The Nature of Man Review Sheet for the Final Exam This exam will be CLOSED BOOK. These are only suggested answers. 1.
This course emphasized what three presuppositions about the way God deals with man? a. Love. God regulates His creation out of love. b. Infinite Intelligence. God always does what is the wisest thing to do. c. Design and purpose. God regulates each realm of creation consistent with the created design and God-given purpose of that realm.
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What is the two-fold God-given purpose of man? a) Love relationship with God b) Love relationship with fellow-man.
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How are the three parts of our personality designed to work together. Discuss how the design of mankind makes it possible to fulfill his God-given purpose? Semi-truck illustration. The headlights of the truck is truth. The steering wheel is the will; the tractor is the mind; the trailer is the emotions.
Our minds gain understanding and perceive what is most loving, our wills make the choice to take the path of love and virtue, and our emotions confirm it’s value and gives us the capacity to feel for others. All of these qualities are essential for relationship. 4. 5.
Definition: The will is the ability to . Originate our own actions regardless of the internal and external influences we encounter.
Explain why sin is unnatural. It is contrary to purpose and design. We are not naturally designed to sin, therefore sin is unnatural by definition. Ro.1: Romans 1: • 31 without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: –ASV C 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable... –KJV C 31 faithless to their promises, without natural affection, without human pity. – Weymouth C 31 unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful; – Young’sLiteral
-26. What are the two required characteristics which God has that qualifies Him as having the right to guide, direct, and control the affairs of mankind? Explain why a person (such as you) would not be qualified for such a role. a. He is competent to rule because of His infinite intelligence. b. He has the disposition of love, and gives the regulation necessary to bring about what is most valuable. We are rightfully required to submit our lives to His Lordship because He is both wise and good, and we are in need of such direction. 7. In addition to being strengthened by the Holy Spirit, what are the other three requirements necessary if a person is to be held accountable for his actions? a. He must have the ability to understand truth. b. He must have the availability of truth. c. He must have the opportunity to choose to live by the truth. 8. Define: "Moral law". The description of how things should operate in the moral realm. 9. Contrast the six characteristics of physical law and moral law (list six for each). Physical Law a. A description of how things normally occur in the physical realm. b. A control by causation c. No freedom. That which is cause is not free. d. No responsibility e. No accountability f. No worthiness of reward nor condemnation g. Certainty of results. Moral Law a. A description of how things ought to occur in the moral (spiritual realm) b.A control by influence c.Freedom. That which is free is not caused. d. Responsibility e. Accountability f. Subject to reward or punishment. g. Uncertainty of results. 10. Explain the difference between influence and a compelling force. State the significance of 1Cor.10:13 “There is no temptation...” in regard to influences. Influence is an appeal to the mind for a choice to be made. Not causative. Compelling force is causative, and no choice can stop it. A temptation is an influence. We are not accountable for the presence of the influence, but how we respond in our choices determines guilt/innocence. God makes a way out of tempation, and there always appears to be a way out. 11. Should the Christian be regulated primarily by moral law (hope and fear)? Why or why not. No. The christian motivation is one of love and trust based on relationship with God. Out of love for and trust in God, he obeys God and God leads him in a lifestyle that matches his God-given purpose and created design. Ro.6:14 – The characteristic of the age of grace is ‘sin shall not be master over you.’
-312. Explain the difference between a sickness and a moral weakness. In light of this difference what is wrong with this statement: "When a man kills his wife and four children, don't blame him for what he has done but look into what caused him to do it?" This statement ignores the reality of the human will. It confuses the distinction between an influence and a causation. It denies the reality that we originate our actions regardless of the internal and external influences we face, and therefore are responsible and accountable for what we do, and guilty for the crime, sin, and the evil we commit. Sickness is physical and can be dealt with by external means that removes the causative agent.. Moral Weakness is a weakness of character due to repeated evil choices, and is overcome by being strengthened out of Ro.12:2 ‘transformed by the renewing of our minds’ Ph. 4:8 ‘whatsoever is . . . keep on thinking on these things’ and Ro.8:13 ‘if you by the Spirit are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live’ a victory flowing out of relationship with the Holy Spirit. 13. List the five different means God has for controlling men and societies and directing the course of history? a. b. c. d. e.
Influence coming from truth and acts of loving-kindness Influence coming from moral law (Hope of reward or fear of consequences) Influence coming from national calamities (Judgement) External control using governmental providence Through Final judgment where God deals with an isolated culture that has so corrupted itself that God is left without any basis in wisdom to be able to continue to extend mercy to them.
14. What is Governmental Providence? Gov. Providence is an occasion when God must temporarily remove any option except one so an activity can only go in one direction, in order to establish a specific historical purpose. 15.Please list at least two scriptural references that suggest that a man can obey the law of God. Dt. 5:29; 6:24; 30:10-14; Jos. 1:8; 24:15; 1KI. 18:21; Isa. 1:19,20; 66:4; Jer. 18:5-10; Ezk. 20:7,8; Mat. 23:37; John 5:40; 7:17; Rom. 2:5-10; 6:16; Rev. 3:20,21; Prov. 1:24; Psa.119:2,3,4,55,56,60,63,67,69,87,100,166,168,173. 17. Comment on II Timothy 2:20-22 and what Paul emphasizes when he refers to vessels of honor and of dishonor. Please explain what his point is and what determines whether a person is a vessel unto honor or a vessel unto dishonor. II Timothy 2:20-22 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Paul emphasizes that whether a specific individual or nation is loving God or not, God will nevertheless work through the reality of their circumstances to bring forth His purposes as He maintains control of the direction and purpose of history. However Paul makes it very clear that it is the individual himself that determines whether he will be a vessel for honor or a vessel for dishonor. He will be a vessel for honor if he will purge himself, and be sanctified, acceptable for God's use. The Pharisees detested this message that Paul preached because it placed the Gentile on an equal footing before God with the Jew. The Pharisees thought that salvation was simply of the Jews, and that they were accepted by God because they were physical descendants of Abraham. It made their blood boil to think that Gentiles would be accepted by God and that they would not.