N0028
Explain each of the following aspects of human nature:
1. Man is created finite, temporal, and changeable in all his attributes (larger aspect).
2. Man is created as a triune personality (narrower aspect).
i. Knowledge, holiness, and righteousness (heart); fallen;
old nature/new nature; unity and order in each; order and unity
beteween all
ii. Changeable
iii. Order (layers/aspects)
a. Presupposition: Believer or unbeliever
b. Personality: Prophetic, priestly, kingly
c. Background
(1) Ethnic (civilizational stage)
(2) Era
(3) Generation: Stage, age, cohort
(4) Family: Birth order, attention, nurture, expectation
(5) Social class
(6) Education
d. Gender
e. Personal identity: Inner/spiritual, outer/material;
inner/individual, outer/collective
f. Mood
g. Fullness: Diversity and unity
iv. Double circle—old nature/new nature
v. Prophet, priest, king; personality division
vi. Universal
a. Greek: Truth, beauty, goodness
b. Hindu: Jnana, bhakti, karma yoga
c. History of Western Civilization: Rationalism, Romanticism,
Pragmatism
d. Old Testament: Prophet, priest, king
e. New Testament: Knowledge, holiness, righteousness
f. Heart: Mind/intellect, soul/emotions, strength/will
g. Ethics: Is, want, ought
h. General: philosophical, psychological, practical
3. Man is created as a body/soul unity.
i. Order
ii. Resurrection
iii. Vs. dualism (gnosticism), body as evil
iv. Vs. theistic evolution
v. Sign/reality, visible/invisible
vi. Physical death is not original
4. Man is created as a male/female unity.
i. God is masculine and feminine
ii. Masculine and feminine are spiritual qualities
iii. Male and female are equal
iv. Male and female are different
v. Male and female are ordered from man, for man
vi. What was one became two, and the two become one in marriage
vii. Marriage is for dominion, the knowledge of God vs. children,
vs. companionship
a. Rule of silence
b. On marriage
c. Male/female unity
d. Seventh commandment
e. Seven circles
viii. Order in life: thinking is prior to feeling; foundation first;
critical thinking first
ix. Order in church (rule of silence)
x. Order in family
5. Man is created in temporal (corporate) unity.
6. Man is created with a unique personal identity, by nature vs. nurture.
7. Man is created with the moral law in his heart.
8. Man is created with unity of purpose to rule the creation; dominion for
knowledge.
9. Man is created with the choice of good and evil; there are two ways
constantly.
10. Man is created to complete his work (the Sabbath); history ends.
11. Man is created in a corporate covenant relationship.
12. Man is fallen in Adam and recreated in Christ.
Tags: anthropology; human nature; triune personality; dominion; general revelation
Editor’s Note: N0028 and N0030 are near-duplicate papers; handwritten notes from both have been incorporated here with light editing for clarity. A marginal note reads, “Name it all.” This paper is part of the Foundation series (1995).
For further reading, consult the list of other publications by Dr. Gangadean.
View the original papers: