Anthropology & Hamartiology

Lesson I

Why do you think it is important to engage in a study of humanity?

The importance of studying this humanity is because of its relationship to other Christian
doctrines. It helps to understand God's work, God himself, because we learn of the Creator out of
creation.

(i) The study sheds great light on our understanding of the person of Christ as a human.

(ii) Study of human nature of Jesus will also give us more complete understanding of what
humanity was really intended to be.

(iii) This study open gates to the study of other doctrines.

(iv) It will help to understand ourselves as human & human activities.

(v) This doctrine of humanity is where biblical revelation & human concerns converge.

(vi) Present crisis in human self-understanding is a great quest for identity.

(vii) It affects how we minister to people. It helps to deal with humans & what to do for them.

2. Explain the statement that "Our understanding of humanity affects how we Minister to
them". Is it true or false? Have you observed cases when the various understandings of
humanity play out with people you have watched Minister?
Human as Physical beings
→ Those who view human as Physical beings they only deals with the Physical Matters
only; they concentrate on the Physical related Matters and needs.
→ Rational beings: thy deals with their Intellects
→ Emotional beings → thy deals with their emotional part of their needs.
NB Our Conception of humans is Crucial to how we Minister to human beings.

3. What do you think is the relationship between the study of humanity and other
doctrines? Discuss
It helps to understand the Study of eschatology. Where man understand his end and what will
happen at the end of life is death.
Pneumatology - the study of the who Holy Spirit is understood and the work of the Holy Spirit in
Convincing Man of this, Sin
Christiology → study of Christ it helps to understand the coming of Jesus as human to redeem
 Man from his Sin, Salvation & redemption of man after his [Link] & angles, Ecclesiology,
salvation

[Link] of the above Contemporary Images is prevalent in your society, What should be
the right Image of Man?

 Man is a Machine - people are Valued for what they can do but not what can be done In them.

 The right Image is that we are created in the Image of God and when you accept God creatively
you attain Self-acceptance. We are fearfully and Wonderfully Made of God.

Lesson 2

What would change in the world today if We lived by the nine points above?

 The world would be at peace because we are related one to another. Here is the element of
brotherhood.
 There will be pure worship of God.
 We will not rely on our own understanding.
 We can be in a position to live like God for we are created in the image and likeness of God.

2. Why did God put us here and what are we to do in light of that purpose

 The Main purpose of God Creating Man Was to Love, serve him and have a relationship with
him.
 God had intentions in making His own Image and did creat Man with Limitations. So as Man
should always rely on his Creator "God the father."

Lesson 3

How will the understanding of the Image of God in Man change our view of God, the
World and other human?

 Understanding the God in the Man's Image helps us to view the human nature physical &
spiritual part of which is called the Substantive View.
 Relational View -> it depends on how deep one is in relationship with God. It says your
relationship with God is determined by how well one relate with God. If you believe you have
poor relationship.

 Functional View -> as man exercise dominion on earth he is said to Manifest the Image of God,
and to be in relationship with God.

Lesson 4

Which view of the Constitution of Man do you think is the best possible explanation of the
nature of Man? & why?

Trichotomism

A human being Constitutes 3 elements that makes a complete human being.

1) Physical body-this is also found in animals & plants but the human body has a complex
The 3 elements includes:

2) Soul-This includes the psychological elements the bases of reason, emotion, social
degree.

3)Spirit-this is the breath of God and Completely Separate Man from Animals. It's religious
Interactions. This distinguishes humans from animals.

element enables humans to perceive Spiritual Matters & respond to Spiritual stimuli.

Trichotomism explain the full human image of Man and explains 1st Thessalonians 5:23
explains it well.

Lesson 5
Which of the six issues do you see in your context that challenges you?
→ Fetus is a human in God's sight. May people takes the fetus is not a human being but
according to Psalms 139: 13-15 God is Consider the formation of a human being from
Conception.
Psalms 51:5→ Man became sinful from Conception.

Lesson 6

[Link] is it difficult for people in Contemporary culture to even discuss the concept of Sin?
Because Sin is not a pleasant thing to think of and people don't like thinking of themselves as
evil or bad persons.
Sin is taken as a doing thing in the Society and people don't like blaming Calamity on Sinfulness
of man but rather on the environment.
The concept of sin is not well grasped and it's the inner force that controls a person.

2. What is the biblical approach, among the possible approaches, to the study of sin in the
best one to us?

 Ignorance - Acts 17:30 God overlooked but now he Judges Men as per their Sins.
 Error → the ii. tendency of a human to go astray or to make mistakes could be the evil
spirits
 Inattention → Failure to heed when God is speaking. Hebrews 2:2-3
 Missing the Mark → The failure to hit the Mark He has set for us. Failure to meet the
expected standards. Corinthians 3:16-17
 Iniquity → Worshiping opposite of what God expects and is in the Law
 Transgression → It means to cross over or pass by or going beyond the Comet that has
been set.
 Treachery → It has the idea of breach of trust.
 Abomination → God's attitude towards Sin.

3) How Would you advice Someone who is Continually giving himself to temptation?
 Remind them that they are not alone, God is always Under their struggle
 Urge them to rely on God’s strength and not their own.
 Help them to identify their weak points
4) What are the Stages of temptation and how can it be revised.
i. It Starts with an evil thought (external temptation) it Consents or yield to the evil thought
(sin)
ii. The desire to enjoy this can lead to Lust of flesh.
iii. Desire to obtain things - The craving to obtain or possess things . When this desire
becomes so strong that one is willing to satisfy it at any cost, it becomes the lust of the
eyes
iv. The desire to do things, to achieve anything pursued at the expense of other humans
degenerate into pride of Life.
Sin as Distrust & Disobedience
Sin stems from unbelief, the failure to trust that God's will & ways are good.
Sin is Idolatry - Replacing God with something else as our ultimate source of Meaning or
Satisfaction
Let God be God - We have peace & direction (Isaiah 48:22)
Lesson 7
1) What instances of people falling from God have you seen of late
Failing to let God be God → Due to poor economic status people are not waiting on God they
are involving themselves with bribery to get what they want in life
2) What do you think was the source of failure
Human (man) was the source of failure
Satan → He lead to the Eve towards failure
Human heart → Even after the death of Adam & Eve Man continued to sin because the sin was
in the heart of man.