The Doctrine of Man | Psalm 8:1-9 | Message 8
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1 Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
You have covered the heavens with your majesty.[a]
2 From the mouths of infants and nursing babies,
you have established a stronghold[b]
on account of your adversaries
in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.3 When I observe your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you set in place,
4 what is a human being that you remember him,
a son of man[c] that you look after him?
5 You made him little less than God[d][e]
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all the sheep and oxen,
as well as the animals in the wild,
8 the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea
that pass through the currents of the seas.9 Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!Psalm 8:1-9
Psalm 8 lifts our eyes to the heavens and then back to the mystery of humanity: “What is man that You are mindful of him?” When David stares at the moon and stars—the work of God’s fingers—he marvels that the Creator crowns people with glory, grants them dominion, and knows them intimately. That is the starting point for Christian anthropology.
Anthropology: What We Mean
Two Greek words frame the doctrine: anthrōpos (man) and logos (word or discourse). Christian anthropology answers who we are, where we came from, what went wrong, and why we matter.
The Origin of Man
The battleground today is origin. Scripture opens with a shout of clarity: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Against atheistic evolution—which denies God—and theistic evolution—which tries to blend random process with divine oversight—biblical faith affirms special creation. The design of the human hand, the precision of molecular “machines,” and the fine-tuned order of the cosmos point to intelligence, not accident. As one scientist quipped, when the climber of “pure reason” finally scales the last peak, he finds theologians sitting there for centuries. Creation isn’t a myth to be discarded; it’s the foundation under every page of Scripture and every breath we take.
The Nature of Man
“Let Us make man in Our image…male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26–27). Humanity bears the image of God—endowed with dignity, rationality, moral capacity, creativity, and relationality. God is triune—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and He made us as body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12). This means people are not accidents of nature; we are purposeful beings who reflect God’s character and are accountable to Him.
The Soul’s Equipment: Intellect, Will, Conscience
God has wired the inner person with intellect (to discern what is true), will (to choose what to do), and conscience (to urge what we ought to do). Scripture describes varied conditions of the conscience: an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22) that tolerates darkness; a defiled conscience (Titus 1:15) dulled by repeated compromise; a weak conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7–12) easily wounded; a good conscience (Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 1:5, 19) aligned with God’s Word; a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9) guarded carefully; and a seared conscience (1 Timothy 4:2) cauterized by persistent sin. Like a warning tone on the boundary of a yard, conscience “beeps” when we near danger. Ignore it long enough, and the signal fades. Heed it, and life flourishes.
The Fall of Man and Its Ripple Effects
Genesis 3 records humanity’s tragic revolt. Tempted by the serpent, Adam and Eve distrusted God’s goodness and crossed the line. The results fell like dominoes: shame (“they knew they were naked,” 3:7), fear (“I was afraid,” 3:10), discord (blame-shifting, 3:12), suffering (3:16–19), death (Romans 5:12), and ultimate separation from God (Genesis 3:22–24; Matthew 25:41). Pull God out of a life, a marriage, or a culture, and darkness multiplies. The doctrine of man must therefore reckon with our greatness by creation and our ruin by sin.
Signs of Divine Design in Creation
From electric eels to fireflies, from the octopus’s jet propulsion to a bat’s echolocation, the natural world teaches engineering, artistry, and order. If a miniature solar system on a desk demands a designer, how much more the actual heavens? Christian anthropology is not anti-science; it insists the Author of nature is also the Author of Scripture.
Why This Matters
A correct view of man fuels the proper way of life. Because we bear God’s image, every person has dignity—unborn or elderly, healthy or hurting, famous or forgotten. Because we are fallen, every person needs redemption—not a moral tune-up but a new birth. And because Christ has come, every person can be restored by grace through faith.
The Way Back: Grace that Reforms the Human Person
The gospel answers our deepest anthropology. In Christ we receive forgiveness for sin, a new heart that loves what God loves, the Holy Spirit who renews our minds, and a commission to steward creation, serve neighbors, and make disciples. This renewal reaches into every arena—personal purity, truthful speech, faithful marriages, courageous parenting, compassionate citizenship. The Spirit reshapes intellect, fortifies will, and sensitizes conscience so that we live with a good conscience before God and people.
A Call to Worship and Assurance
Christian anthropology ends where Psalm 8 began—in worship. “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Redeemed people sing. As Charles Wesley exulted, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise!” Can you say with confidence, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine”? In a universe vast beyond calculation, God has set His love on you. He made you in His image, He weeps over your fall, and He offers you restoration in His Son. Come to Christ, live by the Spirit, and bear God’s likeness with bold, humble joy
