detects in the body the
same elements that are in the earth beneath man’s feet; such elements as sodium, carbon,
iron, and the like.
b. Earth Sustains Man’s Existence. The body is sustained by that which grows out of
the earth. It is man’s body and not his spirit that is sustained. Famine in our modern day
has proved that if vegetation is taken away, life is taken away.
Kill vegetation and you killman.
c. Death Substantiates Man’s Elements. At death corruption sets in, and man’s body
soon returns to the dust from which it was formed. “In 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” (Gen. 3:19).
2. Soul. “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” (Gen. 2:7). See also I
Corinthians 15:45. The soul is the seat of the emotions and appetites. Plants, animals and
man have bodies; only animals and man have a soul; but only man has a spirit. The soul
is that conscious life which is in man and animal. Plants have life, but it is unconscious
life. There is a difference between the souls of men and the souls of animals. The
animal’s soul is connected with his body, while man’s soul is connected with his spirit.
The soul of an animal dies with the animal, but man’s soul never dies, for he was made a
“living soul” — a soul that would never die.
123
As stated, the soul of man is the seat of his emotions and appetites, and the following
Scriptures will bring out the degrees of same: Appetites: “Thou mayest kill and eat flesh
in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD
thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the
roebuck, and as of the hart” (Deut. 12:15). Desires: “If any man said unto him, Let them
not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he
would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force”
(I Sam. 2:16). See also Deuteronomy 12:20; Psalm 107:18; Proverbs 6:30; Isaiah 29:8; I
Samuel 18:1. Hates: “David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and
smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he shall
be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the
house” (II Sam. 5:8). Mourns: “His flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within
him shall mourn” (Job 14:22). Is Vexed: “The man of God said, Let her alone; for her
soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me” (II
Kings 4:27b). Rejoices: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my
God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with a
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride
adorneth herself with her jewels” (Is. 61:10). Suffers: “They said one to another, We are
verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he
besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us” (Gen.
42:21). Sorrows: “He said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye
here, and watch” (Mark 14:34).
Where does man get his soul?
a. Pre-existence. This theory teaches that all souls that have ever been in the world,
or shall ever be in the world, were created in the beginning. At time of conception, they
are united with the body. This was taught by Plato, but it was never accepted by the
church, as it is without Scriptural foundation.
b. Creationism. This belief holds that after forty days of conception the soul unites
with the body. Roman Catholicism proposes this. If this belief is true, then God is the
creator of sinful souls.
c. Traducianism. This is the truth which holds that both soul and body are derived
from the parents. “Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own
likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth” (Gen. 5:3). See also Acts 17:24-26.
3. Spirit. Here is where man differs from all creatures. In Hebrews 12:9 God is said to
be “Father of spirits.” This does not mean the Father of angels, but of the spirits of men
made perfect. God is never said to be the Father of souls.
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (Jas. 2:26).
When a body dies, the soul departs with the spirit of man. The soul and spirit can be
separated “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” (Heb. 4:12). However,
there is no Scriptural proof that they are ever separated. The rich man of Luke 16 goes to
Hades upon death, and he has both soul and spirit with him. See also Matthew 10:28.
124
The spirit of man is the seat of his intelligence. “What man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but
the Spirit of God” (I Cor. 2:11). Animals do not possess intelligence. “Be ye not as the
horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with
bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee” (Ps. 32:9).
The word “spirit,” both in the Hebrew and Greek, is sometimes translated as “breath,”
and “wind.” The context determines the translation.
The materialists say that the word for spirit should be “breath,” and that when man dies
he is gone forever.
Some people say that man lost his spirit at the Fall and regains his spirit at conversion.
This would make him a dual being however, and this conception has no Scriptural
grounds.
4. Heart. When we speak of the heart, we do not mean the muscle in the body, but
rather the seat of conscience. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water” (Heb. 10:22). See also I John 3:19,20; Acts 2:26; 5:3, 5; Matthew 22:37. There is
a warning that there may be a profession without a possession, a head knowledge without
a heart trust. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of the Father which is in heaven” See also Matthew
7:22, 23.
D. His Condition.
By this we mean man’s condition in his state of integrity before he fell.
1. His Knowledge. He had immediate knowledge, intuitive knowledge. He was not an
adult infant. He named all animals that came from the hand of God; It would take an
intelligent man to do this. “Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” (Gen.
2:20).
2. His Fellowship. He was able to commune with God. “The LORD God commanded
the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat” (Gen. 2:16). “God
said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the
earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for
meat” (Gen. 1:29).
3. His Home. It was located in a garden. “The LORD God planted a garden eastward
in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” (Gen. 2:8). Some men claim
that primitive man was a cave man, but this was not so, for he was a garden man. The
first records we have of men living in caves are of the persecuted: “Of whom the world
125
was not worthy; they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the
earth” (Heb. 11:38), and of the insane: “when he was come out of the ship, immediately
there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit” (Mark 5:2).
This garden is not called Eden, but rather, the Garden in Eden. “Eden” means plains, or
plateau. Armenia, no doubt, is the place where man began.
4. His Companion. “For Adam there was not found an help meet for him. . . . And the
rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto
the man” (Gen. 2:20, 22). The words “help meet” are not a compound word, but two
separate ones, meaning “fit for.” Eve was “fit for” Adam. Some who laugh at this “rib
story” cannot tell us where woman did come from. Why do you suppose God did not
make woman from the dust? For the simple reason that God did not want to have two
origins of man.
God can make a human being in four ways:
By conception.
Without the aid of a woman, as Eve.
Without a man or woman, as Adam.
Without a man, by a woman, as Christ.
5. His Work. “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 moveth upon the earth” (Gen.
1:28). “The LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and
to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). There was employment in the garden, but no toil. There was
work, but not the kind that wears one out. The word “keep” in Genesis 2:15 is best
translated “guard.” Against whom was Adam to guard the garden? Against wild animals?
No, there were none. Against wild men? No, for Adam was the only man. He was put on
his guard against the possible appearance of the Devil. Whenever man is placed in a
position of trust, God always gives ample warning.
6. His Food. “God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is
upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding
seed; to you it shall be for meat” (Gen. 1:29). The first man and beast of the field were
vegetarians. Their diets included no meat. Man was not carnivorous as evolutionists
claim.
7. His Responsibility.
a. To Replenish the Earth With a New Order — Man. “God blessed them and God
said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Gen.
1:28). Adam was the first man: “The first man Adam was made a living soul” (I Cor.
15:45). Eve is the mother of all human beings. “Adam called his wife’s name Eve;
because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20).
126
b. To Abstain from Eating of the Fruit. This fruit was of the tree of the knowledge of
Good and Evil. “The LORD God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat: 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” (Gen. 2: 16,
17).
They were allowed to eat freely, as there was plenty. There was only one tree forbidden
them. We do not know what kind of fruit it was. Nothing was wrong with the fruit; there
was just God’s prohibition behind it. God wanted Adam and Eve to have knowledge, but
he did not want them to gain it by disobedience. Re-member, man had been placed on his
guard; he had been warned of the enemy; Satan did not come in unawares. This being
true, why did God allow Adam and Eve to be subjected to the attack of the Devil?
Testing always comes before a blessing. Man always has to be tried before he is
promoted.
E. His Leadership.
The entire human race comes from that one man, Adam. As is the head, so are the
descendants.
1. Ethnography. This is the branch of anthropology that considers man geographically
and descriptively, treating of the subdivision of races, the causes of migration, and related
matters. This science points to a common homeland — Armenia.
2. Comparative Philology. This is the science of language, and it considers that men
all come from the same origin.
3. Psychology. This is the science of the mind, and it also indicates that man comes
from one origin.
4. Physiology. This is the science that deals with the organic structure of the body, and
it declares that all men come from the same source, a common origin.
II. MAN IN HIS STATE OF SIN
A. The Fall of Man.
Some may say that the fall of man is an old Babylonian fable, but we have only to look
upon man and see him toil for his bread, weaken in his diseases, and die in his misery, to
realize that he has had a fall. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12).
127
1. The Source of Sin. “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field
which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen. 3: 1). “I fear, lest by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ” (II Cor. 11:3). God is not speaking about a beast when He
mentions the serpent, but a person. Notice that the Scripture does not say, “more subtle
than any other beast of the field,” but leaves out the word “other,” stating only that he is
more subtle than any beast. This is merely a statement of what God thinks of the Devil.
Nowhere in Scripture does it state that the Devil was in the serpent, but it does say that
the serpent was the Devil. “He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:2).
2. The Nature of Sin. “The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For
God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil. 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” (Gen. 3:4-6). Now the fruit was all right; it was good fruit, with only the prohibition
of God behind it. Some people may contend that it was a small thing to bring about man’s
downfall, but we ask the question, “How many steps does it take to fall off a bluff?”
a. He Doubted God’s Love. In doubting God’s love, man denied God’s goodness, and
acted apart from God and became a sinner. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). See also Isaiah 55:6.
b. He Doubted God’s Word. In doubting God’s Word, man denied His Truth;
denying His Truth, he acted in spite of God and became a criminal. “Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (I John
3:4).
c. He Doubted God’s Authority. In doubting God’s authority, man denied God’s
deity; denying His deity, he became contrary to God. Thus, he became God’s enemy and
a rebel in God’s universe. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please
God” (Rom. 8:7, 8).
The testing was given to see if man would stay true to God. He failed because he wanted
to be a god. The Devil himself fell (Is. 14), because he wanted to be like the Most High
God. This brought about his downfall, so he planted the same seed of false ambition in
Adam and Eve to see if it would bring about their downfall, and it did.
Some may ask, “Was this fair to them?” They were warned and placed on guard against
Satan. There was only one prohibition in the garden. They did not need the fruit; they
lacked nothing.
128
3. The Effects of Sin.
a. Immediate Effects Upon Eve.
(1) Shame. “They both were naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
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” (Gen. 2:25; 3:7). God himself is
clothed with a garment of light (Ps. 104:2); and when He made man, he made him in His
own image and likeness. Thus, we believe that man also was clothed with a garment of
light. When man sinned, that clothing of light was lost, and he made himself a fig leaf
covering to take the place of that which was lost. Ever since, man has tried to put on what
God once gave him, but he has nothing but filthy rags.
(2) Fear. “He said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was
naked; and I hid myself” (Gen. 3:10). Man still tries to hide from God.
(3) Separation from God. There is no doubt that man lost his perfect nature and
ended his fellowship with God. There is no such thing as the Fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man of the natural man, the unsaved man.
(4) Expulsion from the Garden. “The LORD God sent him forth from the garden of
Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he
placed at the end of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned
every way to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen. 3:23, 24). Man was driven out.
(5) Lost Lordship Over Creation. In the beginning Adam was indeed the ruler of all
earthly creatures: “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou
hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beast of the field; the
fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the
sea” (Ps. 8:6-8). This is not true of man today. He has lost that lordship. Christ will return
it to man when He comes again (Heb. 2 and Is. 11).
b. Remote Effects Upon Adam’s Posterity.
(1) The Spirit is Darkened. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that
is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:17, 18). The darkened room of
understanding will remain darkened until the Holy Spirit comes in to illuminate.
(2) The Soul Is Debased arid Corrupt. Unbelievers, “being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph.
4:19). See also Jeremiah 17:9.
(3) The Body Is Subjected to Disease and Death. “The creature itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”
(Rom. 8:21).
4. The Effects on Sin.
a. The Immediate Expression of God’s Judgment.
(1) On the Serpent. “The LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done
this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly
shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:14, 15). Satan, in all of his majesty, is considered
nothing but a serpent. This is a figure of speech, for we know that snakes do not eat dust.
129
God’s decree unto the serpent that he should eat dust all the days of his life, showed the
contempt in which He held the Devil.
(2) On the Woman. “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow
and thy conception; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to
thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16).
(3) On Creation. “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; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the
field” (Gen. 3:17, 18).
(4) On Man. “In 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”
(Gen. 3:19). See also Genesis 5:29.
b. The Future Expression of God’s Judgment. “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars,
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death” (Rev. 21:8).
5. The Provision for the Sinner. “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”
(Gen. 3:15). In the hour that man sinned, God promised a Redeemer. The Seed of the
woman is no one else but Jesus Christ. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD
God make coats of skin, and clothe them” (Gen. 3:21). When they realized their
nakedness, they covered themselves with aprons of fig leaves. God clothed them with
animal skins instead. As far as covering their nakedness was concerned, fig leaves were
as good as animal skins; however, blood had to be spilt — “For without the shedding of
blood there is no remission of sin.” They had to be covered with that which was slain for
their sins. Likewise, the sinner today has to be clothed with the righteousness of Him who
died for them.
B. The Fallen Sons of Adam.
1. Their Standing.
a. In Adam. “Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor. 15:21, 22).
See also I Corinthians 15:45, 47; Romans 5:12-21. There are only two representative men
in the world: the first man and the second man; the first Adam and the last Adam. All
men are born in Adam; all born-again men are in Christ.
b. Of Sin and Guilt. “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have
before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, as it is written, There is
none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:9, 10). See also Romans 3:19.
2. Their State. By their state we mean their spiritual condition; that is, the absence of
righteousness in their spiritual life.
a. Sinful in Nature. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother
conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). See also Ephesians 2:3; Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans
130
8:7; Galatians 5:19-21.
b. Sinful in Practice. “We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and
hating one another” (Titus 3:3). See also Romans 3:23; Colossians 1:21; Psalm 14:1-3.
c. Lost in Sin. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”
(Luke 19:10). See also Isaiah 53:6; II Corinthians 4:3, 4.
d. Spiritually Dead. “You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and
sins...Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
are ye saved” (Eph. 2: 1, 5). God’s picture of a sinner is a dead man, a man with all of the
organs of movement, but no motion. Likewise, the sinner cannot move in the things of
God.
e. Under God’s Wrath. “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom.
1:18). See also John 3:36.
f. Waits for Death. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
(Heb. 9:27).
g. Sure of Hell. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). See also Revelation 21:8.
III. MAN IN HIS STATE OF GRACE
A. His Standing.
1. In Christ. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor.
15:22). See also I Corinthians 15:21, 45, 47; Romans 5:12-21.
2. Of Perfection. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. . . . To the praise of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:4, 6).
There are no charges against the Head; and, as that is so, there can be no charges against
the Body.
B. His State.
By this we mean his spiritual condition. This differs from the life of the unbeliever. In the
believer’s life righteousness is present — the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. A New Creature. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away, behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17). See also 11 Peter 1:4;
Galatians 6:15; John 3:16. Regeneration is a re-creation. Only God can create; only God
can re-create.
2. Saved. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began” (Il Tim. 1:9). See also Ephesians 2:8,9.
131
3. Dead Unto Sin. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). “Who his ownself bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24).
4. Child of God. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). “Ye are all the children
of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26).
5. Under God’s Favor. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). See
also Romans 5:2.
6. Waits for God and Glory. “Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may
be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to
subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:20,21).
7. Sure of Heaven. “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve
me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (II Tim.
4:18). See also I Peter 1:4.
C. His Two Natures.
“The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17).
The above Scriptures could not describe anyone but a saved man. The sinner has but one
nature; the child of God has two natures. Every true believer has experienced the warfare
of which Paul speaks. This warfare is best demonstrated by the household of Abraham.
He had two sons — Ishmael, the older; and Isaac, the younger. Ishmael stands for that
born of the flesh, while Isaac stands for that born of the Spirit. The trouble started when
Isaac came into the household. Trouble comes into a Christian’s life when Christ enters
in.
1. The Description of the Old Nature.
a. Names and Characteristics.
(1) The Flesh. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6). See also
Romans 7:18, 23; 8:9. By “the flesh” we do not mean “muscles and sinews,” which are
part of the human body, but rather the carnal nature, which all possess at birth. There is
no such thing as our being in the flesh; the flesh is in us. No man has ever begotten an
unfallen man. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing”
(Rom. 7:18a). See also John 6:63; Romans 8:8. There is no such thing as a person being
born with a “divine spark” within them.
(2) The Natural Man. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14). This is what man is by nature, by his natural birth.
132
(3) The Old Man. “Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6). See also Ephesians 4:22;
Colossians 3:9. This is the man of old — what we once were: corrupt, full of evil desires
and lusts.
(4) The Outward Man. “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is
renewed day by day” (II Cor. 4:16).
(5) The Heart. “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness,
an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and
defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). We hear so much of man having a change of heart, but
this is impossible, for only God can give a new heart.
(6) The Carnal Mind. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).
(7) Sin. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). The word “sin” refers to the
fallen nature of man, while “sins” refer to the actions of this nature.
b. The Character and End.
(1) It Is an Adam’s Nature. This means that Adam fell, and his children are,
therefore, fallen children of a fallen father.
(2) It Is an Inherited Nature. We receive our fallen nature from Adam.
(3) It Is an Evil Nature. The eighth chapter of Romans is a commentary on this
point.
(4) It Is an Unchangeable Nature. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John
3:6a). As long as man lives, that fallen nature remains in him. It will be eradicated only at
the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and the transformation of those alive in Christ, at
His second appearing.
(5) Its End Is Death. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a). See also Romans
8:5-13.
2. The Description of the New Nature.
a. Its Names and Characteristics.
(1) Spirit. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
(2) Divine Nature. There “are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
correction that is in the world through lust” (II Peter 1:4). See also I John 3:9; 5:18, 19.
(3) The New Man. “Put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24). See also Colossians 3:10; II Corinthians
5:17.
(4) The Inward Man. “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is
renewed day by day” (II Cor. 4:16). “I delight in the law of God after the inward man”
(Rom. 7:22). See also Ephesians 3:16.
(5) Mind. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I
myself serve the law of God: but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom. 7:25).
133
b. Its Character and End.
(1) It Is a Christly Nature.
(2) It Is An Imported Nature..
(3) It Is a Holy Nature.
(4) It Is an Unchangeable Nature.
(5) It Is Non-forfeited Nature.
Verses 1 and 2 of I John 2 ‘speak of the relation of the saint with the Father. Even when
the saint sins it is a family matter.
(6) It’s End is Resurrection and Rapture. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed. For this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put
on immortality... But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:51-53, 57).
3. The Conflict Between the Two Natures.
a. The Believer’s Experience. Every child of God has two natures; the unsaved man
has only one nature. The old nature cannot be eradicated while the believer lives in the
flesh; therefore, we have the fight between the old and new natures. “The flesh lusteth
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5: 17). Romans 7:15-25 is
another marvelous example illustrating this truth. However, someone may declare that
this passage shows the conflict in Paul’s life before he was saved, but one verse in this
passage clearly reveals that this conflict, so vividly described, occurred after he was
saved: “I delight in the law of God after the inward man” (Rom. 7:22).
No unsaved manever delights after the law of God.
Also, only the saved man has the inward man, whichis the new nature.
b. The Believer’s Responsibility.
(1) In Relation To the Old Nature.
(a)
Accept God’s Estimate of It. “Our old man is crucified with him, that the bodyof sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is
freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more
dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he
liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive
unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:6-11). This one truth must be pointed
out: the old man is never said to be crucified in the believer, but is crucified with Christ.
It is a reality! Accept it! It is not a matter of feeling, but one of faith. All of this truth is
according to God’s view. As for the believer’s view, he knows that the old nature, the old
man, is not dead; he is very much alive. The Scripture says, “Reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin.” If the old nature were actually dead, the believer would not
have to reckon him so; he would know.
(b) Make No Provision for the Flesh. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make
not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof (Rom.13:14). In other words, do not
feed the flesh. Starve it.
134
(c) Mortify the Flesh. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness,
which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). A stronger term is, “Put to death, therefore, your
members.” The words “as good as dead” (Heb. 11:12) are the same terminology.
(d) Never Try to Improve It. “Neither yield your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Rom. 6:13).
(e) Put It Off. “Put off concerning the form of conversation the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Eph. 4:22). The same word is translated “laid
down” in Acts 7:58.
(2) In Relation to the New Nature.
(a) Reckon Ourselves to Be Alive. “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed
unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11).
(b) Walk in Newness of Life. “We are his workmanship, created unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). See also
Romans 6:14; 7:6.
(c) Feed and Nourish It. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2). We are to feed the new nature by the exposition
of the Word, and not by the exhortation of man. We know we have two natures, and it is
well to consider that the food for one will starve the other. It is the individual Christian
who must decide which man, the old or the new, shall be fed. He cannot feed both at the
same time.
(d) Put On the New Man. “Put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24).
(e) Depend Upon the Indwelling Spirit for Power. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). “My brethren, be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Eph. 6:10). “Not by might, nor by
power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6b).
