The Destiny of Man in God’s Creation – JSS1 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Man’s destiny in God’s creation is to hold a place of dignity. Man was created in the image of God, on the sixth day, as the crown of creation. God gave him authority to subdue and have dominion over every created thing, and the power to be fruitful and multiply.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State the authority God gave man at creation.
2. Explain what dignity means in the creation of man.
3. Describe how man was created in the image of God.
4. Show how the image of God is seen in human intelligence, creativity, love and care for others.
5. Give examples of how man thanks God for his position of dignity.

In whose image was man created?

Man was created in the image of God, after His likeness. For this reason man is called “the pyramid of creation”. He is the crown of creation. God gave man the power to subdue and have dominion over every created thing. He also gave man the power to be fruitful and multiply.

What special consideration did God give man at creation?

The special consideration given to man at creation is dignity. The dignity of man in God’s creation rises every day, and the Ten Commandments given to man attest to this.

A helper for man

Man was created on the sixth day. God felt that man should not be alone, so He created a helper for him. “Then the Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Gen 2: 18).

The Sabbath and worship

In the fourth commandment, man was asked to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Man has been able to rise in dignity through this.

We go to church on the Sabbath and many of us become priests, which places us in a higher position to worship and magnify the work of God. The priesthood of man started in the garden of Eden, which is the garden of God.

Marriage

We marry today. Marriage is a charge from God, and we are raised in dignity through it. When a helper was created for the first man, he was so overwhelmed that he said, “This is now the bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. For this cause, a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2: 23-24).

How is the image of God shown in man?

The image of God is shown in human intelligence, creativity, love and care for others.

• Intelligence: man can reason and distinguish between good and bad.
• Creativity: man can design and mould images and many other things that are good for decoration.
• Love and care: the love man has for one another comes from God, and we take care of ourselves as God has taken care of us from the beginning.

How does man thank God for his dignity?

Man realises that God put him in a position of dignity, so he thanks God by offering sacrifices, like those of Cain, Abel and Abraham. Even now, man gives thanks to God for His mercy.

Evaluation

1. What authority was conferred on man after creation?
2. What do we mean by “dignity”?
3. Did God create human beings in His image? If yes, explain.
4. Mention 3 reasons why human beings were created.

Assignment

Reading assignment

1. Christian Religious Education for JSS Bk 1, Adeyinka et al., Chapter 1, pages 6-9.
2. Modern Biology: read on Darwin’s Evolution Theory of Man.

Weekend assignment

1. Man was created in the ____ of God. (a) picture (b) height (c) image
2. _____ is the crown of creation. (a) Lion (b) Elephant (c) Man
3. Adam called Eve “woman” because (a) Eve was very obedient (b) Eve was taken from the dust (c) Eve was taken from his ribs
4. The image of God is shown in terms of human ____. (a) creativity (b) intelligence (c) death

Theory

1. How is man a special creation of God?
2. What is dignity? Show how Adam and Eve were dignified by God.