1. Man Was Created by God, Not Evolved
The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Man did not evolve from lower animals. He was a direct, immediate, and special creation of God. Adam is the first man, the federal head of the human race. Eve was created from Adam's rib. Every human being is descended from this first pair. To deny the historical Adam is to undermine the entire biblical doctrine of man and sin.
2. Man Was Made in the Image and Likeness of God
God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. The image of God includes rationality, morality, spirituality, creativity, dominion, relational capacity, and immortality. Man is not a higher animal; he is the unique image-bearer of God. This image, though marred by sin, is not lost, which is why murder is forbidden.
3. Man Consists of Body and Soul/Spirit
The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. That is the material body. Then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Man is not merely a body; he possesses an immaterial soul that continues after death. Fear God who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. The soul is the seat of personality, intellect, emotion, and will. At death, the body returns to dust, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
4. Man Was Created Good and Upright
God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Man was created upright, without sin, without corruption, and without death. Adam and Eve were in a state of original righteousness, holiness, and knowledge of God. They had free will but were not immutable. They had the ability to sin and the ability not to sin. Their nature was good, but it was not yet confirmed in glory.
5. Man Was Given Dominion Over Creation
God said, "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Man is the vice-regent of God on earth. He was commanded to subdue the earth and rule over it. This dominion is not a license for exploitation but a stewardship under God. Man is accountable to God for how he exercises dominion over creation.
6. Man Was Given the Sabbath Rest
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. From creation, man was given a pattern of six days of labor and one day of rest, worship, and delight in God. This creation ordinance predates the Mosaic law and is binding on all mankind.
7. Man Fell Through Disobedience
By one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Adam, the federal head of humanity, disobeyed God's command by eating the forbidden fruit. Through that one sin, Adam's nature became corrupt, and that corrupt nature is imputed and transmitted to all his descendants. All men are born in sin, under condemnation, and subject to death.
8. Man Is Totally Depraved (Radical Corruption)
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. Total depravity does not mean that every man is as evil as he could be. It means that sin has affected every part of man—mind, will, emotions, and body. Man, apart from grace, is unable and unwilling to come to God.
9. Man's Chief End Is to Glorify God
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Man was created for God's glory. To glorify God means to reflect His character, obey His commands, and delight in His presence. The Westminster Shorter Catechism rightly summarizes: "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Anything less is sin.
10. Man Is Distinctly Male and Female
Male and female He created them. God created two complementary sexes, not a spectrum. The man was created first, then the woman. The woman was created from the man and for the man. Marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman. Sexual identity is not a social construct but a divine creation. To reject one's biological sex is to reject the Creator's design.
11. Man's Condition Apart from Christ Is Hopeless
You were dead in trespasses and sins. Without Christ, man is an enemy of God, a child of wrath, a slave to sin, blinded by the god of this age, and destined for eternal punishment. There is no spark of divinity within man that can save him. No amount of good works, religion, or morality can restore him. He must be born again by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Man is not an accident of evolution but the special creation of God, made in His image. He is fearfully and wonderfully made. Yet man is fallen, corrupt, and under judgment. The only hope for man is not self-improvement but regeneration through Jesus Christ, the last Adam. In Christ, the image of God is being restored, and one day, in glory, it will be perfected.