The Christological Arc of Original Goodness

It has never been more important for the church to know and speak the truth in love regarding the original goodness of humanity. No previous generation has pushed up against the basic questions of human identity and dignity with so many confused and contradictory responses. In fact, a tragic irony marks our society’s point in history: we have never been so focused on humanity yet so wrong about it. And that holds a two-fold significance for the church. We need a robust understanding of what Scripture teaches about humanity for the sake of both our worship and our witness.

More specifically, our society (and many around the world) is witnessing the consequences of rejecting God’s goodness in the imago Dei and replacing it with an imago hominis of our own creation (see Rom 1:22). Such a humanistic worldview, especially in the last few decades, has brought our culture to the end of a long trajectory of dehumanization. There are many reasons for that. But underlying them all is a loss of the truth and significance that God created man in his image as the climax of making all things “very good” (Gen 1:1–31).

In this article, we will look briefly at the current anthropological confusion and then consider how the doctrine of man’s original goodness sets us on the road of anthropological clarity.

Anthropology at the Crossroads

What does it mean to be human? Is humanity basically good or bad? Is being human fixed or changeable? Is humanity progressing or declining? Can one individual or group be more or less human than others? Is being human really that much different than being a mere animal? Should we press beyond human being itself?

All of these (and more) are open questions, because our society and its leaders and institutions are confused and conflicted regarding the identity, purpose, and dignity of humanity. For centuries after the Enlightenment, different worldviews — from rationalism to evolution to nihilism — have clashed with the biblical view of man. Even worse, many today are committed to specific ideologies that seek to denigrate or destroy humanity, whether in principle, by action, or at least as a necessary consequence. Whether abortion, human trafficking, critical race theory, gender identity and confusion, certain uses and effects of artificial intelligence, the justification and even celebration of violence and murder, or euthanasia and assisted suicide — underlying many of the most significant anthropological issues of our day is a deeply flawed understanding of human being.^[1]

The church must remain clear and confident regarding the truths of Scripture. The ideas and ideologies at work in the sometimes subtle but powerful cultural catechesis have been pressing in on the beliefs and practices of the church from the beginning.^[2] For our generation, the focal point of that pressure is the very nature of humanity. To the extent the church loosens or loses its grip on the original goodness of man, the church will become just as confused and conflicted as the culture around it. We are called to extend God’s saving grace by speaking the truth in love to build up the church (Eph 4:11–16). We are also called to do good to others as we have opportunity (Gal 6:10), which includes speaking the truth that extends God’s common grace (see Gen 9:8–17; cf. Rom 13:1–10; 1 Pet 2:13–17). Both require careful and faithful attention to Scripture.

Indeed, we have come to the anthropological crossroads of confusion and clarity. To move forward in the truth and goodness of God, we need an anthropology “from above”^[3] that is governed by the whole of Scripture and its self-presentation, which is centered in Christ. And that starts with Adam and Eve in the Garden.

Man’s Original Goodness

In the beginning, God made Adam and Eve as his image bearers in completion of his work of creation, which he then called “very good” (Gen 1:31). After each divine act in the sequence of creation, God saw that the light, land, vegetation, heavenly bodies, living creatures in the sea and air, and living creatures on the land were “good” (Gen 1:4, 9, 12, 18, 21, 24). Each aspect of creation was both free from any defect and qualitatively good, being both pleasing to God and rightly ordered according to his design and purposes. But it was God’s creation of man as his image to rule over the rest of creation that intensified the goodness of each part and made the whole of God’s work exceedingly (“very”) good. To that end, God blessed the first human beings, provided abundantly for them, and commanded them to cover the earth with his image (Gen 1:28–31).

Moreover, man’s original goodness included moral goodness (Gen 1:26–27, 31; cf. Ecc 7:29). God made man as his creaturely images on the earth for the purpose of representing God to his creation and ruling over it on God’s behalf (Gen 1:26–28).^[4] That is, every human being — man and woman, adult and child — is a creaturely analogue of God himself, made as an ontological representative to extend God’s righteous rule over all of his creation.^[5] Thus, being and functioning as the imago Dei entailed that God designed human nature with all of the faculties, capacities, inclinations, and character to be/bear God’s analogical image (cf. Col 3:9–10; Eph 4:22–24).^[6] This original righteousness, then, was also free from any defect and was qualitatively good, being both pleasing to God and rightly ordered according to his design and purposes.

In short, man’s original goodness positioned him at the pinnacle of God’s “very good” creation, where he would enjoy God’s own, divine goodness in a unique, intimate, and eternal fellowship reserved for his image bearers. And man’s original righteousness equipped him to execute God’s plan for humanity to display God’s glory in a godly dominion over the rest of creation.

Christ’s New Goodness

The original goodness and righteousness of humanity is fundamental to biblical anthropology. Yet even when God rested on the seventh day to enjoy the splendor of his glory reflected in all that he had brought forth out of nothing, he was not finished with man. The first human beings were created good according to God’s original (and only!) plan, which pointed toward the designed telos of all human beings. The original nature and purpose of the first Adam in the Garden set the course for all mankind across all times and locations. Scripture presents Jesus Christ as the last Adam and terminus of a typological trajectory that spans the biblical storyline (see Gen 9:1–7; 12:1–3, 15:1–6; Rom 5:12–21; Col 1:15–20; cf. Heb 2:5–15).

To that end, the divine person of the Son became the man and the image of God as a man by assuming a human nature. He is the essential image of God according to the divine Son’s personal subsistence in the divine nature. He became the perfect analogical image of God according to the same divine Son’s personal subsistence in a complete and sinless human body and soul. It is because he is the image of God in such fullness that the glory of God is seen in the glory of Christ (see 2 Cor 4:4–6; cf. Col 1:15–20; Heb 1:3). Thus, while Adam was the first historical instance of humanity, Christ is the archetypal image after which the rest of humanity is fashioned. The man Christ Jesus reveals the telos of human being precisely because he is the protos of humanity.^[7]

And this means that the man Christ Jesus has his own original goodness and righteousness that is parallel to but distinct from Adam’s condition before the fall. As with the first man, the human nature of the man is free from any defect and is qualitatively good, being both pleasing to God and rightly ordered according to his design and purposes. And like the “man of dust” (see 1 Cor 15:8), the “man of heaven” has all of the faculties, capacities, inclinations, and character to be/bear God’s analogical image. The quality and habitus of every part of his human soul was perfectly aligned with God’s character and will.

Unlike the first Adam, however, this last Adam was not affected by the fall, because his human nature was not inherited but created for the Son’s incarnation. This last Adam was not merely “able not to sin,” he was truly “not able to sin.” The impeccability of the divine person of the Son ensured that the original righteousness of the man Christ Jesus resulted in actual righteousness in perfect human obedience to the Father (see John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28–29; 12:49–50; 14:10; Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8–9). Consequently, it is this man who now enjoys perfect fellowship with God and rules over heaven and earth in perfect righteousness (see Psa 110:1; 1 Cor 15:20–28; Eph 1:20–22).

Thus, we see the true nature, design, and purpose of human being, not by looking back to Adam, but by tracing the typological trajectory he started all the way to its fulfillment in Christ.

Six Anthropological Theses for the Road

Based on the Christological arc of man’s goodness, here are six anthropological theses that will help us think carefully and biblically about what it means to be human as we take the road of anthropological clarity.

1) Sin, defect, and death are alien to original humanity.

We are and always will be finite and have creaturely limitations. But man was created as originally good and righteous. What we experience now is the result of original sin and the curse of total depravity. As a consequence of God’s just condemnation, Adam’s progeny suffered a qualitative deficiency of the soul.^[8] Guilt for Adam’s sinful rebellion was imputed to all mankind, so death spread to all mankind (Rom 5:12–14). Moreover, the corruption of sin was inherited by all mankind, which affects every aspect of man. He remains the image of God, but that image is corrupted. Every human being after the fall begins with a habitus or disposition that is inherent in (not as) the substance of the soul, making it alienated from, opposed to, and hostile toward God (see Gal 5:16–24; cf. Rom 8:4–8; 1 Cor 2:14).

2) Estrangement from God is abnormal for humanity

Modern and post-modern culture would have us believe that there is no God, or at least we can’t know him and/or don’t need him. But nothing could be further from the truth. God does exist as the Creator. As his creatures, we are completely dependent upon him for all things. And he has created us to know him. But even more, human fellowship with God is a necessary part of what makes his creation “very good.” The exile of Adam and Even from the Garden did not change that. Original sin is extensive. But because it is qualitative and not substantive, the presence of original sin does not entail the redesign or repurposing of God’s image bearers.

3) There is no higher position of significance and dignity on earth than being human.

Contrary to the popular evolutionary worldview (and others), we are not mere animals. And there is nothing in all creation beyond humanity that can compare. Every human being is the very image of God. Each is crowned with glory and honor (Psa 8:3–9) to rule over all other creatures for God’s glory and honor. This means that while we may act in ways that are more or less in accord with God’s design and purposes, human beings cannot be separated into groups of more and less human. And the worldviews and ideologies that conflict with these truths are ultimately destructive and dehumanizing.

4) There is no greater or more painful tragedy on earth than fallen humanity.

 The original goodness and righteousness of man makes the reality of original sin a creation-wide catastrophe. All of creation suffered under God’s just condemnation of fallen humanity. All that was once “very good” was subjected to futility and corruption until the reign of a new humanity (see Rom 8:19). Even more, fallen humanity forfeited the right and ability to rule over creation in righteousness and now suffers under Satan’s tyranny (see Eph 2:1–3). Rather than lower our view of human beings and increase either our apathy or hostility, this truth should secure our compassion, humility, and gratitude for the variety of God’s gracious provisions.

5) Renewal and restoration of fallen humanity is found in Christ alone.

Sinful humanity is not truly progressing, no matter how much technology and other gifts of common grace might make it appear so. The design and goal of humanity is to be qualitatively good, both pleasing to God and rightly ordered according to his plan and purpose, and to walk in actual righteousness as his image bearers. But original sin makes that impossible outside of Christ. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. In this salvation, grace does not cooperate with fallen human nature because every aspect of the soul is opposed to and hostile towards God (Eph 2:1–3). Neither does grace perfect human nature in the sense of building on what remains of original righteousness after the fall. Rather, grace first produces faith in Christ. And by this same grace, God progressively restores man as his image on the earth and renews his nature by conforming him to the man and the image of God (see Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:17–18).

6) The hope of a glorified new humanity in Christ is on the horizon.

The pain of broken relationships, financial hardships, health problems, violence and death, and all the other suffering caused by original sin is very real. But as Paul tells us, the suffering of this present time is not worthy of comparison with the glory that is to be revealed to us when those in Christ are fully conformed to his image (see Rom 8:18–23, 28–30). On that day, we will rule with Christ without even the presence of sin. And that day is coming with the return of Christ.

Looking Ahead

Of course, there is much more to say about an anthropology “from above.” But we cannot say any less if we are to take the road of anthropological clarity. And as we continue to reflect on the Christological arc of original goodness and the corpus of biblical anthropology, we can take fresh courage in knowing that the Spirit of Christ is still teaching and leading the church of Christ to know and confess the truth, all for our good and God’s glory.

[1] As used in this article, “human being” refers to the basic existence and kind of being that is designed by God and held in common by all humans, regardless of characteristics that differentiate one or some from others.

[2] Take, for example, the Christological confusion that re-emerged even with a long and rich tradition of Christological orthodoxy. See Stephen J. Wellum, God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ, Foundations of Evangelical Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 35–106.

[3] This is part of the church’s larger task of doing all theology “from above.” In general, this means recognizing Scripture as the inerrant and authoritative revelation of God above, by which he addresses things here below, which is the practical corollary to the magisterial authority of Scripture. In contrast, theologizing “from below” finds its primary source of information not from the Creator but in his creation.

[4] For the creation of man “as” (not just “in”) God’s image, see Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants, 2nd ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018),

222–235 (“man rules as a result of being made as the divine image …”); Michael A. Wilkinson, Crowned with Glory and Honor: A Chalcedonian Anthropology, Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2024), 59–61; Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2: God and Creation, trans. John Vriend, ed. John Bolt (Baker Academic, 2004),  554–555.

[5] It’s crucial to note that the imago Dei does not violate the Creator-creature distinction, but still enables the human creature to represent the Creator in human being itself.

[6] This is also supported by the general theological axiom that economy reveals ontology because ontology governs economy (see Matt 7:18; John 8:44).

[7] See Wilkinson, Crowned with Glory and Honor, 58–63, 221–229.

[8] See Geerhardus J. Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2: Anthropology, trans. and ed. Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 55 (“lack of something that should be there”).