WHAT
IS
MAN?
 
 2
In
the
day
that
Jehovah
God
made
earth
and
heaven
 5no
shrub
of
the
field
had
yet
 appeared
 on
 the
 earth,
 and
 no
 plant
 of
 the
 field
 had
 yet
 sprung
 up;
 for
 Jehovah
 God
 had
 not
 caused
 it
 to
 rain
 upon
 the
 earth,
 and
 there
 was
 no
 man
 to
 till
 the
 ground.
 6Then
there
went
up
rain
clouds
from
the
earth,
and
watered
the
whole
surface
of
the
 ground.
 7And
Jehovah
God
formed
man
from
the
dust
of
the
ground,
and
breathed
into
 his
nostrils
the
breath
of
life;
and
man
became
a
living
being.

 


8And
 Jehovah
 God
 planted
 a
 garden
 in
 the
 east,
 in
 Eden;
 and
 there
 he
 put
 the
 man
 whom
 he
 had
 formed.
 9And
 Jehovah
 God
 made
 all
 kinds
 of
 trees
 grow
 out
 of
 the
 ground—trees
that
were
pleasing
to
the
eye
and
good
for
food.
Also,
in
the
middle
of
 the
 garden
 Jehovah
 God
 made
 the
 tree
 of
 life
 and
 the
 tree
 of
 the
 knowledge
 of
 good
 and
evil.
 10Now
a
river
watering
the
garden
flowed
from
Eden;
and
from
there
it
was
 divided
 and
 became
 four
 headwaters.
 11The
 name
 of
 the
 first
 river
 is
 the
 Pishon;
 it
 winds
through
the
whole
land
of
Havilah,
where
there
is
gold.
 12(Now
the
gold
of
that
 land
 is
 good;
 aromatic
 resin
 and
 onyx
 are
 also
 there.)
 13And
 the
 name
 of
 the
 second
 river
is
the
Gihon;
it
winds
through
the
whole
land
of
Cush.
14And
the
name
of
the
third
 river
 is
 the
 Tigris;
 it
 flows
 on
 the
 east
 side
 of
 Assyria.
 And
 the
 fourth
 river
 is
 the
 Euphrates.
 15And
 Jehovah
 God
 took
 the
 man,
 and
 put
 him
 in
 the
 garden
 of
 Eden
 to
 cultivate
it
and
to
care
for
it.
 

16And
 Jehovah
 God
 commanded
 the
 man,
 saying,
 From
 every
 tree
 of
 the
 garden
 you
 may
freely
eat;
 17but
you
shall
not
eat
from
the
tree
of
the
knowledge
of
good
and
evil,
 for
in
the
day
that
you
eat
of
it
you
shall
surely
die.

 

18And
 Jehovah
 God
 said,
 It
 is
 not
 good
 for
 the
 man
 to
 be
 alone;
 I
 will
 make
 him
 a
 helper
suitable
for
him.
 19Now
Jehovah
God
had
formed
out
of
the
ground
every
beast
 of
the
field,
and
every
bird
of
the
heavens;
and
he
brought
them
to
the
man
to
see
what
 he
 would
 name
 them.
 Whatever
 the
 man
 called
 every
 living
 creature,
 that
 was
 its
 name.
 20So
the
man
gave
names
to
all
cattle,
and
to
the
birds
of
the
sky,
and
to
every
 beast
 of
 the
 field;
 but
 for
 man
 there
 was
 not
 found
 a
 helper
 suitable
 for
 him.
 21So
 Jehovah
God
caused
the
man
to
fall
into
a
deep
sleep.
While
he
slept,
Jehovah
took
one
 of
the
man’s
ribs,
and
closed
up
the
flesh
of
the
man’s
side.
22Then
Jehovah
God
made
a
 woman
 from
 the
 rib
 he
 had
 taken
 out
 of
 the
 man,
 and
 he
 brought
 her
 to
 the
 man.
 23Then
the
man
said,
This
is
now
bone
of
my
bones,
and
flesh
of
my
flesh;
she
shall
be
 called
Woman,
because
she
was
taken
out
of
Man.
 24For
this
reason
a
man
shall
leave
 his
father
and
his
mother,
and
shall
be
bound
to
his
wife;
and
they
shall
be
one
flesh.
 25And
they
were
both
naked,
the
man
and
his
wife,
and
were
not
ashamed.
(Gen.
2:4b‐ 25)
 
 Introduction
 
 At
 the
 conclusion
 of
 World
 War
 I
 hundreds
 of
 shell‐shocked
 French
 soldiers
 could
 not
remember
who
they
were.
They
were
suffering
from
amnesia;
and
consequently,
 had
lost
their
identity.
The
military
records
were
so
faulty
that
they
were
of
no
value
 in
 helping
 these
 poor
 men
 regain
 their
 lost
 identity.
 How
 could
 these
 victims
 of
 amnesia
recall
their
names
and
be
reunited
with
their
families?
Someone
suggested
 that
an
Identification
Rally
be
held
in
Paris
and
announced
throughout
France.



 On
 the
 day
 the
 rally
 took
 place,
 thousands
 of
 people
 gathered
 in
 a
 large
 plaza
 in
 downtown
 Paris.
 
 One
 by
 one
 the
 bewildered
 soldiers
 mounted
 the
 high
 platform
 and
 anxiously
 cried
 out,
 “Please,
 please,
 can
 somebody
 tell
 me
 who
 I
 am?”
 The
 importance
of
our
personal
identity
cannot
be
exaggerated;
but
immeasurably
more
 important
is
our
spiritual
identity.
(Our
Daily
Bread,
9/24/93)

 
 Millions
of
people
today
are
crying
out
like
those
poor
lost
soldiers
of
so
long
ago,
 “Please,
 please,
 can
 somebody
 tell
 me
 who
 I
 am?”
 God
 our
 Creator
 supplies
 the
 answer
in
His
Word,
the
Bible.
Let
us
listen
to
what
He
says
about
our
identity.
 
 I.

You
Are
A
Unique
Creation
of
God

 
 "Jehovah
 God
 formed
 man
 from
 the
 dust
 of
 the
 ground,
 and
 breathed
 into
 his
 nostrils
the
breath
of
life;
and
man
became
a
living
being”
(Gen.2:7.)
 
 We
come
from
humble
origins:
the
LORD
God
formed
Adam
from
the
dust
of
the
 ground.
But
we
have
the
distinction
and
honor
of
having
been
personally
created
 by
God.
In
contrast
to
the
way
He
made
every
other
living
creature
(cp.
Gen.
1:24‐ 25
printed
below)
…

 
 And
God
said,
Let
the
earth
bring
forth
living
creatures
after
their
kind,
cattle,
 and
 creeping
 things,
 and
 beasts
 of
 the
 earth
 after
 their
 kind;
 and
 it
 was
 so.
 25And
 God
 made
 the
 beasts
 of
 the
 earth
 after
 their
 kind,
 and
 the
 cattle
 after
 their
kind,
and
everything
that
creeps
upon
the
ground
after
its
kind;
and
God
 saw
that
it
was
good.
(Gen.
1:24‐25)
 
 …
 
 God
 personally
 fashioned
 Adam
 with
 His
 own
 hands
 and
 breathed
 into
 his
 nostrils
the
breath
of
life
(cp.
Gen.
1:26‐29,
printed
below.)
 
 And
God
said,
Let
us
make
man
in
our
image,
in
our
likeness;
and
let
them
have
 dominion
over
the
fish
of
the
sea,
and
over
the
birds
of
the
heavens,
and
over
 the
 cattle,
 and
 over
 all
 the
 earth,
 and
 over
 every
 creeping
 thing
 that
 creeps
 upon
the
earth
…
(Gen.
1:26‐29)
 
 Not
 only
 have
 we
 been
 personally
 created
 by
 God,
 we
 are
 His
 unique
 creation:
 made
in
God’s
own
image,
made
according
to
His
likeness.
We
have
been
so
made
 in
order
that
1)
we
may
have
a
unique
relationship
with
God,
one
of
worship
and
 fellowship;
 and
 2)
 so
 that
 we
 may
 be
 a
 unique
 reflection
 of
 God,
 exhibiting
 His
 moral
attributes
and
godly
dominion.
 
 With
regard
to
the
origin
of
man,
there
is
no
evidence
of
evolution
from
ape‐like
 ancestors.
As
the
evolutionary
scientist,
Lord
Zuckerman,
testified,

 
 If
 we
 exclude
 the
 possibility
 of
 creation,
 then
 obviously
 man
 must
 have
 evolved
 from
 an
 ape‐like
 creature;
 but
 if
 he
 did,
 there
 is
 absolutely
 no


evidence
 for
 it
 within
 the
 fossil
 record.
 (Beyond
 the
 Ivory
 Tower,
 1970;
 quoted
by
Dr.
Duane
Gish,
Creation
Video
Series)



 II.
You
Have
Been
Created
to
Engage
in
Meaningful
Work
for
God

 
 From
 the
 time
 of
 his
 creation,
 man
 was
 assigned
 the
 task
 of
 engaging
 in
 constructive
work:
Adam
was
placed
in
the
garden
of
Eden
and
given
the
charge
 to
"cultivate
it
and
care
for
it"
(Gen.
2:15.)

 
 Work
is
not
a
part
of
the
curse;
on
the
contrary,
work
is
a
part
of
man’s
calling— part
 of
 what
 it
 means
 to
 be
 created
 in
 the
 image
 of
 God.
 God
 undertook
 and
 accomplished
His
great
work
of
creation
("And
on
the
seventh
day
God
finished
his
 work
that
he
had
made;
and
he
rested
on
the
seventh
day
from
all
his
work
that
he
 had
made"
Gen.
2:2)
and
He
continues
His
work
of
sustaining
His
creation
by
His
 works
of
providence
("Jesus
answered
them,
'My
Father
works
even
until
now,
and
 I
work'"
Jn.
5:17.)
Since
we
are
created
in
the
image
of
God,
we
also
are
called
to
 work.

 
 God’s
 work
 is
 constructive,
 calling
 into
 existence
 the
 raw
 materials
 of
 creation
 and
then
proceeding
to
fashion
an
orderly
universe;
likewise,
man’s
work
was
to
 be
 constructive,
 cultivating
 and
 caring
 for
 the
 garden.
 The
 consequence
 of
 the
 curse
is
not
that
it
introduced
work
as
a
punishment,
but
rather
that
it
deprived
 work
 of
 true
 joy
 and
 significance.
 Work
 now
 took
 on
 an
 element
 of
 drudgery;
 rather
than
willingly
submitting
to
Adam’s
labor,
the
creation
now
resists
man’s
 dominion:

 
 And
to
Adam
he
said,
Because
you
have
listened
to
the
voice
of
your
wife,
and
 have
eaten
of
the
tree,
the
one
of
which
I
commanded
you,
saying,
You
shall
not
 eat
of
it;
therefore,
cursed
is
the
ground
on
account
of
you;
by
toil
shall
you
eat
 the
 produce
 of
 it
 all
 the
 days
 of
 your
 life.
 18Both
 thorns
 and
 thistles
 shall
 it
 produce
for
you;
but
you
shall
eat
the
plants
of
the
field.
 19By
the
sweat
of
your
 face
you
shall
eat
bread,
until
you
return
to
the
ground;
for
out
of
it
were
you
 taken;
 for
 you
 are
 dust,
 and
 unto
 dust
 shall
 you
 return.
 (Gen.
 3:17‐19)—a
 fit
 penalty
for
man’s
resistance
to
God’s
rightful
dominion
over
him
 
 Furthermore,
 work
 lost
 its
 ultimate
 significance.
 Contrast
 Solomon’s
 survey
 of
 his
work
as
he
testifies
of
it
in
Ecclesiastes
2:11

 
 Then
I
looked
on
all
the
works
that
my
hands
had
produced,
and
on
the
labor
 that
I
had
labored
to
do;
and,
behold,
all
was
meaningless
and
a
striving
after
 the
wind,
and
there
was
no
profit
under
the
sun.
(Eccl.
2:11)
 
 
 
 
 








...
 with
 God’s
 survey
 of
 His
 work,
 as
 revealed
 in
 Genesis
 1:31‐2:3
 and
 Psalm
 104:31b.

 
 And
God
saw
everything
that
he
had
made,
and
it
was
very
good.
And
there
was
 evening
and
there
was
morning,
the
sixth
day.
2
And
the
heavens
and
the
earth
 were
finished,
and
all
that
they
contained.
2And
on
the
seventh
day
God
finished
 his
 work
 which
 he
 had
 made;
 and
 he
 rested
 on
 the
 seventh
 day
 from
 all
 his
 work
which
he
had
made.
 3And
God
blessed
the
seventh
day,
and
sanctified
it;
 because
 in
 it
 he
 rested
 from
 all
 his
 work
 which
 God
 had
 created
 and
 made.
 (Gen.
1:31‐2:3)

 
 …
may
the
LORD
rejoice
in
his
works.
(Psl.
104:31b)
 
 Why
 does
 Solomon
 lament?
 Because
 the
 fruit
 of
 his
 work
 in
 this
 world
 is
 not
 durable.
He
will
eventually
be
separated
from
his
works:

 
 And
 I
 hated
 all
 my
 labor
 in
 which
 I
 had
 labored
 under
 the
 sun,
 seeing
 that
 I
 must
leave
it
to
the
man
who
shall
come
after
me.
(Eccl.
2:18)
 
 As
he
came
forth
naked
from
his
mother’s
womb,
so
shall
he
depart
as
he
came,
 and
he
shall
take
nothing
as
the
fruit
of
his
labor,
which
he
may
carry
away
in
 his
hand.
16And
this
also
is
a
grievous
evil:
just
as
a
man
came
into
the
world,
so
 shall
he
leave;
and
what
profit
does
he
have
that
he
should
labor
for
the
wind?
 (Eccl.
5:15‐16)
 
 Ultimately,
 all
 the
 works
 that
 belong
 to
 this
 world
 will
 pass
 away,
 as
 the
 Apostle
 John
testifies:

 
 …
all
that
is
in
the
world—the
lust
of
the
flesh
and
the
lust
of
the
eyes
and
the
 empty
glory
of
life—is
not
of
the
Father,
but
is
of
the
world.
 17And
the
world
is
 passing
away,
and
the
desires
that
belong
to
it;
but
he
who
does
the
will
of
God
 remains
forever.
(1
Jn.
2:16‐17)

 
 By
 way
 of
 illustration:
 in
 the
 making
 of
 ice
 sculptures
 there
 is
 much
 labor,
 meticulous
effort,
creative
enterprise,
only
to
have
it
all
melt
away
in
the
heat
of
 the
sun—so
are
all
the
works
that
belong
to
this
world,
the
works
done
for
man’s
 sake
and
for
man’s
glory.
Contrast
all
this
with
Ecclesiastes
3:14a;
"I
know
that
 whatever
God
does
shall
last
forever;
nothing
can
be
added
to
it,
nor
can
anything
 be
taken
from
it."

 
 From
the
beginning,
man
was
assigned
the
calling
of
working
for
God.
Adam
was
 brought
 to
 the
 garden
 of
 Eden,
 which
 was
 the
 unique
 sanctuary
 of
 God
 in
 the
 midst
of
the
creation.
Eden
is
identified
as
"the
garden
of
God"
(Ezek.
28:13)
and
 "the
 garden
 of
 the
 LORD"
 (Isa.
 51:3.)
 Adam
 was
 called
 to
 tend
 God’s
 garden
 and
 guard
 it
 from
 unholy
 assault.
 Furthermore,
 Adam
 was
 to
 exercise
 a
 dominion
 over
the
whole
creation
in
service
to
God
and
at
God’s
command:






And
 God
 blessed
 them
 and
 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
 upon
 the
 earth.
 (Gen.
1:28)
 The
 fact
 that
 the
 Christian
 is
 called
 to
 do
 all
 his
 work
 for
 the
 Lord
 is
 the
 thing
 that
redeems
our
work
from
the
curse.
In
1
Corinthians
15:58
we
are
exhorted
to
 "be
 steadfast,
 immoveable,
 always
 abounding
 in
 the
 work
 of
 the
 Lord;
 knowing
 that
 your
 labor
 for
 the
 Lord
 is
 not
 in
 vain."
 Because
 of
 the
 resurrection,
 we
 can
 present
 our
 labors
 to
 an
 ever‐living
 Lord
 and
 we
 ourselves
 shall
 share
 in
 His
 resurrection,
with
out
works
following
after
us.
One
aspect
of
the
good
news
of
 the
gospel
is
that
“you
can
take
it
with
you!”
(note
Rev.
14:13,
printed
below,)

 
 And
I
heard
the
voice
from
heaven
saying,
Write,
Blessed
are
the
dead
who
die
 in
the
Lord
from
now
on.
Indeed,
declares
the
Spirit,
they
are
blessed
because
 they
shall
rest
from
their
labors
and
their
works
follow
with
them.
(Rev.
14:13)
 
 By
way
of
illustration:
Just
as
your
U.S.
dollars
are
exchanged
into
the
currency
 of
 the
 country
 to
 which
 you
 travel,
 so
 any
 and
 every
 work
 done
 for
 Christ
 is
 “exchanged”
into
the
realm
of
the
kingdom
of
God
where
it
has
lasting
value
and
 enjoyment
unto
the
glory
of
God.



 All
our
work
becomes
holy
unto
the
LORD
when
it
is
dedicated
to
Him
and
done
 for
Him:

 
 Therefore,
whether
you
eat,
or
drink,
or
whatever
you
do,
do
all
to
the
glory
of
 God.
(1
Cor.
10:31)
 


Whatever
you
do,
work
with
all
your
heart,
as
doing
it
for
the
Lord
and
not
for
 men;
 24knowing
 that
 from
 the
 Lord
 you
 will
 receive
 the
 compensation
 that
 is
 the
inheritance.
You
are
serving
Christ
the
Master.
(Col.
3:23‐24)



 III.
You
Have
Been
Created
with
Moral
Accountability
to
God



In
 Genesis
 2:16‐17
 God
 issues
 His
 great
 commandment
 to
 refrain
 from
 eating
 from
the
tree
of
the
knowledge
of
good
and
evil.
This
was
not
the
first
and
only
 commandment
the
LORD
issued
to
man.
The
commission
given
in
Genesis
1:28,
 “Be
fruitful,
and
multiply,
and
fill
the
earth,
and
subdue
it”
was
a
commandment.
 Likewise,
the
call
to
serve
God
by
tending
and
guarding
His
holy
garden
(Gen.
 2:15)
was
also
a
commandment.
 
 But
 the
 commandment
 issued
 in
 Genesis
 2:16‐17
 is
 unique.
 It
 is
 specifically
 identified
as
a
direct
commandment,
so
that
it
could
in
no
way
be
mistaken
as
a
 suggestion
or
desire
expressed
by
God:
“the
LORD
God
commanded
the
man.”
The
 commandment
of
Genesis
2:16‐17
stipulates
the
consequence
for
disobedience
 and
non‐compliance:
if
you
disobey,
“you
shall
surely
die.”


This
particular
commandment
was
specifically
designed
to
be
a
test:
Will
man
 acknowledge
God’s
Lordship?
And
will
man
yield
his
allegiance
to
his
God?
Note
 that
 the
 commandment
 is
 set
 in
 the
 context
 of
 God’s
 graciousness
 and
 faithfulness:
the
LORD
God
has
provided
every
other
tree
of
the
garden
for
man
 to
use
and
enjoy.
 
 By
means
of
this
unique
tree,
and
God’s
commandment
concerning
it,
Adam
was
 called
 to
 exercise
 his
 God‐given
 moral
 capacity:
 as
 a
 moral
 being
 he
 was
 now
 called
 upon
 and
 challenged
 to
 make
 a
 true
 moral
 choice.
 He
 was
 being
 confronted
 with
 the
 moral
 categories
 of
 good
 and
 evil,
 and
 called
 to
 make
 a
 moral
choice.
Because
he
disobeyed,
Adam
came
to
know
evil
and
to
recognize
 good
as
a
contrast
to
evil.
If
he
had
obeyed,
Adam
would
have
known
good
and
 would
 have
 recognized
 evil
 as
 a
 contrast
 to
 good,
 he
 would
 have
 become
 like
 God.
Finally,
Adam
would
now
experience
the
consequence
of
his
moral
choice.
 Once
 again,
 if
 he
 had
 obeyed,
 he
 would
 have
 entered
 into
 the
 life
 of
 God.
 But
 because
he
disobeyed,
he
was
excluded
from
the
life
of
God.
 
 For
 the
 Christian,
 all
 that
 was
 lost
 in
 Adam
 is
 regained
 in
 Christ
 our
 Savior.
 2
 Corinthians
5:17
declares,
“if
any
man
is
in
Christ,
he
is
a
new
creature
[or,
a
new
 creation]”.
 Note
 Ephesians
 4:24,
 which
 speaks
 about
 the
 new
 man,
 who
 has
 been
“created
to
be
like
God
in
righteousness
and
true
holiness.”
The
eternal
state
 in
the
kingdom
of
God
is
free
from
the
curse
because
there
is
obedience:

 


…
there
shall
no
longer
be
any
curse.
The
throne
of
God
and
of
the
Lamb
shall
 be
there,
and
his
servants
shall
serve
him;
 4and
they
shall
see
his
face;
and
his
 name
shall
be
on
their
foreheads.
(Rev.
22:3‐4)



 IV.

You
Have
Been
Created
for
Personal
Relationship
with
God
and
Others

 
 After
forming
man
from
the
dust
of
the
ground,
the
LORD
brought
the
man
into
 the
 garden
 of
 Eden.
 Genesis
 2:9‐10
 describes
 the
 garden
 as
 a
 luxurious
 paradise.
As
noted
previously,
the
garden
of
Eden
was
the
earthly
sanctuary
of
 God,
the
Holy
of
holies
on
the
earth.
 
 Adam
 was
 created
 by
 God
 not
 only
 to
 be
 God’s
 servant,
 but
 also
 to
 become
 a
 part
of
the
household/the
family
of
God;
and
this
whole
purpose
of
God
is
an
act
 of
his
sovereign
grace.
Adam
is
not
an
emanation
of
God,
he
is
made
of
the
dust
 of
the
ground,
but
he
is
made
for
a
relationship
with
God.
Adam’s
original
home
 is
not
the
garden;
he
is
graciously
brought
to
live
in
the
garden
so
that
he
might
 dwell
 with
 God.
 Even
 before
 sin,
 it
 was
 by
 grace
 that
 man
 was
 brought
 into
 intimate
 relationship
 with
 God;
 and
 after
 sin,
 it
 is
 by
 grace
 that
 that
 intimate
 relationship
with
God
is
re‐established.


God’s
original
purpose
for
Adam
is
finally
and
fully
achieved
by
our
redemption
 in
 the
 Lord
 Jesus
 Christ.
 Our
 very
 bodies
 shall
 be
 raised
 from
 the
 dust,
 being
 reconstructed
 into
 the
 likeness
 of
 Christ’s
 glorious
 body.
 Christ
 will
 bring
 us
 into
 His
 Father’s
 house
 where
 we
 will
 share
 with
 Him
 in
 the
 very
 glory
 and
 blessing
of
God
(note
Philippians
3:20‐21,
printed
below:)
 
 …
our
citizenship
is
in
heaven,
and
we
eagerly
await
a
Savior
from
there,
the
 Lord
 Jesus
 Christ.
 21By
 the
 power
 that
 enables
 him
 to
 bring
 everything
 into
 submission
 to
 himself,
 he
 will
 transform
 the
 body
 belonging
 to
 the
 present
 state
 of
 our
 humiliation,
 so
 that
 it
 may
 be
 conformed
 to
 his
 glorified
 body.
 (Phil.
3:20‐21)
 
 We
have
not
only
been
made
for
a
personal
relationship
with
God,
but
also
for
 relationship
 with
 others:
 “the
 LORD
 God
 said,
 ‘It
 is
 not
 good
 for
 the
 man
 to
 be
 alone’”
 (Gen.2:18a.)
 The
 first
 and
 highest
 inter‐personal
 relationship
 ordained
 by
God
is
marriage.
 
 At
 the
 very
 outset,
 Scripture
 makes
 clear
 that
 God
 has
 ordained
 for
 man
 and
 woman
 to
 live
 in
 a
 sacred
 relationship
 to
 one
 another:
 “For
 this
 reason
 a
 man
 shall
leave
his
father
and
his
mother,
and
shall
be
bound
to
his
wife;
and
they
shall
 be
one
flesh”
(Gen.
2:24.)
At
the
first
marriage
God
Himself
served
as
the
father
 of
 the
 bride,
 (He
 brought
 the
 woman
 to
 the
 man,
 Gen.
 2:22b),
 as
 well
 as
 officiating
over
the
“wedding
ceremony.”
 
 The
 marital
 relationship
 is
 intended
 to
 be
 more
 than
 only
 an
 earthly/human
 institution;
it
also
serves
a
transcendent/spiritual
purpose.
It
serves
as
a
living
 model
of
the
LORD
 God’s
dominion
over
mankind
and
mankind’s
submission
to
 the
 LORD
 our
 God—a
 sort
 of
 ongoing
 “morality
 play”
 in
 which
 the
 husband
 is
 called
 to
 play
 the
 role
 of
 Christ,
 depicting
 His
 divine
 Lordship
 over
 mankind,
 and
the
wife
is
called
to
play
the
role
of
mankind,
depicting
our
submission
to
 the
LORD
our
God
(note
1
Corinthians
11:3,)

 
 I
want
you
to
understand
that
the
head
of
every
man
is
Christ,
and
the
head
of
 a
woman
is
the
man,
and
the
head
of
Christ
is
God.
(1
Cor.11:3)
 
 Marriage
also
serves
as
a
living
promise
of
redeemed
man’s
future
relationship
 with
the
LORD
his
God
(note
Ephesians
5:31‐32,)
 


“For
this
reason
a
man
shall
leave
his
father
and
mother
and
be
united
to
his
 wife,
and
the
two
will
become
one
flesh.”
32This
is
a
profound
mystery,
now
I
am
 speaking
about
Christ
and
the
church.
(Eph.
5:31‐32)



 Conclusion

 
 In
answer
to
the
question,
“Who
am
I?”
the
Word
of
God
reveals
that:
 


• • • •

You
are
a
unique
creation
of
God
 You
have
been
created
to
engage
in
meaningful
work
for
God
 You
have
been
created
with
moral
accountability
to
God
 You
have
been
created
for
personal
relationship
with
God
and
others



 The
Word
of
God
further
reveals
that
the
identity
and
purpose
God
desires
for
you
 can
only
be
achieved
through
the
redeeming/recreating
work
of
God
in
Jesus
Christ.