Bible Study 1: The Organic Man — Created in God’s Image

Bible Study 1: The Organic Man — Created in God’s Image

Opening Introduction

“What does it mean to be a man? That question has confused and divided people for generations. Ask ten different people, and you’ll probably get ten different answers.

Some will say a ‘real man’ is tough—he never cries, never shows weakness, always pushes through. Others will say a man is defined by what he does: he earns money, fixes things, or protects his family. Still others picture a man as independent—strong-willed, self-reliant, and never asking for help.

But if we’re honest, most of us have felt the tension. Culture throws out slogans, stereotypes, and sometimes outright contradictions: ‘Be strong, but be sensitive. Be a leader, but don’t be domineering. Be independent, but always available.’ It’s no wonder so many men today feel uncertain about what true manhood is supposed to look like.

The truth is, culture didn’t create manhood—God did. The Bible begins with the creation of man and woman in the image of God. That means being a man is not about living up to society’s expectations or proving yourself through performance. It’s about living as an organic human—a living soul, made in God’s image, designed for relationship with Him and for stewardship of His creation.

So today, as we study Genesis 1 and 2, we’ll ask: What does it mean to be a man according to God’s design? And how does that definition bring clarity in the middle of cultural confusion?”

Scripture

Genesis 1:26–28

Hebrew (Selected Phrases):

• וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים (Vayomer Elohim) — “And God said”
• נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ (Na‘aseh Adam b’tzalmenu kid’mutenu) — “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
• וְיִרְדּוּ (veyirdu) — “and let them rule/have dominion.”
• פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ (peru urvu) — “Be fruitful and multiply.”

WEB Translation:

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 birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Key Word Study:

• Tselem (צֶלֶם) — “image, reflection, statue, representation.” Suggests men represent God’s character in creation.
• Demut (דְּמוּת) — “likeness, pattern, similarity.” Implies resemblance but not identity — men are like God but not God.
• Radah (רָדָה) — “rule, have dominion.” Implies stewardship, not exploitation — care for creation as God’s vice-regent.
• Parah & Rabah (פָּרָה / רָבָה) — “be fruitful and multiply.” Not just reproduction, but the flourishing and expansion of life under God’s blessing.

Genesis 2:7

Hebrew (Selected Phrases):

• וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם (Vayyitzer Yahweh Elohim et-ha’adam) — “Then Yahweh God formed the man.”
• עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה (afar min-ha’adamah) — “dust from the ground.”
• וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (vayyipach b’appav nishmat chayyim) — “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”
• וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (vayehi ha’adam l’nefesh chayah) — “and the man became a living soul.”

WEB Translation:

Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Key Word Study:

• Yatsar (יָצַר) — “to form, fashion like a potter.” God’s intimate craftsmanship in making man.
• Afar (עָפָר) — “dust.” Symbol of humility, dependence, mortality.
• Nishmat (נִשְׁמַת) — “breath, spirit.” Life directly imparted by God.
• Nefesh (נֶפֶשׁ) — “living being, whole person, soul.” Refers to integrated life (body + spirit), not a disembodied ghost.

Psalm 8:4–6

Hebrew (Selected Phrases):

• מָה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי־תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ (Mah enosh ki tizkerennu) — “What is man that You remember him?”
• וּבֶן־אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ (u-ven adam ki tifkedennu) — “or the son of man that You care for him?”
• וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים (vatt’chasrehu me‘at me’Elohim) — “You made him a little lower than God” (some translations: “angels”).
• וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ (ve’kavod ve’hadar t‘atterehu) — “You crown him with glory and honor.”
• תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ (tamshilehu) — “You made him rule.”

WEB Translation:

What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet.

Key Word Study:

• Enosh (אֱנוֹשׁ) — “man, mortal, frail human.” Emphasizes weakness.
• Ben Adam (בֶּן־אָדָם) — “son of man.” Stresses humanity’s earthiness, but also dignity.
• Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) — “God” (some translations render as “angels”). Either way, man is placed just under heavenly beings.
• Kavod (כָּבוֹד) — “glory, weight, significance.” Suggests men carry divine significance.
• Hadár (הָדָר) — “majesty, beauty, honor.” A reflection of God’s majesty.
• Mashal (מָשַׁל) — “rule, govern.” Echoes Genesis 1’s dominion mandate.

Teaching Summary

From the very beginning, Scripture shows that manhood is not a cultural invention or a performance to prove, but a gift and calling from God Himself. Men are created as living souls (nefesh chayah), fully integrated in body and spirit. Genesis 1 emphasizes that men are imagebearers—reflections of God’s character, entrusted with representing Him in the world. Genesis 2 reminds us that men are both dust and divine breath—humble, dependent creatures given dignity through God’s Spirit. Psalm 8 crowns this vision by showing that men, though frail, are honored with glory and entrusted with the stewardship of creation.

True masculinity, then, is relational (designed for covenant with God and others), vocational (called to cultivate, protect, and steward), and spiritual (living as imagebearers who mirror God’s presence in the world).

Manhood is not about proving toughness, independence, or status. It is about living as whole, organic humans—sons of God, embodied souls, called to love, serve, and lead under His authority.

Takeaway for Men’s Study

• Identity: Men are created as imagebearers (Genesis 1). This means your worth is not defined by culture or performance but by God’s design—you represent Him in the world.
• Wholeness: Men are embodied souls, formed from dust yet animated by God’s own breath (Genesis 2). You are not just body, not just spirit, but an integrated being called to honor God with both.
• Calling: Men are crowned with dignity and entrusted with stewardship (Psalm 8). Even in your frailty, God has honored you with responsibility—over family, work, creation, and community.

Big Idea: A man’s true strength is found not in cultural stereotypes but in living as God’s imagebearer—whole in body and spirit, crowned with dignity, and entrusted with responsibility.

Scripture Dig

1. What does Genesis 1:26–27 teach us about male and female identity together in God’s image?

• “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.’” (WEB)
• Both men and women equally reflect the image of God. Neither sex is more “like God” than the other; together they reveal His fullness.
• Being made in God’s tselem (image) means we represent Him—like ambassadors who show the world what He is like.
• This also means that identity is not achieved by proving yourself through work, toughness, or independence. It is received as a gift from God.
  Discussion Hook: How does this truth challenge cultural stereotypes of manhood (e.g., that men must earn their worth)?

2. How does Genesis 2:7 connect our physical and spiritual identity?

• “Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (WEB)
• Man is both afar (dust, earth, frailty) and nishmat chayyim (the breath of life, divine spirit). He is humble creature and honored vessel.
• This shows that our bodies are not accidental or unimportant, and our spirits are not meant to float free of creation. Together, body + spirit make us a nefesh chayah—a living, integrated soul.
• Men are therefore called to steward both physical and spiritual life: caring for the body, honoring the soul, and integrating both in worship.
  Discussion Hook: How does this verse challenge the idea that being a man is just about strength, work, or the body—or just about “spiritual things”?

3. How does Psalm 8:4–6 expand the idea of stewardship and honor for humanity?

• “What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. You make him ruler over the works of your hands.” (WEB)
• The psalmist is amazed that frail, small humans (enosh = weak, mortal man) are remembered, cared for, and crowned by God.
• God gives men and women dignity (kavod = glory, weight, significance) and responsibility (mashal = rule, govern).
• Our stewardship reflects His kingship—we are entrusted with His creation, not to exploit it but to nurture it.
  Discussion Hook: How would your daily work, family leadership, and civic involvement look different if you really believed you were “crowned with glory and honor” by God?

Discussion Questions

1. What does being made in God’s image mean for your daily life as a man?
• How does this truth affect how you see your worth, your responsibilities, and your relationships?
• In what ways does it push back against the idea that your value depends on performance, success, or strength?
2. Where do you struggle most to integrate your body and spirit in discipleship?
• Do you tend to focus only on spiritual practices while neglecting the body (health, rest, work)?
• Or do you lean heavily on physical activity and discipline but neglect the inner life of prayer and worship?
3. How does this vision of manhood challenge cultural stereotypes?
• Think of the slogans you’ve heard: “Real men don’t cry” or “Men are what they earn.”
• How does Genesis 1–2 replace those shallow definitions with something deeper and more honoring?
4. In what ways do you reflect God’s design well right now?
• Where are you already living as an imagebearer—at home, at work, in friendships?
• How can you thank God for the ways His design is already being reflected through your life?
5. Where do you need growth in stewarding creation, relationships, or vocation?
• Are you careless with creation (time, resources, environment)?
• Do you neglect relationships (spouse, kids, friends)?
• Or do you reduce vocation to self-promotion instead of stewardship?
6. What is one step you could take this week to live more fully as God’s imagebearer?
• What’s one practical action—big or small—that would align your life more with God’s design (e.g., praying with your family, mentoring a younger man, resting in God’s presence, serving your community)?
• How can you invite accountability from this group to follow through?

Closing & Application

Prayer Focus:
Close the study by thanking God for His design of men as imagebearers. A leader or volunteer can pray something like:

“Father, thank You for creating us in Your image—not by accident, but with dignity, purpose, and calling. Thank You that our worth is not measured by culture or performance, but by Your design. Breathe fresh life into us this week, so that we might live as whole men—body and spirit—reflecting Your glory in our homes, workplaces, friendships, and communities. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Personal Commitment:
Invite each man to share one practical step he will take this week to live more fully as an imagebearer of God. Examples could include:

• Praying with his spouse or children.
• Practicing rest and caring for his body.
• Showing integrity at work.
• Speaking encouragement instead of criticism.
• Serving someone in need.

Group Accountability:
Encourage men to pair up or form “brotherhood partners” who will check in during the week with a call or message to ask: “How are you living out your commitment to reflect God’s image?”

Leader’s Wrap-Up:
Remind the group: “Manhood is not something you achieve, it’s something you receive from God. He made you in His image, He breathed life into you, and He crowned you with dignity. This week, go live like that’s true.”