The Goodness of Humankind

The Goodness of Humankind

(Genesis 1:1-26 – 2:3)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is…”

Series Title:  “Goodness:  Two Sides of the Same Coin”

January 28^th, 2024

Something to think about:

The shining achievement of GOD’s creation was (and still is) humanity.  It may not seem that way now, considering all the horrible things that humans have done throughout the millennia, but the very essence of humanity was (and still is) extremely significant to GOD and His purposes within all of creation.  Created perfect, humans were entrusted with the greatest of responsibilities, to govern and reign over all the living creatures of the earth.  After He breathed the breath of life into the first humans and gave them the mandate to rule, GOD took a long look over all that He created and declared that it was “very good!”

Let’s delve deeper into the goodness of humankind today as we explore the reason for GOD’s creation of humans…

Genesis 1:1-26 – 2:3 (NLT),

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.  They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

²⁸ Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply.  Fill the earth and govern it.  Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

²⁹ Then God said, “Look!  I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.  ³⁰ And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.”  And that is what happened.

³¹ Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

^2:1  So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. ² On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.  ³ And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Here’s the point…

Key Point:  “Humans, as the image-bearers of GOD, should reflect the goodness of GOD completely.”

How are humans to reflect the goodness of GOD?  Let’s take a closer look…

• Humans are the Imago Dei (the  of  ).

Genesis 1:27 (NLT), So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

• Humans were tasked with  GOD’s good  .

Genesis 1:28-30 (NLT),  ²⁸ Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply.  Fill the earth and govern it.  Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

²⁹ Then God said, “Look!  I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.  ³⁰ And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.”  And that is what happened.

• Humans are the  of GOD’s good creation.

Psalm 8:1-9 (NLT),  ¹ O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens.

² You have taught children and infants

to tell of your strength,

silencing your enemies

and all who oppose you.

³ When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—

the moon and the stars you set in place—

⁴ what are mere mortals that you should think about them,

human beings that you should care for them?

⁵ Yet you made them only a little lower than God^*

and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶ You gave them charge of everything you made,

putting all things under their authority—

⁷ the flocks and the herds

and all the wild animals,

⁸ the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,

and everything that swims the ocean currents.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Something to take home:

The innate goodness of humanity lies at the heart of who Jesus was and is.  Though created in the image of GOD, we still find within ourselves and within humankind a struggle to be good and do good.  Paul speaks into this struggle in several of his letters, one being in Romans chapter five:

Romans 5:16-17 (NLT),  ¹⁶  The result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin.  For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.  ¹⁷  For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.  But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

We all contain the image of GOD within us as human beings, but that image is a distorted version of what it should be.  It’s only in Christ that that image is restored and true goodness takes root in the heart of an individual.

Key Point:  “Humans, as the image-bearers of GOD, should reflect the goodness of GOD completely.”

^* 8:5a Or Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels; Hebrew reads Yet you made him [i.e., man] a little lower than Elohim.