Proposition No. 3:

Is there any firm evidence to substantiate the idea of the unity (oneness) of the human race? Is the unity of mankind an important doctrine of Holy Scripture?

Investigation:

In many of our modern schools and colleges, much is taught relative to the origin of man. It is asserted that there is proof of the existence of a pre-Adamic man, and it is also taught that the American Indian originated from a different source to that of the European and the Asiatic man; in other words, that all men are the descendants of Adam, and that God “Hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth,” (Acts 17:26) is denied.

This is not the place in which to discuss the trends in Anthropology, nor to examine this subject from a purely scientific viewpoint; nevertheless, it can be said, there are many eminent scientists, both Christian and non-Christian, who believe in the absolute unity of mankind. They defend their convictions from physical, anatomical, and physiological facts. In this investigation we are interested only in what the Word of God teaches. Let us consider the Holy Scriptures, and rest upon their Divine infallibility as the final court of appeal.

THE ONENESS OF MAN IN HIS ORIGIN: The Genesis record of the creation of man definitely implies the unity of the human race: “And 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 fowl of the air… So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,” (Gen. 1:26-28). Man is the crowning act of Divine creation; woman is a part of that act, and the whole race is considered to be their descendants.

The Apostle Paul teaches these facts in a most unequivocal statement, “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression,” (1 Tim. 2:14).

THE ONENESS OF MAN IN HIS FALL: Once more we shall refer to the record of early human history as found in The Book of Genesis. “And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat… unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children… And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life,” (Gen. 3:13-17).

Let us again turn to the teachings of the Apostle to the nations, Paul, who declares, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned,” (Rom. 5:12). It has been frequently noticed that the last verb in this verse actually reads “And so death passed upon all men for that all sinned.” It is not that all have sinned individually during their life time, but that all sinned in Adam, the head of the human race.

THE ONENESS OF MAN IN HIS UNIVERSAL RUIN: Personal observation here would confirm the teaching of The Bible. The universal extent of death proves the universal extent of sin. How emphatically this is taught in the epistle to the Romans. Notice the frequency with which the little word “all” occurs, “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin,” (vs. 9). “All the world… guilty before God,” (vs. 19). “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” (vs. 23). The same Apostle affirms it, in even more specific language in chapter 5, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” (vs. 12).

THE ONENESS OF MAN UNDER THE HEADSHIP OF ADAM: This fact is taken for granted by the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Corinthians; he assumes it to be a fact well known to them. He states, “For as in Adam all die,” (1 Cor. 15: 22).

THE ONENESS OF MAN IN THE OFFER OF SALVATION: “For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon Him shall be saved,” (Rom. 10:11-13).

THE ONE HEAD OF RUINED MAN UNITES HUMANITY IN SUBJUGATION: “What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that Thou visitest him?… For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him… But we see not yet all things put under him,” (Heb. 2:5-8). “For the creature (creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption,” (Rom. 8:20-21).

THE ONE HEAD OF REDEEMED MAN UNITES HIM IN THE NEW CREATION: Adam in headship is a type of Christ who was to come. While there are comparisons here there are also contrasts. “The first man Adam was made a living soul; (life had to be imparted to him) the Last Adam was made a quickening spirit (a life imparting spirit),” (1 Cor. 15:45). Again we read, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ,”

Conclusion:

That the oneness of mankind is clearly taught in both the Old and New Testaments has been made obvious by our investigation. That it is an important doctrine in our Holy Faith is likewise patent. Upon it rests our knowledge of the conditions of the moral Universe; our knowledge of the spiritual need of man; our knowledge of the extensive offer of the Gospel, and of the final restitution of creation. Through it in an illustrative manner, Paul affirms the oneness of redeemed man in Christ, for as all men are one in Adam in the Old Creation, so all believers are one in Christ in the New Creation.

J.G.