RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL 22 SEPTEMBER 2024
LESSON FOUR (04)
TOPIC: THE CREATURE CALLED MAN
SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee
5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.
6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
BIBLE PASSAGE: Ezekiel 18:4-9.
[4]Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
[5]But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
[6]And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
[7]And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
[8]He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
[9]Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
MEMORY VERSE:.“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” Genesis 2:7.
INTRODUCTION: God created the intangible being (soul), fashioned in the similitude of the godhead with the divine nature and ability (Genesis 1:26-27). However, the soul, on its own, could not handle or use the things in the physical world because he was intangible. This situation, therefore, requires that provision be made for a container (physical body) through which the soul can operate and relate with the physical world. Hence, the forming of man from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7a). The man; now body and soul, was inactive until God breathed life into his nostrils, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4).
OUTLINES:
1..GOD’S IMAGE
2. THE TRIPARTITE MAN
1. GOD’S IMAGE
God’s image upon man before the fall consists of these three things:
1. In his nature and constitution. (Not those of his body, for God has no physical body). The soul bears God’s image. The soul is an intelligent, immortal, intangible being. Man resembles God in creativity and willpower.
2. In his place and authority. Man is God’s representative on earth in authority and dominion.
3. In his purity and integrity. God’s image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness (Colossians 3:10). Man was made upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29). He understood divine things clearly and there was no error in his knowledge (Genesis 2:19). His will complied readily and universally with the will of God, without resistance. He had no inordinate appetite or passion. His thoughts had no vanity.
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Mention other aspects of God’s image upon man before the fall.
2. THE TRIPARTITE MAN
The scripture suggests that man is a tripartite being – spirit, soul, and body (1Thessalonians 5:23). These three dimensions of man are all important. The spirit of man is that breath that God released into the man he formed to make him alive (Genesis 2:7). This is why that spirit (breath) returns to God the giver when man dies (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
The soul of man is an intangible being. It gives a man personality, self-awareness, consciousness, rationality, and natural feeling. It is with the soul that man receives salvation (Mark 8:36; Psalm 19:7a). The saved/regenerated soul of man will be guided by the spirit to worship God acceptably (John 4:24). It is the soul that will stand in judgement (Hebrews 9:27; 2Corinthians 5:10). There are two possible destinations for the soul; Heaven or Hell. When a true believer in Christ dies, the soul goes to Heaven while the soul of an unrepentant sinner goes to Hell (Daniel 12:2; Ezekiel 18:4c).
The human body is a physical being made from clay (Genesis 3:19). It is temporal and becomes lifeless when the spirit (breath) is no longer active. It helps the soul to relate physically with the world. It is the body that gets tired and sleepy. When a man dies, the body (with time) decays in the ground (Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 3:20). We move around with the body to propagate God’s kingdom here on earth.
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Do you have any other view as regards the tripartite nature of man? If yes, share with the class.
CONCLUSION: The three dimensions of man are all important. However, it must be noted that it is the soul that will stand in judgement.
QUESTIONS:
*Identify the three ways we resemble God.
* Explain the tripartite man.
ASSIGNMENT: Search the scriptures and draw out five figurative expressions and their references used to describe the person of God that speaks more about man’s physical attributes. (2×5=10 Marks).
