The creation of life is sometimes referred to as the constitution of man. Only as we understand how God created man are we able to understand how mankind was intended to function, Life As God Intended.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). All of God’s created Life is derived from God. As we understand the creation of life, we begin to understand the constitution of man. This is known as the Anthropology of man, also referred to as the doctrine of man or the Biblical view of man‘s origin. We might say that man is the product of God ‘s direct and special creation. To understand God’s creation, we must understand that God created three levels of life. Each having their own function or functionality.

The record of God’s creation is found in Genesis 1:11-12. The first form that God created with capacity for life was…the plant kingdom. “God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants…fruit trees …after their kind.” The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language but will use the language of the Testament to distinguish between the words that are used here in the Genesis account. The Greek word “bios” refers to physical life. Plants have physical life. From bios we get the words biology, biography, and biosphere; they all have to do with physical life.

The second form that God created with capacity for life was the: the animal kingdom. God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures…sea monsters… every winged bird…beasts of the earth and everything that creeps on the ground after their kind” (verses 20-25). Animals have a body (physical life), PLUS an additional capacity for life-function, which includes behavioral capabilities. Our word “soul” comes from the Greek psyche, referring to behavioral life-function. It is where we get the word psychology (the study of human behavior). “God saw that it was good,” but He did not stop there, did He? No. He had yet to make the crowning glory of creation.

God said in Genesis 1:26; “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Plants and animals were created after their kind, and you and I were created after “God’s kind” – in HIS Image! Notice the plural pronouns. Isn’t that awesome? What sets man apart from the plant and animal kingdom is that man is always a worshipping creature. That is never true within the animal kingdom. We have an additional capacity for life function – the capacity for spiritual life.

Man is created to express the character of God – ZOE life – like no other creature on earth could do! We are created to be energized and activated by the Presence of a spiritual being that indwells us the very Life of God! God’s greatest purpose for your life is that HIS life be expressed through you.

Man is not created to be independent. You and I are designed to function by RECEPTIVITY. We are faith creatures, meant to receive and express Zoe life. What is Zoe life? It is important that we get this – simply put, Zoe Life is the spiritual life that is in Jesus Christ. The English language often misses out on the meaning of what certain Scriptures are saying. We have seen that each of these three words, (bios, psyche, and Zoe) has a very distinct meaning, but in English, they are all translated as the same word: “life.” We see clearly in Scripture how God gave us capacity for life-function at three levels.

1 Thess. 5:23 says: “…Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is Paul’s prayer that the believers would be set apart to function as God intended at EVERY level. We call them levels of capacity for life function because we cannot be neatly divided into “parts,” or compartmentalized. Man is a human being who functions on three levels spiritual, psychological, and physiological.

Your spirit is your capacity for spiritual life function. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says: “…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you…” We are walking temples; body, soul, and spirit, with God dwelling in our center! The temple in the Old Testament had three parts; an outer court, an inner court, and the Holy of Holies, and God dwelt in the center, the Holy of Holies. Your psychological or behavioral life function is your soul. Your physical life function, your body. Bios is the Body, Psyche is the Soul and Zoe is the human spirit. We must understand, “Who we are” or “What our Constitution” (our make-up) is as a person, in order to function or behavior as God intended.

Who are you? You are made in God’s likeness! You are very specially created by God, to have fellowship and communion with Him, to be in union with Him. You are a human being who has spiritual, psychological, and physical function and is therefore unique among all God’s creatures made in the image of God.