Fully Human - What Does It Mean To Be A Human Being?

In thinking about what it means to be fully human, I want to go back to two beginnings:

1. the beginning of humans on earth: Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

2. the beginning of the church: Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Each time, humans are sent out with a task, a purpose to fulfill which I believe displays the purpose of humankind.

HUMANS ARE SUB-CREATORS

Human kind starts when God creates Adam from the dust of the earth and then the first command Adam and Eve receive is to create more life. Our sexuality is a big part of what makes us fully human because we get to participate with God in creating life. Likewise, Jesus’ first command to the church is to make disciples. We get to participate with God in the creation of spiritual multiplication.

HUMANS ARE IMAGE BEARERS

Being the Imago Dei here on Earth, authority is bestowed upon humans in Genesis to be God’s royal representatives over everything. In Matthew 28 Jesus reassures His disciples that He has the authority and therefore is able to bestow it on them. Being made in God’s image, we are responsible handle our authority the way Jesus handled His: by becoming a servant. As Dan Wilt pointed out, we are called to be stewards and care-takers. In order to better fulfill our calling to represent God we are called to worship because “You become like what you worship.” (Wright 148)

HUMANS ARE RELATIONAL

By being fruitful and multiplying life spiritually and physically, we are automatically creating community. It has never been all about the individual, the “me”. Dan Wilt points out that it’s a “cosmic salvation.” Christ redeemed the whole created order, not just the individual. This is important to keep in mind since as we just saw, we are created in the Image of God, given authority to be care-takers of the people to whom and the environment to which we relate.

HUMANS ARE SALVIFIC STORY-TELLERS

As image bearers of God, we are given authority to multiply spiritually and physically, thus growing in community. These are all intricately woven together but would not fit right if weren’t for this last attribute. Telling stories of hope and salvation is HOW you multiply spiritually. No one can become a disciple if they don’t hear about Jesus!