Reading: Transcript - Genesis 1, 2, & 3

Welcome back to mental health integration. This is part four of the short, and I'm Brandon Appelhans. In the last section, we delved into what mental health feels like, emphasizing its profound impact on individuals. Mental health issues affect many people, and they can be severe. In this section, we'll explore Genesis 1, 2, and 3 to understand what it means to be human and how brokenness enters the picture.

Let's dive into the text. Genesis 1:26-28 tells us, "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'"

God creates man and woman, endowing them with inherent value as image bearers. Both are made in the likeness and image of God, signifying their worth. Despite various interpretations of this passage, what's clear is the emphasis on the value of humanity as image bearers of God. God views his creation, including Adam and Eve, as very good, precisely as he desires it to be.

However, everything changes in Genesis 3. The woman eats the forbidden fruit and shares it with the man, leading to their realization of their nakedness and their attempt to hide from God. Sin enters the world, rupturing their relationship with God, each other, and creation. Work becomes toil, childbirth painful, and the harmony of relationships disrupted.

Yet, it's essential to note that Genesis 3 follows Genesis 1 and 2. Adam and Eve, though tainted by sin, remain valuable image bearers of God. Their inherent worth persists, even in the face of brokenness. Mental illness, if it entered the world, finds its origins in this rupture of relationships and biochemistry.

As everything fractures, God continues to work, but mental illness, broken relationships, and shame enter the world. This pivotal moment alters how humanity perceives itself and the world around it. Despite this, the original value bestowed upon Adam and Eve by their Creator remains, albeit tainted.

In the next section, we'll explore further implications and how this understanding shapes our approach to mental health.