Anthropology - Man Redeemed

Doctrine of Man V: Man Redeemed

Introduction
We have looked at Man Created (before the sin of Adam), then we considered the Fall of Man with its curses and the consequences to mankind in the transmission of guilt and the inheritance of a sinful nature from Adam

The image of God was marred as a result of sin; but it is initially restored at conversion until it is perfected in glory, at the second coming of Christ.

In this class, we will consider in a summarized format Man Redeemed and Man Glorified. We will be brief in these two sections because we will treat this under soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and eschatology (the doctrine of the last things)

I – Man Redeemed
When man was created he had the ability to sin or not to sin at will. When he lost his state of innocence then he lost the ability to do desire or will any spiritually acceptable good before God.

The Four Changes introduced by the state of Redemption

1. The person receives spiritual life I Jn 5:1, Eph 2:1, etc
2. Sin looses its absolute grip on the person Rom 6:1-ff
3. The person is united to Christ I Co 12:5
4. The Holy Spirit indwells the redeemed person I Co 6:19

a) This does not negate that spiritual growth has stages.
b) It does not mean either that there are not immature Christians for Paul admits that there are 1 Cor 3:1-3
c) The life of a Christian may incur in spiritual declension times because of the temporary trap of certain besetting sins (Ex: David) but those times of declension will normally bring the discipline of the Lord and eventual restoring of the believer. (Psalms 32 y 51).