Human Nature in Genesis 1-3
The revelation of Human Nature (From Genesis 1-2)
The revelation of human nature in Genesis 1–2 centers on the idea that each person is uniquely made in God’s likeness. Further, it sets humans apart from the marine, avian, and terrestrial animals God created without any obvious analogies (Adee, 2019). The revelation further affirms that God endowed humans with authority to rule over the planet and its inhabitants. The revelation also states that God endowed humanity with the capability to care for God’s creation. This proves that God created humans to care for and control the earth because of their rational faculties.
Consequences of the Fall for Human Nature (from Genesis 3)
Satan, in his snake form, is the antagonist here. In Genesis 3, Satan tempts Eve to eat the fruit she is forbidden to have. Sin began with Adam and Eve’s disobedience and betrayal of God when they ate the fruit God forbade them to have. There were repercussions for their disobedience, including the realization that they were naked and the humiliation they felt at being exposed. But because of their disobedience, God cast a curse on the Garden of Eden and banished Adam and Eve from it (Bird, 2017). In addition, he cursed Adam with the burden of working hard to provide for his family as a punishment for their wrongdoing.
Human Purpose
Humans share a unique bond with God because they were made in God’s likeness. According to Jeremiah 9:23-24 and John 14:15, God made humans learn about him and honor him by following his instructions. However, due to their disobedience, they were punished with pain and death, which drove a wedge between humanity and God (Bird, 2017). As a result, believing in God’s one and only Son, Jesus, and living one’s life for his glory are necessary for a person’s full development and achievement of emotional, spiritual, and mental health.
Pantheism or Atheism View Human Nature, Human purpose, and Human Flourishing
According to the atheist perspective on nature, purpose, and well-being, humans are social beings whose propensity toward sociality tends to be provided by their evolution rather than a choice. They also argue that nature has endowed us with a neurological system that makes it easier for us to pick up on the emotions of those around us. They also argue that people’s feelings spread to others around them. For instance, it is rather difficult for a human being to be joyful living in a melancholy society; it is most likely that they will also become sad (“Ethics without gods,” 2017).
Summary of the Christian Worldview’s Response to the Problem of Evil and Suffering
The Christian worldview holds that the necessity of free will, which gives people the power to choose their actions, is a fundamental contributor to the problem of evil and suffering. Therefore, by eliminating evil and allowing good, he tends to encroach upon the independence of free choice (Adee, 2019). According to the Bible, God often allows terrible things to happen to people so that they can eventually gain something very beneficial.
Consequence of the Fall Today
Consequences of the Fall are Evident in the Issue(s) that the Organization Addresses
The Salvation Army is a Christian relief and care organization that operates worldwide. To give people hope, the organization typically helps them with food, spiritual and social assistance, and other philanthropic services (“Salvation Army: About us,” 2020). The problems this group tries to solve are examples of how a fall can devastate a person’s life, bringing both pain and death. Adam and Eve betrayed God’s love and trust by disobeying Him; therefore, they experienced misery, pain, and death.
Creation of Dehumanization and Diminishes Human Dignity by these Issues
The Salvation Army takes on big problems like war and natural disasters. As it forces people to leave behind loved ones, this problem often contributes to dehumanization and reduces human dignity (Bird, 2017). For example, in the Christian perspective, “we are each other’s keeper,” which suggests that we are responsible for one another in the community for God’s glory. War and other acts of violence diminish our humanity because they show that we do not value God’s call to care for our neighbors.
Analysis of a Christian Organization’s Solution
Organizational Statement that reveals this Organization is Operating from a Christian Worldview
An important aspect of the evangelical segment of the worldwide Christian Church is the Salvation Army’s international movements. The organization’s theology and articles of faith have strong Christian underpinnings and highlight God’s redemptive plans. The organization’s vision and mission statements make clear that it is run with a Christian worldview as its guiding principle. The group’s objective is “Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and addressing human needs in his name without regard to race, gender, or religion.” This mission statement affirms the organization’s commitment to a Christian perspective by stating that its activities are driven by a love for God and the spreading of God’s word as found in the Bible (“salvation army: About us,” 2020). This method indicates that the group follows God’s message in its efforts to provide for people.
How the Organization Uses a God-centered Worldview
Humans share a unique bond with God because they were made in God’s likeness. However, due to their disobedience, they were punished with pain and death, which drove a wedge between humanity and God. According to Jeremiah 9:23-24 and John 14:15, God made humans learn about him and honor him by following his instructions. So, believing in his one and only Son, Jesus, and living one’s life for the glory of God is necessary for a person to flourish and achieve emotional, spiritual, and mental health (Adee, 2019). This means that for humans to thrive, they must be completely reliant on God, giving up their own will in favor of God and striving to please God by following His precepts.
References
Adee, S. (2019). Original Sin. Bioelectricity, 1(1), 16.
Bird, P. A. (2017). Theological anthropology in the Hebrew Bible. The sblackwell companion to the Hebrew Bible, 258-275.
Ethics without gods. (2017). Web.
salvation army: About us. (2020). Web.