What It Means To Be Human…

By Pastor Ron Tipton

Sunday, we looked at what it means to be human, from the foundation of God’s design and purpose as revealed in Scripture.  Some might wonder why start there?  The reason is that once we, as the human race, get to Genesis 3 everything about life is focused through our perceptions, desires and wants (sin rules our thinking) rather than the Creator. 

All our lives we have been plagued with the rule of sin in our minds and hearts that we just think this is normal.  The phrase “To err is human” is a post-Genesis 3 statement, but it is inaccurate when applied to the design and purpose of God in His creation of man.  This becomes apparent when God gives the law on Mt Sinai to the people of Israel.  The first four commandments take us back to God’s design in how we are to relate to Him:  no other gods, no carved image (don’t set anything of creation up over the Creator), don’t take or use the name of God lightly for He alone is worthy, and remember to set aside the Sabbath as God did to worship the Creator rather than the work of your hands. 

When I hear people talk about Sunday as the only day they have for themselves, I cringe because of these four commands of how we are to relate to the Creator, to God.  Then look at the last six commandments:  honor your father and mother (wow – think of how culture would change if just this one commandment were practiced faithfully today), do not – murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness or covet.  Because of sin God has to put up walls of behavior so that we will treat one another rightly rather than as instruments to get what we want. 

We were not created to err, but to obey and worship.  Genesis 3 changed all that!  In Luke 16:13 Jesus clearly states the two options, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth, riches, money – what you desire for yourself).  God created us to love and be loyal to Him, yet the temptation of sin led to us usurping His authority for our own. 

God’s design in the post-Genesis 3 world as we await heaven is found in Matthew 22:37-40, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  And a reminder, this “love” of God and neighbor is a sacrificial zeal for their good, not simply an emotional connection, but an active, giving love. 

Instead of “To err is human”, I think we need to live by “To love God and others is human”!