HUMANITY
Created in the image of God (Gen. 1.27) for the purpose of His glory alone (Is. 43.7; Rom. 11.36), mankind is the greatest of all His created works (Gen. 1.26-27). At creation, God bestowed upon mankind the authority to exercise His kingly rule over all creation on His behalf (Gen. 1.27-30). However, Adam and Eve misused and abused this regal appointment, choosing instead to use their freedom to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3.1-7). Consequently, as the representative head of humanity, Adam caused the entire race to be declared guilty by God of sin (Rom. 5.18a, 19a). His first sin in the Garden, coupled with its horrific consequence – death (Rom. 5.12, 17a) – severely marred all things material and immaterial in creation (Rom. 8.20-22).
Consequently, every individual is born in a state of sin (Ps. 51.5), dead to the things of God (Eph. 2.1-3), and in constant rebellion to His ways and requirements of worship (Rom. 1.18 – 2.27; 3.9-18; 9.29 – 10.3; cf. Jn. 3.19-20). Hence, it is completely accurate to assert that no person – other than Christ – has lived a sinless life (I Kings 8.46; Rom. 3.23; I Jn. 1.8). Every aspect of mankind’s nature is touched by sin (Rom. 7.18a), which means we are completely corrupted (Rom. 3.9-18).
As a result, God’s holy anger is aroused toward each and every individual who has not professed Jesus Christ as his only hope for salvation (Rom. 1.18; 2.5-9; Col. 3.5-6; cf. Rom. 5.9; I Thess. 1.10; 5.9). However, those individuals who place sole faith in the perfect life (I Pet. 2.22), substitutionary death (2 Cor. 5.21), and glorious resurrection (Rom. 10.9) of the God-Man (John 1.14), Jesus Christ, can enjoy relationship with their Creator again (John 14.6; 17.3; Rom. 5.1, 18-19) and move toward the ultimate restoration (Rom. 8.11-23) that will be realized at the end of time when God makes all things new (Rev. 21 – 22.5).
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