Science has a lot to say about Man* (used, generically, to refer to humans – male and female). However, science can only tell us about physical man – things that can be seen, touched, measured or tested. What about the rest of Man?
We know, for example, that the Bible speaks of a “spirit in man” (Job 32:8, 1 Corinthians 2:11) … but what can science really tell us about that? And what about the purpose of Man? What can science tell us, conclusively, about that?
The truth is that there is a lot about Man that science cannot tell us because is it is limited to the physical … and Man is both physical and spiritual. To answer certain questions about Man, we have to go to the Bible. So what does the Bible say about Man? Here’s some of what the Bible says about Man …
- Man (as male and female) was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27);
- Man was created to relate to God in a way than no other created being could/can (Genesis 2:7);
- Man was created to have a personal, family-type relationship with God (Psalm 8:4-8);
- Man was made to have dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:27-28), essentially representing God;
- Man will one day be like God (1 John 3:2);
- Man was made with the potential to become immortal (Genesis 3:22);
- Man is not only physical, b/c he has a spirit (Job 32:8, 1 Corinthians 2:11);
- Man, naturally, is a sinner (Romans 8:7);
- Man can be born again (John 3:3-8).
More will be said, in future posts, about what “born again” means. Suffice it to say, for now, however, that the phrase is used in reference to a spiritual, not a physical, rebirth.
As mentioned earlier, science can only tell us about physical, material man; it can tell us nothing about spiritual man. As a result, most scientists see man as just another member of the animal kingdom, albeit at the top of the animal kingdom.
The Bible, on the other hand, reveals that Man is not only above all animals, but he is also just a little lower than angels (Psalm 8:5, Hebrews 2:7) and, even that status if for a little while. Surely, the Bible reveals Man as a being with an incredible human potential. The best is yet to come.