What is man that thou art mindful of him.

Psalm 8

1. Made in the image of God - Genesis 1:26-27

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

a. He is the father of our spirits -- Heb. 12:9 --

2. Made for fellowship with God -

a. In garden - 'walked with God' -- in heaven will again --

b. DEATH = separation, hell = eternal separation from God, Mtt. 25:

3. Cared for more than the animals / world -

a. Matt. 6:25-26 - are you not worth more….

b. Man was given dominion - man the crowning glory of God's creation --

4. Loved of God --

a. John 3:16 -

b. Rom. 5:5f

c. NOW God's children -- 1 John 3:1f

Problems

1. Does NOT mean will not be condemned from the presence of God --

a. Universalists --

b. Aptly refuted by judgment passages -- Mtt. 7:21f, Mtt. 25; Mk. 16:15-16, 2 Thess. 1:7-9

2. Does NOT mean that we are lost / separated because of SIN --

a. Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8, Gal. 5:19ff,

3. Problem passages / thoughts -

a. "Such a worm as I" --

1. Passage - PSALM 22 - of the MESSIAH!

2. Not GOD's estimation -- but rather how is viewed by the men that rejected him!

b. "all righteousness as filthy rags" - Isaiah 64:6

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

1. CONTEXT -

2. MEANING is NOT that when we do RIGHT is considered as NOTHING, WRONG -- -

4. OVER valuing myself --

a. Self-righteous -- Pharisee & publican (Luke 18:9f)

b. "esteem other more than self' -- the goal, hence potential problem - Phil. 2

1. Three great lessons here -

a. Christ

b. Timothy

c. Paul

2. Apostles - lesson on humility, -

a. Matt. 18:

b. Last supper -- washing of feet, lesson - greatest is he who serves…

c. 'think more highly' than ought -- Rom. 12:3

1. Graveyard full of 'indispensable men'

2. Diotrophes -- 3 John 9

3. teachers at Corinth -- 2 Cor. 10:12

5. UNDER value self --

a. Though sinned, am now REDEEMED -

b. "Careth for you" -- 1 Pet. 5:8

c. 'Beloved brethren' -- 2 Thessalonians 2:13

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 10:14; 15:58; 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 2:12, etc., etc.

d. PROPER

1. Am a sinner - but God DESIRES my fellowship --

2. AM a sinner -- but God has provided for my redemption

3. AM a sinner - but God will forgive …