THE VALUE OF MAN
A. HUMAN ESTIMATES OF THE VALUE OF MAN
- Chemists say 'man' is worth about ninety-eight cents:
- Nations' estimate of man in time of war:
- Used to be less than the price of a good horse.
- Less than any investment made for military reasons.
- In places of amusements, man is worth less than the satisfaction of animal passions, less than a filthy dollar made either in a liquor store or in a tavern, or in a theater:
B. MAN'S IMPORTANCE IN THE UNIVERSE
- Counted as a small dust: Isa. 40:15
- Lighter than nothing: Ps. 62:9
- His endurance is comparable to:
- Green grass - Isa. 40:6; 1 Pet. 1:24
- Vapor - Jas. 4:14
- A tale that is told - Ps. 90:9
- His stand before God:
- As an unclean thing - Isa. 64:6
- A condemned rebel - Rom. 3:23, 9-11
- A slave to evil habits - Rom. 7:15-17, 25, 26; Jer. 13:23
- A captive of Satan - John 8:34, 44; 2 Tim. 2:26; Rom. 6:16
- The prodigal son - Luke 15:11-32
- The lost sheep - Luke 15:1-6
- A stranger to the promise of God - Eph. 2:11
- Less than nothing - Ps. 62:9
C. CHANGED VALUES
- The gospel of Jesus Christ has changed the value of man:
- He has again become a son of God - 1 John 3:1-3; John 1:12, 13
- A new creation - 2 Cor. 5:14-17; Eph. 2:10
- Worth more than the whole world - Matt. 16:26
- The salt of the earth - Matt. 5:13
- The light of the world - Matt. 5:14-16
- A costly pearl - Matt. 13:45, 46
- One of God's treasured jewels - Mal. 3:16, 17
- A saint - Ps. 50:5; 1 Cor. 1:2
- A fellow heir to God's promises - Eph. 3:6
- The price God was willing to pay for man's redemption:
- "Ye are bought with a price" - 1 Cor. 6:20
- The price for man's redemption included the best Heaven had to offer - John 3:16
- Holy angels are put to serve men that are to be
heirs of God's kingdom - Heb. 1:13, 14
- They protect him against danger - Ps. 34:7; Dan. 6:22
- They deliver men from death - Acts 5:19
- They are God's messengers of peace to men - Luke 2:13, 14
- They will gather the saints for a trip to heaven - Matt. 24:31
- The ministry of the Holy Spirit is wholly dedicated to the preparation of man for immortality - John 16:13; Zech. 4:6