Before you begin your Bible study, as a believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ, be sure you have named your sins privately to God the
Father.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Known, Unknown and Forgotten sins) (1Jn 1:9)
You will then be in fellowship with God, Filled with the
Holy Spirit and ready to learn Truth from the Word of God.
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in Spirit and Truth," (Joh 4:24)
The Origin
of Human Life
How DID HUMAN
LIFE BEGIN? How did the human race originate? The question has kindled debate
for centuries in the quest to solve the mystery. Many scientists have promoted
the hypothesis that life most likely started from molecules that formed
DNA-like material which evolved into mankind. Some believe chemical elements
spontaneously combined to produce a spark of life. Could life occur from a set
of random circumstances where the mathematical probability of happening is
actually nil? And with such uncertainty emanating from the scientific hierarchy
of our society, what should you
believe?
The
complexity and harmony of nature, the incredible precision and sophistication
of the human mind and body demand a Creator and Designer. Design and order
reveal a first cause for life, an Intelligence and Will behind the phenomenal
process of the creation of all forms of biological life.
Because that
which is known about God is evident within
them; for God made it evident to them. For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and
Divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been
made, so that they (And or we) are without excuse. (Rom 1:20)
The magnificence of creation clearly points to the
unlimited power and awesome attributes of God as the Designer.
The Bible
unequivocally states that God is the One who created not only “the heavens and
the earth” (Gen 1:1) but all life on
earth. (Gen 1:11-12; Gen 1:20-31; Act
17:24-30) Human life is the wonderment of God’s creation.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our
image according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Gen 1:26)
But
controversy stirs around God’s creation. God created the first man and woman,
perfectly formed, without physical flaw or sin, placed them in ideal
environment, and commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply.” (Gen 1:27-28) Mankind was mandated to reproduce
himself. How was human life to be reproduced? Did God provide the initial spark
of life and then entrust the continuation of that life to mankind? Or, does God
still breathe the “breath of life” (Gen 2:7)
into every human being? If so, when does human life begin?
Orthodox
Christian theology offers two schools of thought explaining the creation of
human life subsequent to the original creation of Adam and the woman:
Traducianism and Creationism. Traducianism holds that the soul, the immaterial
part of mankind, as well as the human body originate mediately by propagation,
Creationism maintains that a new human soul is created by God immediately at
conception, during pregnancy, or at the birth of every individual. Both schools
have precedence and support throughout Church history. But which position more
closely reflects the Biblical explanation of the origin of human life?
THE CREATION OF THE FIRST HUMAN LIFE
THE ACTIVITY OF CREATION
THE ACTIVITY OF CREATION
Genesis 1—2
contain four Hebrew verbs that depict God’s activity of creating the original
human life.
1. Barah means “to create,” to make
something “from nothing,” ex nihilo
in Latin. Barah is found in three
verses of Genesis 1. Each usage reflects an essential creative act by God who
generated inorganic matter from no previously existing material (Gen 1:1) and provided life to animals (Gen 1:21) and humans (Gen 1:27) where no life formerly existed.
And God created [Barah] man in His own
image, in the image of God He created [Barah] him; male and female He created
[Barah] them. (Gen
1:27)
2. Although
Adam’s human life was created from nothing, his body was yatsar, “formed” from dust, an already existing material. This
second verb, found in, (Gen 2:7) refers
to the Divine formation of the male body as a biologically living organism.
Then the Lord God formed [Yatsar] man of
dust from the ground. [Biological life] (Gen
2:7)
Biological
life exists in all cells of the body and provides the functions necessary to
sustain living material. Biological life is material and does not include a
human soul, which is immaterial. Therefore, biological life by itself is not human
life. By comparison barah describes the life of humanity as a complete and
unique creation which never before existed, “created... In the image of God.”
3. Asah, used in, (Gen 1:26) means to “make” or manufacture
something after a pattern.
Then God said, “Let Us make [Asah] man in
Our image according to Our likeness...” (Gen
1:26)
The pattern
God followed in making man was Himself, “in Our image,” be tselem, and “likeness.” What is this image? In Hebrew usage
today image refers to a Spiritual rather than a bodily facsimile. The meaning
of the ancient text of verse 26 is similar if not identical to modern usage. Be tselem
conveys not a physical, visible structure but a “shadow image.” Mankind is not
created as a duplication of God, a blasphemous thought, but in His shadow
image. Shadow image describes something invisible but real. A three part being,
body, soul and spirit God has bestowed on human beings an immaterial, invisible
essence. We are endowed with certain rational, moral, and relational
capacities, which God empowers with the spark of life. As the image of God,
human beings are the only creatures who uniquely reflect God. God the Father is
the soul; God the Son is the body; and God the Holy Spirit is the spirit. God
has essence which is real but invisible. As the shadow image of God our essence
is also real but invisible. And, like God, that essence can be defined only by
its characteristics. These characteristics include self-consciousness,
mentality, volition, conscience, and emotion. From a Theological viewpoint the
soul is the real person, existing within a biologically living body. The human
soul is perfect in its creation, but now linked to the sin nature, it functions
imperfectly. Although this invisible essence is inferior to God’s perfect
essence, the soul is the element that establishes man’s superiority over
creatures. Every individual has an identical essence of soul, but each person
has a different personality reflecting the combination of the facets in the
soul. Let me explain. If emotion supersedes and overshadows mentality and
conscience, an unstable, maladjusted personality can emerge. If mentality and
conscience balance, guide, and direct the emotional life, a stable and
well-adjusted personality can develop. Heredity and environment also influence
the various aspects of personality, but volition ultimately determines the
priority of the facets of the soul.
Asah in, (Gen
1:26) refers to the particular creation of soul life in human
beings. Since “make,” asah, and
“create,” barah, are both connected
with the phrase “in Our image [Image of God]” The human soul was “created,” barah, from nothing but was also “made,”
asah, after a pattern, which was “the
image of God.” Asah and barah,
therefore, mark the creation of soul life, a life unique to mankind. Of all
God’s creatures no other is said to be made in His image.
4. In
contrast to yatsar, used to describe
the creation of biological life in the male, (Gen
2:7) a fourth verb banah,
“to build,” depicts the, Divine construction of the female body.
And the Lord God fashioned [Banah] into a
woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and
brought her to the man. (Gen 2:22)
As with the
formation of the male body, the construction of the female body included conveying
biological life. This biological life and soul life were given simultaneously,
first to Adam and later to the woman. These four Hebrew verbs are used to
designate two of three categories of life.
THE PATTERN
OF CREATION
The pattern
of initial creation is clearly seen in, (Gen 2:7).
Then the Lord God formed [Yatsar] man
of dust from the-ground, [Biological life] and breathed [Naphach] into
his nostrils the breath of life; [Neshamah hayyah, soul life] and man
became a living being {Nephesh hayyah, literally a soul having life, i.e. human
life]. (Gen
2:7)
The verb naphach, translated “breathed into,”
resulting in neshamah hayyah, “the
breath of life,” paints a verbal picture of incorporeal soul life bestowed
directly to a human being by God. Neshamah
refers to the breath of God. God Himself breathed into the first man neshamah — a spark of life. (Isa 42:5; Joh 1:3;
Col 1:16) This is the spark that
generates human life. Note the striking contrast between the tangible flesh,
blood, and bone of biological life and the intangible essence of soul life. Until God exhaled breath into the first human body, which
was “formed” biologically alive, man could not be “a living soul.” This is true
for every human being born throughout history.
Therefore,
the joining of soul life, depicted by the verbs barah and asah, with
biological life, depicted by the verbs yatsar
and banah, formed a third category,
human life, nephesh hayyah, (Gen 2:7) in the first man and woman.
THE
CATEGORIES OF LIFE
CREATION
BEFORE THE FALL
God’s initial
creation of mankind reveals three categories of life inherent in every human
being. First, God created biological life from the dust of the ground, the
chemicals of the soil. Second, He created soul life out of nothing and imparted
that life to biological life. Third, He combined biological life with soul life
to create human life.
(Gen 2:7) narrates a miraculous chain of events.
The use in the Hebrew of the waw
consecutive reveals that each creative act of God succeeds His previous act.
Therefore, God’s remarkable creations took place in a logical order:
1. The
formation of biological life from dust;
2. The
imparting of soul and spirit life to biological life;
3. The
creation of human life from the joining of soul and spirit life to biological
life. God established this same sequence for Adam’s progeny, the human race
minus a living human spirit.
CREATION
AFTER THE FALL
Biological
life and soul life were given directly and simultaneously first to Adam and
then to the woman. This would never be repeated again. God created biological
life immediately only twice in history. Since human life would be perpetuated
after the Fall, (Gen 3:16) how would
mankind be reproduced in human history? After Adam, biological life would be
conceived as a result of copulation and then undergo development in the uterus. Soul life would always be created by God and imparted immediately to biological life at the
moment of birth. Differentiating between the origins of biological life
and soul life is critical for discerning how human life is perpetuated after
the fall of Adam and the woman.
The
development of biological life in the womb is entirely dependent on the mother.
Soul life is dependent entirely on God. The original breath of life — the moment
Adam became a human being — set the pattern for the first dramatic instant of
human life for all humanity. A newborn baby draws its first breath when God
imparts His Divine breath into the infant’s nostrils. This is soul life created
and combined with the biological life of the newly emerged child. Why cannot
human life begin another way?
Because of
Adam’s original sin and the subsequent introduction of the sin nature after the
Fall, biological life and soul life can no longer begin simultaneously.
Therefore, just as through one man
[Adam] sin [The sin nature] entered into the world, and [Spiritual] death
through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Rom 5:12)
All mankind
was present in a seminal way when Adam sinned by an act of his own volition.
Because of his sin Adam acquired a corrupted nature. The resulting sin nature
was passed down through the sperm to Adam’s progeny, the human race. Therefore,
biological life transmits the sin nature. The guilt or condemnation due Adam’s
sin is imputed to each of us by God at physical birth because it is our own
sin. God cannot create imperfection without compromising the perfection of His
own character. Therefore, He creates our soul immediately, (Directly) at birth
apart from the stain of the sin nature inherent in biological life. He never
condones or implicates Himself in the sin of Adam, which would make Him the
author of sin, a blasphemous thought.
GOD CONTINUES
TO CREATE HUMAN LIFE
Certain
passages of Scripture declare the continuation of God’s direct role in creating
human life after the Fall. These passages speak literally of immediate, (Direct and Personal) not mediate, (Indirect and impersonal)
creation by God.
Stop regarding man, whose breath of
life [Neshamah hayyah] is in his nostrils.
(Isa 2:22)
Isaiah uses
the words “breath of life” and “nostrils” to describe soul life in humanity
after the Fall. This is the same description used for the creation of Adam’s
soul life in, (Gen 2:7). Mankind is
forever dependent upon God for soul life. That God creates this soul life
immediately becomes apparent from another verse in Isaiah.
For I will
not contend forever, [With Israel] neither will I always be angry; for the
spirit [Ruach, human life] would grow
faint before Me, and the breath [Neshamah,
spark of life, soul life] of those whom I have made {Aspanksah}. (Isa 57:16)
“Spirit,” ruach in the Hebrew, refers in this
context to human life, which God generated through breathing neshamah into the nostrils of Adam, and
likewise imparts to each person. What God breathes into the nostrils is soul
life. The words neshamah, used for
the spark of soul life in, (Gen 2:7)
and asah, the verb for making soul
life in, (Gen 1:26) are both featured
in, (Isa 57:16). This verse reminds us
that God creates soul life, and hence, human life immediately, not only for
Adam but for all humanity.
Numerous
other passages of Old Testament Scripture confirm God as the continuing Creator
of human life. After the Fall He did not delegate the prerogative of
reproducing human life to mankind. The Book of Job affirms that God continues
to establish human life. During overwhelming suffering Job unquestionably
recognizes God’s indispensable role. After Job lost
his wealth and saw his servants and children slain, he states:
“Naked I came [Out] from my mother’s
womb, [Birth] and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave [Human life and
prosperity] and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
At the time
of God’s choosing, soul life and biological life separate and physical-death
results. The destiny of these two categories of human life at physical death is
the subject of another passage.
Then the dust [Biological life] will return
to the earth as it was, and the breath [Soul life] will return to God who gave
it. (Ecc 12:7)
When the soul
departs from the body, physical death occurs. At that time biological life ends
and returns to dust. “Dust” is the same Hebrew word, aphar, used to describe the substance from which biological life
was formed in, (Gen 2:7). Biological
life is organic and genetic. Biological life does not return to God but to the
earth from whence it came. But soul life, ruach, “breath,” given by God, returns
to Him at physical death for eternal disposition. Solomon, the human author of
Ecclesiastes, recognized that God gave him soul life directly, and hence, human
life. What God gave to Solomon, He also gives to every human being. “The breath will
return to God who gave it” concisely describes the origin and
destiny of soul life after the Fall.
Isaiah
further substantiates the Old Testament assurance of God’s immediate formation
of soul life.
Thus says God the Lord, who created
the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring,
who gives breath [Neshamah, spark of life, soul life] to the people on it, and
spirit [Ruach, human life] to those who walk in it. (Isa 42:5)
Neshamah, the word for “spark of life,” refers not only to original
creation but also to the imparting of soul life after the Fall.
Note the
first part of verse 5 describes God’s past activity of creation; the verbs are
in the past tense. In contrast the last verb “gives” is in the present tense. From Adam through the time Isaiah wrote --- until the end of human history God sovereignly bestows
“breath,” the spark of life, to anyone He so chooses as they emerge from the
womb.
When God gave
soul life to Adam, He set the pattern for imparting all human life subsequent
to the Garden. Another passage from the Book of Job verifies God’s immediate
provision of soul life.
The Spirit of
God has made [Asah] me, [A human
being] and the breath [Neshamah, soul
life] of [From] the Almighty gives me [Chayyah,
human] life. (Job 33:4)
The second
phrase of, (Job 33:4) elaborates on the
first phrase. God imparts human life to every human being by breathing into
each one the “breath” of soul life.
These words
are spoken to Job by Elihu, a well-meaning but misguided friend. Elihu, an
impetuous young aristocrat, (Job 32:1-5)
is angry over the reprimands given by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to Job during
his prolonged suffering. These three friends, who are older and supposedly
wiser, wrongly assume Job sinned against God and now suffers from God’s
discipline. Job correctly denies this cause for his suffering, maintaining his
innocence. Although Elihu also believes that the unrighteousness of Job is the
cause of his disaster, he does not think the three friends accurately stated
their case against Job.
Elihu then
makes his case against Job. (Job 32:1;
thru; Job 37:24) Much of what he says
is Divine viewpoint used in the wrong context. His wisdom actually becomes
additional testing for Job. But in presenting his credentials as a worthy
counselor in the content of the speech, (Job
32:8-9; Job 33:4; Job 36:1-5) Elihu expresses correct Divine
Viewpoint concerning the impartation of soul life. Elihu reflects this
understanding of human Life as a way to gain credibility in presenting his case
against Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Despite the wrong application that
Elihu expresses in the body of his speech, his premise is based on Divine
Thinking. The “breath of God” is life, the source of human life. Even after the
Fall, God, not procreation, creates soul life and hence, human life. (God allows us to learn from our mistakes; if God does not
open our eyes we cannot see! For the testing of Job, accurate Truth had to be
used. Iron sharpens iron; Pro 27:17)
HISTORICAL
VIEWS OF THE SOUL
Human life
cannot exist on earth without the union of body and soul. The mystery of the
formation and function of the body, the material part of mankind, continues to
be unlocked through scientific and medical study. But the soul, the invisible,
immaterial part, cannot be examined through scientific observation. The origin,
structure, and activity of the soul traditionally fall to the realm of theology
or philosophy. Orthodox Christian theology has viewed the origin of the soul,
and hence, human origin from two positions: Traducianism and Creationism. Both
views are obtained from Biblical interpretation, but neither view adequately
explains the Bible’s position.
TRADUCIANISM
Traducianism
derives from the Latin word traducere,
meaning “to transfer,” and refers to the propagation of the soul by human
generation. Traducianism is the view that was held by Tertullian, (A.D.
155-220) by
the Eastern Orthodox Church, by many Lutherans, and by two modern Theologians,
William Shedd, (Reformed) and Augustus Strong. (Baptist)
Traducianism
denies the creation of the soul directly or immediately by God after the Fall.
Traducianists believe that both the material, mortal body and the immaterial,
immortal soul are the genetic products of procreation. Human life is viewed as
beginning in the womb at conception. If the soul and body are propagated
through the sperm of the male and the egg of the female, this would imply that
the soul and the body are both material and mortal. But anything material is
biological life, while soul life is immaterial, immortal and invisible — the
“breath of God.” The tenets of Traducianism make no clear distinction between
the origin of material and mortal, and the origin of immaterial and immortal.
CREATIONISM
Creationists
contend that the soul of every human being is immediately created by God and joined with the mediately formed, material part of the human being. Creationists
differ from Traducianists and with each other as to the time of ensoulment.
Some Creationists believe ensoulment occurs at conception, others believe at
sometime during the nine months of gestation, and still others believe
ensoulment occurs at birth. The Creationist view was held by Jerome, (A.D.
347-419) a distinguished early expositor of the Scriptures, and Thomas Aquinas.
(A.D. 1225-1274) Among Protestants, most Reformed theologians, including John
Calvin, Louis Berkhof, and Charles Hodge, (Presbyterian) were Creationists.
Creationism
distinguishes between the origin of man’s soul and the origin of his body —
between soul life and biological life. The Bible supports these distinctions in
passages already cited. (Ecc 12:7; Isa 42:5; Isa 57:16)
...Thus declares the Lord who
stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the
spirit [Ruach, human life] of man within him. [Reference to the
soul as opposed to the outward material part]
(Zec 12:1)
The key to
Creationism: it is impossible for a human being to
generate the soul. However, the Creationist view also has opposition. If
God imputes soul life immediately,
when does ensoulment take place? If God originates the soul directly, how do we
explain inherited mental and behavioral characteristics similar to those of our
parents? If God continues to create each soul for depraved humanity after the
Fall, would not that make God the author of sin — an impossible violation of
His character? And further, if God creates a soul untainted, then puts that
soul directly into a corrupt body, would not this action make Him indirectly
the author of sin? These are major objections to the Creationist point of view
which must be clarified.
CREATIONISM
CLARIFIED
Focusing on
the differences between biological life and soul life provides answers to these
objections to Creationism. Biological life comes from
God and our parents at conception and soul
life originates from God at birth. Once conceived, biological life
continues in two stages:
1. The
gestational stage during which time the fertilized egg becomes a blastocyst,
then an embryo, and finally a fetus;
2. The human
life stage from physical birth to physical death.
Before the
second stage there is no soul life, and consequently in Theological terms, no
human life from conception. Not until the fetus emerges from the womb does God
impart soul life. (And we receive our first SPANKING!)
THE ZYGOTE
Principle.
At the moment
of conception a mature female egg or ovum is fertilized by a male sperm, the
fertilized egg is called a zygote. The zygote later splits or separates.
Traducianists erroneously believe that this one fertilized cell begins human
life. In terms of molecular biology, it would be inaccurate to maintain that
the zygote possesses all the informing molecules, (Genetic information) for the
development of an embryo and subsequent human development. At most, the zygote
possesses molecules that have the potential to acquire informing capacity. A zygote by
itself cannot determine that a person will develop.
After
conception the zygote begins to split into two cells, then into four, then into
eight, until at a certain point it becomes a cell mass or morula, capable of
undergoing differentiation. The morula then separates into specialized cells
some of which form the placenta, others the fetal membranes, and still others
become the embryo. Only the embryo is a potential human being; the placenta and
membrane are not. Thus, the zygote can give rise to biological entities, such
as the placenta or the membranes, that is not a person. If the zygote were
ensouled human life at conception, it would produce only an embryo that
possesses human life. But the zygote does not produce an embryo only. Based on
the biological necessities of development, the placenta and membranes, as well
as the embryo, always originate from the same zygote after the fertilized egg
divides into a morula.
The zygote
depends heavily upon genetic information from the mother to form the embryo. If
the zygote were independent of the mother as the informing (Genetic) source,
then the zygote possesses only enough information to form human tissue,
(Biological life) but not enough to become an individual human being. The
zygote is not yet a union of the immortal soul and the corporeal matter that
constitute a human being. The zygote is not human life, and conception is not the beginning of human life, only the
beginning of biological life, e.g., (Jas 1:15).
Some Creationists might argue that God imparts
soul life to the embryo when it is first formed from the specialized cells.
However, Scriptures we will examine refute this idea. Human soul life does not
begin during pregnancy. That which develops in the womb is mother-dependent and
is biological life. Human soul life begins when the baby is separated from the
mother. In the womb the embryo and fetus are potential human life ---
biologically alive, genetically informed, but without soul life and dependent
on the mother.
Whereas soul life is provided by God at the moment of
physical birth and is eternal, biological life
begins in the womb and terminates at the point of physical death. At
physical death soul life and biological life again separate. (Ecc 12:7) The soul as
the real but invisible creation of God is immortal, while biological
life is mortal and undergoes change and disintegration at physical death. This
is the backdrop for Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians:
We are of good courage, I say, and prefer
rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2Co 5:8)
Therefore, biological life and soul life must be considered
as being formed separately, uniting at physical birth, and again separating at physical death.
FORMAT SOUL.
If God immediately creates the soul of every
human being at birth, then how can inherited mental and behavioral traits be
explained? The Concept of a format for the soul answers this question. As
biological life develops within the mother’s womb, there develops within the brain
of the fetus a biological home for the soul called the format soul. This
developing biological home, which awaits the imparted, immaterial soul,
consists of a genetic format inherited through the transmission of genes
obtained from both parents. Not only are size, gender, and other physical
characteristics determined as biological life develops, but also every fetus
contains the potential to acquire similar mental and personal traits from the
combination of genes. Remember, the soul is a separate immaterial entity and,
although not part of the material brain, manifests itself through the
biological faculties of the brain. The format soul is biological life, the
material qualities of the developing brain. Following birth, the material brain
becomes the vehicle through which the immaterial soul expresses itself. The
Hebrew word nephesh, often translated
“soul” or “life,” refers to the soul’s fully formed, immaterial essence which
is provided by God at the moment the spark of life is given. The breath of life
transforms the fetus and its format soul into “a living soul.” (Gen 2:7) The format soul becomes the home for
the impartation of soul life. The spark of life ignites the format soul, and
only upon ignition at the moment of birth does the fetus become a living human
being. The format soul explains how we inherit mental and behavioral traits
from our parents.
GOD IS NOT THE
AUTHOR OF SIN
The corrupted sin nature of man is passed genetically
through biological life and resides in the cell structure of the human body.
That is why this inherent corrupter of humanity is called the “flesh” (Rom 7:7-18; Rom
8:3-5) the “body of sin,” (Rom 6:6)
and the “sin” that “reigns in your mortal body.” (Rom
6:12) God’s perfect essence excludes any contact or compromise with
sin. Therefore, it is correct to Think of biological life as formed by physical
laws and not created directly by God. (But ALL things
ultimately decreed by God; Mat 10:29-31)
During the
formation of biological life, which means the formation of the human body and
format soul in the womb, there is no active sin nature. (Psa 58:3) The Bible does not teach that there
are two operating sin natures in a pregnant woman. If the fetus were a human
being, Traducianists would be forced to admit that a pregnant woman and the
fetus in her womb both have active sin natures. But, until birth the sin nature
remains dormant in the fetus. The sin nature becomes
active only when soul life and biological life are united. Once united the sentence of Spiritual death is pronounced to
avoid any compromise with the holiness of God.
At birth our
activated sin nature receives the imputation of Adam’s original sin. Until the
sin nature becomes active, there is no reason for the imputation of Adam’s sin.
(Rom 5:12-21) Our sin nature is the
home for Adam’s sin because there is an affinity between the two — between
Adam’s act of disobedience and the imperfection caused by his disobedience.
As a result
of the imputation of Adam’s original sin we are born physically alive but Spiritually
dead. The justice of God imputes Spiritual death only
where human life exists — at birth.
God’s imputation of Adam’s condemnation to us and His simultaneous creation of
our soul life makes Him responsible for the spark of human life, but not for
the sin Adam committed. The cause of our imperfection is not God but our
position of Spiritual death in Adam. There can be no compromise to the holiness
of God.
God creates
our soul without depravity and imparts soul life to the biological format soul that
emerges from the womb. At the same time, He imputes the guilt of Adam’s
original sin to every newly born human being. God’s perfect justice and
righteousness, therefore, are not compromised. Adam was the one who sinned and
we with him because we were seminally in Adam. God’s provision of mentality and
volition to Adam’s progeny does not make God responsible for our depravity any
more than it makes Him responsible for Adam’s original disobedience. Therefore,
God is not the perpetrator or perpetuator of sin, even indirectly. The
originator of sin and depravity has always been Adam’s volition.
God perpetuates human life as the means to resolve the
angelic conflict.
Mankind was created to duplicate the conditions of that prehistoric
revolt. Volition links man’s creation to resolve the angelic conflict
with the imputation of Adam’s sin to the sin nature at birth. Just as Satan fell through an act of his volition, likewise
Adam fell and with him the human race. The perpetuation of the sin
nature must always be attributed to the volition of Adam. He is responsible for
the imputation of sin to the human race by his choice to disobey God. God
graciously grants human life; Adam corrupts human life with Spiritual death.
God in His
grace provides a means for humanity to escape Spiritual death and ultimately
the depravity of our position in Adam. Jesus Christ as our substitute died on
the cross for all our sins. One simple act of faith in Him (Eph 2:8-9) gives not only Spiritual life, but
also a way to defeat the sin problem.
But God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died [As a substitute] for
us. (Rom
5:8)
This
clarifies the Creationist view. Ensoulment takes place at birth. Human beings
inherit mental and behavioral traits from their parents through the genetically
acquired format for the soul. Finally, Adam’s original sin, not God’s creation
and impartation of the soul to every newly born child, is the cause for sin in
the human race.
THE BOUNDARIES
OF HUMAN LIFE
Human life
exists from the moment the fetus emerges from the womb, when God “breathes”
soul life into the newly born child, and continues until soul life and
biological life separate at physical death. The Bible emphasizes physical birth
as the beginning of human life.
A time to give birth, and a time to die... [Birth and physical death understood as
the limits for human life] (Ecc 3:2)
For a Child will be born to us, [The humanity of Jesus
Christ in hypostatic union begins at the moment of birth] a Son will be given
to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His Name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isa 9:6)
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen
anyone greater than John the Baptist...
(Mat 11:11)
And the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all
the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, WHO IS CHRIST THE
LORD. (Luk
2:10-11)
The angels
rejoiced at the birth of Jesus, not
at His conception (Luk 2:7-14) The main
premise of all these passages establishes birth, not conception, as the opening
moment of human life. A plethora of examples in
the Old Testament Book of Job also verify this fact.
Why did I not die at birth, [Separated from the womb]
come forth from the womb and expire? (Job 3:11)
Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived [Birth and living equated] and full
of turmoil. (Job 14:1)
What is man, that he should be pure,
or he who is born of woman, that he
should be righteous? (Job
15:14)
In a lament
over his pitiful condition Job desires death. Rather than endure such misery he
wishes he had perished shortly after emerging from his mother’s womb. Notice,
Job knows he cannot die unless he has first been born, and he cannot be born
until he is separated from the womb. Job understands the physical death
described in, (Ecc 12:7) cannot occur
until human life is given at birth. Job bases his lamentation on the premise
that human life exists exclusively outside the womb. Another passage found in
Job 10 clearly expresses the boundaries of human life on earth.
'Why then have You brought me out of
the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! 'I should have been as
though I had not been, Carried from womb to tomb.' (Job 10:18-19)
As in, (Job 3:11) Job declares his wish to have died at
birth; never to have been given human life. Had Job died at birth, moments
after receiving the breath of life, it would have been “as though” he had never
existed. Had Job been transported directly after separation “from womb to
tomb,” no one would have ever laid eyes on him. In other words, he would not
now be enduring the continuing agony of his circumstance.
Chapter 10
reveals Job wallowing in monumental self-pity. In a blasphemous poetic requiem,
Job blames the Lord for his trouble. The first two verses clearly reveal that
Job regards his current plight with unrestrained bitterness. While in an
overemotional, irrational state, he fails to properly distinguish between the mediate and immediate creation of God. He falsely equates biological life with
human life, demonstrating how quickly bitterness can destroy understanding of
and dependence on the Principles of Truth.
'Your hands fashioned and made me
altogether, And would You destroy me? 'Remember now, that You have made me as
clay; And would You turn me into dust again? (Job 10:8-9)
Clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me
together with bones and sinews? {Immediate biological life] 'You have granted
me [Human] life and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit.
(Job 10:11-12)
Job correctly
identifies his human life as being immediately bestowed by God, “You have granted me [Human] life.” He
perceives his biological life as an immediate creation of God, “You have made me as clay... and knit me
together with bones and sinews.”
In bitterness
Job perceives God as the antagonist, and becomes irresponsible in portraying
God’s character. (Job 10:13-17) In his
distress Job does not make precise distinctions between the origin of the
different categories of life. The direct bestowal of biological life is (By
Divine decree) attributed to God.
Despite Job’s
temporary distraction and confusion he accurately portrays human life as not
beginning until birth. (Job 10:18-19)
Although Job temporarily blurs the distinction between the origins of soul life
and biological life, he correctly states in chapters 1 and 3 that the parameters
of human life are from birth to death, not conception to death.
THE HEBREW
PREPOSITION MIN
JOB’S USAGE.
Three of the above passages from the Book of Job contain the Hebrew preposition
min, “from,” followed by the noun beten, “womb.” In fact, the Hebrew
combines these two words to form one word, mibeten,
translated “from the womb.”
Naked I came from my mother’s womb...
(Job 1:21)
Come forth from the womb and expire? (Job
3:11)
Carried from
womb to tomb. (Job 10:19)
The
preposition min becomes
extraordinarily explicit when used with verbs that express or imply separation
or removal. In connection with these verbs the meaning of min is “away from,” “separated from,” or “out from.” Also of
significance, the basic and primary lexical meaning of min is separation.
Therefore, mibeten, used with the
verbs “come,” (Job 1:21) “come forth,”
(Job 3:11) and “carried,” (Job 10:19) confirm that Job specifically employs
“from the womb” to mean separated from the womb, which is birth.
David’s birth; and the, [Prophesy of Christ's birth ] in the Psalms --- mibeten, indicates this same
understanding of life as beginning at birth. Yet You are He who brought Me
forth from [Out of] the womb; [Mibeten]
You made Me trust when upon My mother’s breasts. Upon You I was cast [Out] from
birth; [The womb] You have been My God from My mother’s womb. [Mibeten] (Psa
22:9-10)
(Psa 22:1-31) is an extremely important Messianic
Psalm. The prophetic topic concerns the crucifixion of the Messiah. Although David is describing himself in the passage, he is
also Prophesying the Thoughts and Words of his greater Son, Jesus Christ.
(Psa 22:1; cf., Mat 27:46; Mar
15:34)
(Psa 22:9-10) speaks of the “birth” of Christ —
His removal from the womb of His mother. Notice that Jesus is not described as
dependent upon God in the womb, only outside of the womb. Jesus Christ could not be God the Father-dependent inside
the womb, because He was not a human being until His I AM became human soul
life, and fused into His biological life outside of the womb. Neither
does David make reference to “trust” inside the womb because there is no human
life in the womb.
The wicked are estranged [Out] from
the womb; these who speak lies go astray from birth [Literally, from the womb. [Mibeten] (Psa 58:3)
“Estranged”
and “go astray” are both verbs of separation connected with the preposition
min. The prepositional phrase that follows each verb conveys removal “from the
womb.” This verse indicates there can be no wickedness until a person is
separated from the womb. At the moment of birth when
soul life is imparted, the sin nature is also activated. Adam’s original sin is
imputed to the genetically formed sin nature. The sin nature, which is
passed on through biological life, is not operational until birth. No one can be “wicked” or “speak lies” until WE are born. The axiom upon which, (Psa 58:3) is built: One
becomes a human being after birth when “the wicked” (Everyone of us) acquires a
soul and an activated sin nature.
ISAIAH’S
USAGE. Isaiah contains several passages in which mibeten appears along with the verb yatsar, “to form” or “to create.” Remember, yatsar in, (Gen 2:7)
referred to the immediate Divine formation of Adam’s biological life. Yatsar often refers to immediate
creation by God. (Isa 45:18; Isa 64:8; Jer 33:2;
Psa 95:5; Amos
4:13) But after Genesis 2 yatsar
no longer points to His immediate creation of biological life. Why? Because
after the Fall biological life is formed mediately through procreation. Thus,
when yatsar is used with mibeten in the following verses, it
describes the immediate creation of human life by God after the fetus separates
from the womb.
Thus says the LORD who made you And formed
[Yatsar, created] you [Your human life] from [After leaving] the womb
[Mibeten], who will help you, “Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; and you Jeshurun
whom I have chosen.” (Isa
44:2)
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and
the one who formed [Yatsar, created] you [Human life] from [After leaving] the
womb, [Mibeten] “I, the LORD, am the maker of all
things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all
alone.” (Isa
44:24)
The temporal
uses of mibeten in the excerpts above
mark the point of physical birth, after which time human life continues “the
prior limit of a continuous period.” Min
used temporally like this can be translated “since” or “after.” By using this
grammatical construction Isaiah creates a dramatic image in his poetry. He
depicts birth, which occurs after
separation “from the womb,” as the beginning of human life. Birth is the
starting point after which life continues. By analogy Isaiah portrays birth as
the beginning point of the race and the Spiritual life of-Israel, the
commencement of the Lord’s continuing commitment to Israel in history. Isaiah
uses the birth of one man, Jacob, to personify the physical birth and Spiritual
birth of the entire race, the nation of Israel. (Isa
44:1-2; Isa 49:5) The Jewish
race began with the Spiritual birth of Abraham and was perpetuated racially
through the physical birth of his son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob.
(Isa 44:2; Isa 44:24)
represent the beginning of the new race as if it were the birth of one person.
Jacob was “formed” as the servant of God after leaving the womb, and the “Jeshurun whom I
have chosen.” (A reference to Spiritually
mature believers) Just as with Jacob the
existence of the Jewish race began after leaving “the womb.”
Old Testament
Jews were not just a race of people born physically with the genes of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. If they expressed the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who
believed in the Lord, they could also be regenerated or “born again.” The second birth or Spiritual birth marked the beginning
of the new racial species, the true Jew. (Rom
2:28-29) Through regeneration the Jew received the same Spiritual
life as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is why Jesus Christ is said to be their
God. (Exod 3:6; Exod 3:15-16; Exod
4:5; cf., Mat 22:32; Mar 12:26; Luk
20:37; Act 7:32) True Jews
were not only born physically alive as a race of people but were also reborn
Spiritually alive through faith in the Lord as the chosen people of God.
The physical
birth and Spiritual birth of the nation Israel represent a point of time after which
(Min) the physical life and Spiritual
life of Israel continues. Isaiah’s message accepts birth as the beginning of
human life. But Isaiah’s analogy would not be effective if birth as the
beginning of human life was not accepted as true by those who heard his
message.
And now says the LORD, who
formed[Yatsar, created] Me [Isaiah and --- the humanity of Jesus Christ] from
[After leaving] the womb [Mibeten] to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to
Him, in order that Israel might be gathered to Him, (For I am honored in the sight
of the LORD, And My God is My strength). (Isa
49:5)
(Isa 49:5) is another temporal use of mibeten, and portrays the birth of the
One who will gather Israel and will “bring Jacob [Israel] back to Him.” From the time of His birth this Child was destined to be
the “Servant” of God for the redemption of Israel.
Listen to Me, O islands, [Greeks], and
pay attention, you peoples from afar. [Gentiles] The LORD called Me from [After
leaving] the womb; [Mibeten] [Out] from the body of My mother He named Me. (Isa 49:1)
The One who
is “called” and “named” in, (Isa 49:1)
is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, identified as the Servant in, (Isa 49:5). He was born
not only to redeem Israel but also the Gentiles. As eternal God He became true humanity at the time He was separated
from the womb (Not before) so that the critical mission of redemption could be
accomplished for Jew and Gentile alike.
Therefore,
the imagery of separation from the womb in Isaiah’s poetry using the
preposition min determines the
starting point of redemption — the beginning point of the redeeming work of the
Messiah, Jesus Christ, for all humanity. Isaiah’s effective communication of
when and how this redemptive process starts depended on his readers’
understanding of birth as the beginning of life. Just
as human life begins at birth, so the work of redemption for Israel and the
Gentiles began at the birth of the Messiah and culminated at the cross.
THE GREEK
PREPOSITION EK
How can we be
certain that the Old Testament authors originally intended min to mean “out
from,” “separated from,” or “after leaving” in the above passages from Job, the
Psalms, and Isaiah? One vital consideration in answering, this question is the
evidence from the Septuagint. (Abbreviated LXX) The LXX was begun in the third
century B.C., and is the most important Greek translation of the Old Testament.
Significantly, the translators of the LXX used the Greek preposition ek to represent min in, (Job 1:21; Job 3:11;
Job 10:19; Psa
22:9-10; Isa 44:2; Isa 44:24; Isa 49:1;
Isa 49:5).
The primary
purpose of ek is to denote
separation. In the LXX version of the previous verses cited from Job, Psalms,
and Isaiah, mibeten is represented by
two Greek phrases, ek koilia and ek gastros.
In every reference from Job and the Psalms, a verb of motion precedes these
phrases. Ek following verbs of motion
“introduce[s] the place from which the separation takes place. Therefore, the
phrases ek koilia or ek gastros in Job and the Psalms signify
“out of’ or “separated from the womb.” But the Greek preposition also has a
temporal sense. Mibeten, which is
translated ek koilia in the LXX
version of, (Isa 49:1) is noted by
Arndt and Gingrich as a primary example of the temporal interpretation of ek — “of the time when something
begins.” Their lexicon translates the temporal Greek prepositional phrase in, (Isa 49:1) “from birth,” denoting “from birth
on.” All four of the verses cited, (Isa 44:2;
Isa 44:24; Isa
49:1; Isa 49:5) are temporal
usages. Consequently, the phrase ek
koilia in each verse has a synonymous meaning: “[Out] from the womb,” or
“from birth.” The LXX translators believed that the original intent of the
authors of all the passages previously cited in Job, the Psalms, and Isaiah was
to convey the meaning of mibeten as
“out of” or “separated from the womb.”
TWO BIRTHS —
THE ANALOGY OF JOHN 3
Human life
begins with the impartation of soul life at birth. The soul is immortal. But the immortality of the soul does not qualify a person to
live with God forever. Soul life can live
forever in hell. The qualification to live
with God, to receive eternal life, is regeneration or the second birth.
(Possessing God's absolute righteousness; 2Co 5:21)
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to
Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one
can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and
said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man
be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb
and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit. "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be
born again.' (Joh 3:1-7)
In (Joh 3:1-2) Jesus is approached at night by a
Pharisee named Nicodemus. This encounter with a ruler of the Jews portrays
Israel’s dependence upon their physical birth as descendants of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, for Salvation. Nicodemus had obviously observed Jesus’ ministry and
miracles and concluded He was worth pursuing. Like many people of his time
Nicodemus was seeking Salvation, the Messiah, and the kingdom of God.
Anticipating the purpose behind Nicodemus” first question, Jesus wastes no
time. He stuns Nicodemus with His quick assessment of Nicodemus' true motive.
Without any preamble Jesus curtly instructs Nicodemus that to see the kingdom
of God, a person must be “born again.” (Joh
3:3)
Nicodemus
responds with skepticism and misunderstanding. “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time
into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (Joh
3:4) From his question it is clear that Nicodemus has focused on the
phrase “born again", which he wrongly assumes to mean physical birth. In
his error, however, Nicodemus shows he recognizes the underlying premise of the
analogy Jesus will develop: Birth, not conception, begins human life. Notice,
Jesus does not say, “You must be conceived again.”
In, (Joh 3:5-6) the Lord reveals His analogy. He will
compare physical birth, which Nicodemus himself introduces in, (Joh 3:4) with Spiritual birth. Jesus’ analogy
equates the starting point of human life, which is physical birth, with the
starting point of Spiritual life, which is regeneration or being born again.
For the analogy to work physical birth must initiate human life. Certainly, the
Lord Jesus Christ understood this Truth and now uses the comparison in this
remarkable illustration of regeneration. Because Nicodemus also believes that
human life begins at birth, he will ultimately perceive Jesus’ analogy that
being born again is the beginning of, and the requirement for, Spiritual life.
Pride in
racial antecedence caused Israel to emphasize physical birth. But Jesus Christ points out that entrance into the kingdom
of God requires another birth, a second birth. The genes of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob are not the basis for God’s choice (Election) of Israel.
Regeneration by faith in the Lord; (Gen 15:6;
Rom 4:1-3) is the basis for entrance
into the kingdom of God and the starting point for Spiritual life.
“Born of
water” in, (Joh 3:5) implies the Word
of God, (1Jn 5:6-8) not water baptism.
Water baptism is not implicated in, (Joh 3:5)
only physical birth, which is essential to the context. Moreover, water baptism
is never a condition for entrance into “the kingdom of God.” Spirit baptism, (1Co
12:13) which occurs at the moment of
faith in Christ, is a prerequisite and an integral part of being “born of the
Spirit,” and being “born of the water of the Word.” (Joh 4:14-24; Joh
7:37-39; Gal 3:2-3; Gal 4:29; Eph 5:26;
Tit 3:5; Jas
1:18; 1Pe 1:23)
Physical
birth includes Spiritual death, a fact which Jesus ingeniously uses to
introduce the need for being “born again.”
(Joh 3:6) states that
physical birth and Spiritual birth are necessary to “enter into the kingdom of
God.” Remember, every person is born humanly
alive but Spiritually dead because of the inherited sin nature of Adam.
Since Nicodemus has already passed the stage of physical birth and is
Spiritually dead, he is forced to rely on the only declared way to enter the
kingdom of God: the second birth by faith in Jesus
Christ.
In, (Joh 3:6) Jesus confirms that
physical birth is the beginning of human life just as the second birth is the
beginning of Spiritual and eternal life. The effectiveness of Jesus’
explanation of the second birth depends exclusively upon His analogy to
physical birth as the starting point of human life. Would Jesus mislead
Nicodemus or anyone else about Spiritual life? No! There is only one
inescapable conclusion: The inception of life in both the physical and Spiritual
realms is bound to the concept of birth, not conception or pregnancy.
The focus in
the Scripture is always on birth as the beginning of life. Conception cannot
produce soul life; only the creative act of God, at birth produces soul life. (Again God operates ALL THINGS!) At the second birth
the creative act of God establishes a regenerate human being with a Spiritual
life.
"The God who
made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He
served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since
He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He
made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,
having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him
we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' (Creation) (Act 17:24-28)
MISUNDERSTOOD
PASSAGES
There are
several verses in Scripture that appear to contradict the major premise of this
book that human life begins at physical birth. Let us now examine some of the
Biblical texts often cited as proof that human life begins in the womb and
determine if there is any conflict or contradiction.
For You formed [Qanah} my inward parts; You
wove me in my mother's womb.[Bebeten] I
will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are
Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
(Psa 139:13-14)
The forming of inward parts is analogous to
the formation of the embryo and fetus from the zygote. Therefore, “inward
parts” indicate biological life in this context. When the internal organs and
format soul are sufficiently formed, the fetus separates from the womb and God
imparts soul life to the format soul. The fetus then becomes a human being,
able to exist independently of the mother.
While God’s Viewpoint has been established with regard to
the origin of human life, passages like (Psa
139:13) clearly express exalted respect
for biological life in the womb. The meaning of
such passages is related to the Doctrine of Divine decrees and the omniscience
of God. From eternity past God has known all
that is knowable. He knew every person who would be born and every event of
their life long before they lived. He designed and created the body and soul of
ALL humanity; and we are truly “fearfully
and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works. And my soul knows it very
well.”
(Psa 139:13-14) is a
tribute to God’s everlasting knowledge and care of each of us even before we
were in the womb! However it is not logical or
judicious to conclude from this passage that human life exists in the womb,
especially with so much Scriptural evidence to the contrary.
Before I formed [Yatsar] you in [By
means of] the womb I knew you, and before you were
born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jer 1:5)
Isolated from
its context this verse has convinced many people that God forms human life in
the womb. But, the explanation of, (Jer 1:5)
like, (Psa 139:13) is related to God’s
omniscience and the Doctrine of Divine decrees. Jeremiah is describing his own
call to the ministry. The omniscience of God knew everything knowable about Jeremiah
even before he was conceived. In fact, the
omniscience of God knew in eternity past all the actual thoughts, decisions,
and actions of Jeremiah and every other human being. The Divine decrees are the printout of these activities.
Even though many of those thoughts, decisions, and
actions are contrary to God’s desires, He nonetheless knew that these events
would take place. Jeremiah was in awe of God’s infinite knowledge and
sovereignty. In, (Jer 1:5) he reports
one of these decreed events — his appointment as a prophet to Israel. This is
the same verb found in, (Gen 2:7) for
the immediate creation of Adam’s biological life. However, yatsar in, (Jer 1:5) as in,
(Isa 44:2) and (Isa 44:24) does not signify immediate, but
mediate creation. Remember, God created biological life only twice before the
Fall. After the Fall biological life is reproduced at conception and is formed
in the mother’s womb.
Yatsar is preceded by the word “before,”
an adverb indicating a time predating the formation of Jeremiah’s biological
life and his birth. Only the omniscience of God, which set forth the Divine
decrees, could “know” and “consecrate” Jeremiah before his biological life was
formed or his soul life was given, and thus his human life created.
Those who heard Jeremiah’s message were aware that “I formed
you in the womb” and “before you were born I consecrated you” refers to a time
before any human life existed. In this
statement the incomparable essence and power of the God of Israel were
proclaimed. Who but sovereign, omniscient God could designate Jeremiah “a
prophet to the nations” before Jeremiah was a human being?
The statement
of God’s omniscience in the consecration of Jeremiah before he was born is not
evidence that human life exists in the womb. The thrust of, (Jer 1:5) is to praise the omniscience and
sovereignty of God in calling Jeremiah to the ministry. Only God knew in eternity past that Jeremiah would exist, express faith
in the Lord, and become the great Spiritual leader of his age. God set him apart in eternity past to serve Israel.
Even as God created Adam’s biological, soul and spirit life, He already knew
that in 626 B.C. Jeremiah would begin a prolific ministry that would span the
rule of the Jewish kings Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.
Those to whom Jeremiah ministered would be impressed with these credentials:
God called him even before he was conceived, (Biological life) or born. (Human
life) The Message
of Jeremiah is a Testimony not to human life in the womb but to the omniscience
of God.
For he [John the Baptist] will be
great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he
will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother’s womb. (Luk 1:15)
The context
of, (Luk 1:15) reveals the angel
Gabriel’s prophecy to Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, concerning his
future-son, John the Baptist. Critical to the meaning of this verse is,
understanding the last phrase, “while yet in his mother’s womb.”
The filling
of God the Holy Spirit in Old Testament times, was a temporary bestowal for the
achievement and responsibility to grow to Spiritual maturity. (Num 11:16-17; Num
27:8-20; Jdg 3:10; Jdg 6:34; Jdg 11:29;
Jdg 13:25; Jdg
14:6; Jdg 15:14; 1Sa 10:6-10; 1Sa
11:6; 1Sa 16:13-14; Eze 2:2; Eze 3:24;
Mic 3:8; Zec
7:12) John the Baptist received a special filling of the Holy Spirit to
accomplish a unique mission, to herald the Messiah, Jesus Christ. (Luk 3:4-6) cf., (Isa
40:3-5)
And it came about that when Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the baby [Fetus which will be John the Baptist] leaped in her
womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luk 1:41)
In, (Luk 1:35-36) Mary has been informed by the angel
Gabriel that while still a virgin she will conceive and her “offspring” will be
the “Son of God.” Mary is also told that her relative, Elizabeth, who although
barren and past childbearing age, has miraculously
conceived and is in her sixth month of pregnancy. Following the angelic
announcement Mary goes to visit Elizabeth.
“For behold, when the sound of your
greeting reached my ears, the baby [Brephos, fetus] leaped [Moved about] in my
womb for [Because of] joy .”
(Luk 1:44)
When
Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the brephos,
“the unborn fetus,” moved about “in her womb.” The translation of this passage
gives the impression that the fetus is responding “for joy.” “Joy” actually
refers to the emotional reaction of the mother which, combined with the
external sound of Mary’s voice, caused the subsequent reflexive movement of the
brephos.
An expectant
mother may be aware that the fetus responds to the voice of mother, father,
music, or other sounds. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth became
excited by Mary’s presence. This observation is confirmed by Elizabeth’s
reaction:
And she [Elizabeth] cried out with a
loud voice, [With great emotion] and said, “Blessed among women are you, [Mary]
and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me?”
(Luk 1:42-43)
And it came about while He [Jesus
Christ] said these things, [Discourse on demonism] one of the women in the
crowd raised her voice, and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You,
and the breasts at which You nursed.”But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe
it.” (Luk 11:27-28)
This woman who rudely interrupts the Lord’s Teaching; is demoniacally
motivated to change His discourse from demonism to motherhood.” They aspired to
replace “the Word of God” with their own false Doctrine. Her “raised” voice and
audacious manner indicates intensity, in arrogance she demands attention. Her
wrath is aroused. By mentioning “the womb” the woman attempts to manipulate
Jesus into changing to a new subject. She erroneously suggests how could Jesus
not stop and praise His mother, the one who gave Him life! Sadly, this woman
does not understand the origin of human life, and is more concerned with her
own demonic ideas; than with the Thinking of
Jesus Christ; WHO WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE GOD! (Joh 1:1-2)
The demonic
motivation of this rude and arrogant woman chooses to make an issue of the
womb. By her outburst the woman implies that since Jesus came from his mother’s
womb, motherhood is to be praised for His very existence. Slyly this woman
introduces a false Truth: the beginning of human life in the womb. The Lord did
not argue with her, debate with her, or humiliate her.
He simply replied with the Truth!
But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God, and observe [Obey and Think with] It.” (Luk 11:28)
Jesus’ first
word to this woman is the classical Greek particle menoun “on the contrary.” Menoun
was a one-word particle the Greeks used to indicate their disagreement with an
assertion. When a person used menoun,
all or part of what was just said was wrong and a correction would soon follow.
From this particle we know Jesus opposed the woman’s outcry. Subsequently,
Jesus substitutes His own declaration for her misleading and false
proclamation. The Lord’s correction addresses the issue of blessing.
By ignoring the woman’s contention, Jesus astutely rejects
the womb as the source of human life and blessing. This woman has stated
what many people wrongly believe: the womb supplies human life and, therefore,
blessing to humanity. She attempts to use Jesus as a pawn to advance the
superiority of women because she erroneously believes women carry human life in
their womb. But Jesus discounts the gender and womb issue, focusing instead on
the real issue: hearing and Thinking “the Word of
God” for blessing.
This woman’s false concept could have been corrected had she
learned and obeyed the Word of God. Ironically,
the greatest blessing to the human race was standing in front of her at that
moment, Speaking God’s Word. Our Lord’s reply
stresses the surpassing importance of Hearing and Obeying His Word! Jesus
exhorts everyone present to consider God’s absolute Truth, not this woman’s
demonic opinion. Today we hear His Word from the teaching of the Bible.
Hearing, Thinking and Obeying God’s Word is invaluable to
our study of the origin of human life. Regardless
of our personal feelings or emotional involvement with the subject, if we are
to understand the Truth we must accept what the Bible says. Do not let the tender experience of pregnancy take
precedence over the paramount issue in the Christian life: blessing through hearing and Thinking with God’s Word in
Fellowship with God the Holy Spirit! (Joh
4:23-24)
The Principle
of protection and care of biological life in the womb is always a concern
because the fetus is a potential person. But Moses, the human author of the
first books of the Bible, does not include any legal contingency concerning the
fetus. The child must be born and receive the breath of life before restitution
or retribution is exacted. If the child is stillborn there can be no
restitution demanded. However, either restitution or retribution may be
demanded for the mother. The law of retaliation was written for the protection
of living human beings, not biological life in the womb. (Exod 21:22-25) does not prove that human life
begins in the womb.
HUMAN LIFE TO
ETERNAL LIFE
The origin of
human life and subsequent depravity of our human existence have both
Theological and personal repercussions. Passed down mediately to each of us
through procreation and genetics is biological life, including a format soul
and a sin nature. God Himself is the immediate author of human life. When
biological life emerges from the womb, God creates soul life and only then does
human life exist. As we have seen, no human life is generated or formed in the
womb.
The fetus
becomes a living human being only after emerging from the womb. At physical
birth sovereign, omnipotent God imparts immortal soul life to mortal biological
life. At the same time the justice of God imputes Adam’s original sin to the
dormant sin nature. We are now human beings who are Spiritually dead, unable to
have fellowship with the perfect righteousness of God. We
possess human life but we need to be born again to possess Spiritual life.
Just as physical birth is the beginning of
human life, so Spiritual birth is the beginning of eternal life, an eternal
relationship with God. Spiritual birth takes place in only one way: faith alone
in Christ alone.
But as many as received Him, [By faith
in Christ] to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those
who believe in His name. (Joh 1:12)
Jesus Christ,
the ONLY perfect human being ever BORN and without a sin nature, was
uniquely qualified to pay the penalty of Adam’s sin. In
God’s eyes we deserve nothing but death because of our position in Adam.
Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to satisfy the wrath
of God’s justice. He bore our sins on the cross and they are no longer
an issue. Eternal life is open to all because He was
judged in our place. We simply believe in Christ.
He who believes in the Son has eternal
life; but he who does not obey the Son (The Command to believe in Jesus Christ
and reach Spiritual maturity; 1Jn 3:23)
shall not see [Eternal] life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (Joh 3:36)
From the
moment of birth you are destined for death, eternal separation from God. From
the moment of the second birth you are destined to live for eternity with God.
Once you have been given human life, the decision is yours: eternal
condemnation or eternal life.
The soul is
immortal. Man cannot create immortality. The egg and sperm cannot generate
immortality in the womb as a result of conception. Mortals
can only generate biological life, perpetuate Spiritual death, and ultimately
surrender to physical death. Only eternal God
can create the immortal soul and impart it to the fetus at birth! Mortality cannot produce immortality.
But after the
three and a half days, the breath of life from God
came into them, and they stood on their feet;
and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And
they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here."
Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
(Rev 11:11-12)
Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones
are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so
you do not know the activity of God who makes ALL THINGS! (Ecc 11:5)
End
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