What Makes Us Human?
by
Daniel Criswell, Ph.D.
Are humans really biologically and
socially different from the rest of the created world? Are there definitive
characteristics that separate humans from other forms of life, or are humans
simply an improvement on the body plans of other animals, the result of random
processes that have occurred over millions of years? The answers to these
questions may seem obvious to a Christian, but defining what characteristics
separate man from the animals that closely resemble him, such as chimpanzees
and gorillas, still has not been completely resolved by secular science. Is
this an answer that can be derived by studying the physical and biological
creation, or can it only be understood in light of Biblical truth?
There have been many attempts to
answer these questions. Paleontologists have identified many features unique to
human skeletons, enabling them to distinguish between human and ape
(chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans) fossils. For example, apes and man
share the same tooth pattern in their jaws; two incisors, one canine, two
premolars, and three molars. But the tooth-bearing mandible (jawbone) in humans
is smaller in relation to the skull and V-shaped, while that of an ape is
U-shaped. Another skeletal feature, the human pelvis, is more bowl-shaped than
that of an ape, providing support for the abdominal organs as a result of the
constant upright position of humans. But these skeletal qualities can't fully
define "what makes us human." They only describe some of the
attributes of the "vessel" that "houses" a human.
Anthropologists have looked for
cultural evidence to identify and describe human remains and help determine
"what makes us human." Humans have been described as tool users, once
thought to be a quality unique from all other animals. However, extensive
studies over the years by many researchers has identified tool use by
chimpanzees, and more recently gorillas, indicating that use of crude tools is
not necessarily a unique human feature. Even a sea otter uses a crude tool,
such as a rock, to crack open shell fish. The use of fire and burying the dead
are also cited as evidence of "what makes us human." It certainly
could be argued that using fire and evidence of burials are unique to humans,
but these activities result from the spiritual nature within humans. Fire use
and religion (funerals) do not fully explain "what makes us human."
Currently, molecular geneticists
have taken their turn at defining a human based on DNA sequence differences
between humans and apes. The arrangement, sequence, and expression levels of
our DNA will provide valuable information of what makes a human unique from
other created kinds, including the skeletal features and behavioral differences
mentioned above. But like the studies from paleontology, it will only tell us
more about the "vessel" humans were created in, not what truly
"makes us human."
In the Bible, Genesis
1:27 describes the creation of mankind as being in the "Image
of God," which usually leads to a discussion of the qualities of God that
can be seen in mankind. For example, God is The Creator, and although man
requires pre-existing materials to "create" new objects such as
buildings, vehicles, artwork, and gadgets of all kinds, he is capable of creating
objects for his use or pleasure from his imagination that have never been seen
before. Emotions attributed to God's character can also be seen in man. Man has
the ability to love, hate, and become jealous, and through the power of the
Holy Spirit he can express these emotions in appropriate ways. Forgiveness is
another quality that man shares with his Creator. But these human
characteristics are reflections of God's nature given to mankind at the time of
creation. Is "what makes us human" the combined characteristics that
we share with animals and the attributes of being created in God's image? Or is
there more?
The observations mentioned above
certainly contribute to our human character, but the following paragraphs give
some of the unique aspects of humanity not attributable to any other part of
creation, but to the present outworking of "what makes us human" and
the choices we make.
Our Position As Servants
Man was created to serve. Human
ambition for the purpose of serving oneself certainly cannot provide anyone
with the fulfillment they are seeking. There are many examples of people who
became famous and wealthy, only to find there is no fulfillment in personal
ambition. The resulting disappointment in reaching personal goals and not
finding fulfillment in them frequently leads to that individual's despair or
eventual suicide. King Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes, described human
ambition as "vanity" and "a chasing after the wind,"
concluding that man's only duty was to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes
12:13). Certainly, a life spent not functioning as it was designed
to leads only to frustration and misery. The role for man as a servant can be
seen from the beginning of his creation. Adam was created and placed in the
Garden of Eden "to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis
2:15).
The first recorded task man was given was to serve his
Creator by caring for the Garden that He had planted. Christ emphasized the
importance of the role of a servant many times to His disciples, teaching them
that, "he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew
23:12). He consistently used the concept of a servant as a synonym
to describe those who would be His followers (Matthew
24:25; 25:21; John 12:26). Christ responded to the question of,
"which is the great[est] commandment" by saying, "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself" (Matthew 22:37,39). It may be easy to see that
loving God with all your heart reflects a servant's attitude, but sometimes
what it takes to love your neighbor as yourself is not as clear. When
questioned about, "Who is my neighbor?" Christ gave the parable of
the Good Samaritan, who at his own expense served the needs of a crime victim
from an ethnic group that was normally hostile to Samaritans. This human
behavior contrasts with a recent study of chimpanzee behavior revealing that
chimpanzees are oblivious to the needs of others who are not related to them.1
In their book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Dr. Paul Brand and
Philip Yancey reported anthropologist Margaret Mead as saying, evidence for
civilization is when a healed femur is found. It shows that someone must have
cared for the injured person. Someone was a servant, evidence of "what
makes us human."
"What makes us human" is
our created responsibility to serve God and one another. Whether we remember we
were created to serve and do so, or choose not to fulfill what we were designed
to do, may determine how fulfilled our life will be.
Our Value to God
How is the value of a human
determined? At one time in human history, slave traders would assess the value
of a human based on the type and amount of work that an individual could
perform for his "owner" just the same as if the person were an
animal. Today the value of a human is determined by the individual's prospects
for a quality life and by how much one can contribute to society. This is
evident by the treatment of the unwanted pre-born, the aged, and the infirmed.
Mass slaughter of humans via legalized abortion, the push for legalization of
doctor-assisted suicide, and the use of embryonic stem cells have defined what
the worth of humans are by society. In addition to human value based on ethical
ills, our culture is full of social ills that determine human value based on
ethnic, social, or economic standing. Racial profiling and discrimination may
be easy to recognize, but are all humans treated equally, regardless of their
profession or economic standing? Is the trash man, referee, or sales clerk,
valued and treated the same as the doctor, entertainer, or pastor? (James 2:2-4,
9-10.)
What is the standard that determines
human value? Scripture clearly teaches what the value of a human is. Human life
is to be valued from conception to old age (Exodus 21;
Matthew
19:14), is infinitely more valuable than other forms of creation (Matthew
10:29; 12:12), and each individual is equally valuable to God (Colossians
3:11). The value of a human in God's eyes is clearly stated in Romans 5:8.
"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us." How valuable are humans? They are so valuable that
the Creator of the universe humbled Himself as a man and died a cruel death to
reconcile Himself to His most valued creation. "What makes us human" is
our incomprehensible value to God.
Our Need for Salvation
Recent natural disasters affecting
the southern United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan have emphasized the need to
save humans in times of distress. But this salvation is only temporary,
providing salvation for the physical body or the physical needs of someone who
has lost all material possessions. The true human need for salvation is from
eternal spiritual death. Unlike the response to natural disasters that make
physical needs obvious, many continue to allow another type of disaster, their
spiritual need, to continue unresolved and frequently unnoticed. And God has
permitted each human the right to choose to resolve this spiritual need or not.
This right was given to mankind from the beginning when God told Adam and Eve they
could eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except for the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). Unfortunately, Adam and Eve
made the wrong choice and all of their descendents have followed suit. Romans
3:10-18 quotes portions of the Old Testament, vividly describing the desperate
situation of the human race. "There is none righteous, no, not one"
(v.10), "none that seeketh after God" (v. 11), all have "gone
out of the way" (v.12), and "the way of peace have they not
known" (v.17). Because of this disastrous situation God in His mercy has
provided a plan for salvation. Salvation cannot be earned, but is a gift
offered to all humans as a result of Christ paying the penalty for each
individual's sin (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12).
There are many distinctions between those who possess this gift and those who
don't. Christ stated, "By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
The apostle John put it another way when he wrote in his epistle,
"Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth
not his brother" (I John 3:10). Paul further identified the
behavior of those who have received the gift of salvation with those who have
not in Galatians 5:16-24 and Colossians
3:1-11. Humans were created with an eternal spirit that will either
live for eternity in the presence of God, or exist for eternity banished from
His presence. Because of sin in the world, everyone needs salvation (Romans 5)
and God has granted them the choice of accepting His plan of salvation or
rejecting it.
Ultimately, "what makes us
human" is the choice we make about the spiritual disaster in our lives. Do
we accept the gift of salvation and experience the peace of God, or do we
reject the gift and experience the consequences of spiritual death?
The King Casino Hotel | Jamul Casino & Spa
JibuFutaThe King Casino Hotel is set 1 mile south of Jamul 출장샵 Casino, 1 ventureberg.com/ MPRC https://septcasino.com/review/merit-casino/ Blvd, Jamul, Georgia. View map. This casino offers a variety of gaming https://jancasino.com/review/merit-casino/ options including slots,