We’ve all used the phrase at some time: “I’m only human.” We usually use it to slither out of a rather uncomfortable situation when we’re left no other choice but to admit that we did something deplorable. Understanding we are without excuse and have no defense, we sputter out that beloved phrase that’s supposed to bring us immunity to the charges brought against us: “Nobody’s perfect. I’m only human.”
Since I have used this phrase, too, let me rain on our little parade. The “only human” argument is not only unbiblical and untrue, it actually argues for the opposite point of view we’re trying to prove.
How do I know this? Let’s head back to Genesis 1 – the place we must begin, since it’s where we find our own beginning. As the crowning achievement of His glorious creation, God creates man and woman in His image – charging them to take care of the earth and animals and to be fruitful and multiply. As God sat back at the end of that sixth day, “He saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”
Here we see God’s original intention for humanity – a good design for a good creation. No sin, no pain, no problems. That is of course before the disastrous turn of events in chapter 3, when man turns his back on the Creator and finds himself in the middle of a world gone-wrong.
From that moment on, humans have been on the road to destruction, refusing to worship or honor the God whose image they bear. Keeping in mind God’s original intent for humanity, we can see how humans have become “less than human” through their actions, attitudes and self-centered pride. Our “foolish hearts are darkened” and we have “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man.”
Fast forward a few thousand of years to the birth of the Second Adam. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ (fully human and fully divine) to redeem the world from sin, showing us what it means to be truly human. Those who believe the Gospel message are transformed into a “new creation,” and thus live out a “renewed humanity.”
Here is where I want to center our attention. Instead of claiming we are “only human” when we do wrong, we should remember that our human nature may indeed be sinful, but human nature, in its essence and as originally created by God, is perfect and complete. This silences that old debate about whether or not Jesus could have been fully human without ever committing a sin. Some believe that sinning is so intertwined with the essence of human existence that one cannot avoid sin and still be human. Obviously, Jesus did, so the whole argument is faulty.
Let me ask the hard question. Was Jesus’ humanity (sinless and perfect) the same as our humanity? If you say no, you’re on shaky theological ground, because you are admitting that to be human means to be tempted and to sin. If you say yes, you are recognizing my point. Sin is not an essential part of human nature, the way it was created by God. Yes, we are fallen creatures. We are born in sin and without Christ’s sacrifice, we die in sin. But humanity, in its essence, was not sinful. “God saw that it was good!”
So the question changes. Instead of judging Christ’s humanity by ours, we should start analyzing our humanity by His. “Was Jesus really as human as us if He didn’t sin?” is the wrong question. Better put – “Are we as human as Jesus?” The answer is clear: no! Jesus is not less human for not sinning. He is more human! He fulfills the original intention that God had for the crown of His creation. Jesus (just like Adam and Eve before they sinned) experienced humanity in its original purity – in its God-intended form.
That’s why “I’m only human” makes no sense for the Christian. Christ has set us free from the chains of sin and death and has showed us how to live like renewed humanity, “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” As we become more and more like Christ, the image of God we bear becomes more and more pronounced. We leave behind the addictions, perversions, and ambitions that make us “less human,” less than what God originally created us to be.
Then, through the Holy Spirit’s power, we grow in our renewed state, striving for the day when God will complete the work He began in us – when our humanity will be sin-free and renewed through and through. So, next time you find yourself caught in a “less than human” act of sin, say the same phrase as a Christian, this time with a different meaning. “I’m only human! That’s why I have no excuse.”
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
