does God create each and everyone of us?

[jeremiah]

hey everyone. this is the first time i've posted anything, so thanks for having me. in the above question i'm not referring to our new birth in christ, but as our biological beginning "of water". i'm well aware of quite a few passages in the old testament scriptures that seem to point in the direction that god does indeed create a new human being each time. but i often wonder if this is just assumed and read into the passages. early in genesis where it speaks of how god "created" adam in his own image, but then goes on to say how seth was "born" in adam's image. this seems to draw a contrast. when coupled with how god "completed" his work and then rested..., well this became the starting point for an unanswered question in mind for many years now.( well i've only thought about it with any real depth for a couple of years, but i have wondered about this since i was a kid)
grace and peace

[TK]

Excellent question, and welcome!

David said:

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. (PS. 139)

Job said:

Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? (Job 31)

Now, this could be poetic language, certainly. Your question seems to be whether God fashions each person individually (like a person fashioning a snowball) or did God simply set up the process (i.e. reproduction) whereby each person is created.

But it seems that there is ample evidence that God knows everything about us; however, this could be because he fashioned each of us, or because he is omniscient, or both. The fact that He has intimate knowledge of us does not answer your question.

I am curious about what everyone else thinks.

TK

[Paidion]

If God specifically created each individual uniquely, then we would not expect these individuals to have similar personalities to that of their parents. Yet this is frequently the case. I suppose one could argue that this similarity may have come about as a result of the parents influence. However, identical twins have similar personalities which persist even if they have been separated from birth. So this indicates that personalities are basically biological, and from that one could infer that people whose personalities are similar to their parents, are that way because they have inherited them through their parents biologically.

And this is exactly what I believe to be the case. I think only Adam and Eve were created directly. From then on, all individuals came into being by natural processes which God established, and inherited the tendency to sin due to being descendants of Adam and Eve. If God had created us each individually, we would not be born with this tendency, for all that God creates is good and perfect.

The people and animals which God created also have the propensity of developing in a large number of various ways. (I'm talking about what is today known as "micro-evolution") It's not actually evolution; it's more like natural selection. Thus all of the various human races have developed from a single man and woman. Even divergent personalities have come about, which are associated with particular people groups, though one cannot stereotype, of course. Likewise, the various breeds of dogs, horses, cats, etc. have emerged. Dog lovers have noticed that the various breeds have "personalities" characteristic of those breeds.

I think the reason many people think that God directly creates each individual is that they think that each of us possesses a "soul" or "spirit" which is separate from one's body (an idea which has its source in Greek thought). I have heard that a certain major Christian group holds that God has a bundle of souls which He has created up in heaven. When He sees that a child has been conceived, he plunks one into the zygote (or else 9 months later into the fully developed baby, or into the fetus somewhere in between).

[jeremiah]

that's precisely where i stand currently. incidentally , the nature of man's "nephesh" is what got my wheels spinning on this question lately.

if we are truly one "whole" thing instead of platonic duality, the Resurrection seems so much more important. and would make clearer why the resurrection was stressed so much. thank you TK and Paidion, i too am interested to hear other's thoughts

(i forget how confusing online dialog can be sometimes, my "current stance" was referring to paidion's second paragraph.)

grace and peace

[Colin]

I think only Adam and Eve were created directly. From then on, all individuals came into being by natural processes which God established, and inherited the tendency to sin due to being descendants of Adam and Eve. If God had created us each individually, we would not be born with this tendency, for all that God creates is good and perfect.

I would suggest adding one other to the list of "created" people, at least partially: Jesus. Whether God fertilized one of Mary's eggs or if God created a fertilized egg in her, at a minimum there was no man's sperm involved.

[Paidion]

Thanks for pointing out the "Jesus question", Colin. This is a unique case since Jesus preëxisted, whereas no one else ever did. I suppose it must remain a great mystery how Jesus could have born as fully human, and yet have retained His preëxistent identity as the Son of God. In having been born, He also divested Himself of all His divine attributes, as the following passage seems to indicate:

... though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6,7 RSV)

[verbatim]

Paidion wrote:12/11/11

And this is exactly what I believe to be the case. I think only Adam and Eve were created directly. From then on, all individuals came into being by natural processes which God established, and inherited the tendency to sin due to being descendants of Adam and Eve. If God had created us each individually, we would not be born with this tendency, for all that God creates is good and perfect.

Human mind cannot completely understand how God our Creator had created the first man Adam because we only based our knowledge for what was written in Genesis. All descendants of Adam were formed according to his image unlike Adam who were created according to image and likeness f God who was a Spirit Genesis 1:27. So, I think that the male and female which was called Adam were both spiritual wherein God insert this two spirit in the flesh and man become a living spirit. Genesis 2:7
I think perhaps the present process was still in effect when a new child is to be conceive in the womb of a woman. Dust or soil of the ground God uses in creating Adam is a metaphor which represent the male sperm cell when mixed with the woman egg cell in the womb will formed as zygote which later will be a fetus. Genesis 1:2 explain that the spirit of God is moving over the water. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
God also promises to Abram in Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. Same with the number of sperm cell and egg cell of man and woman but a single egg cell is enough to form a new child in conformity with Roman 10:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
Paidion wrote: 12/13/11

Thanks for pointing out the "Jesus question", Colin. This is a unique case since Jesus preëxisted, whereas no one else ever did. I suppose it must remain a great mystery how Jesus could have born as fully human, and yet have retained His preëxistent identity as the Son of God. In having been born, He also divested Himself of all His divine attributes, as the following passage seems to indicate:

Incarnation of the Word which was from the beginning was with God and is God John 1:1 is the deepest mystery man cannot comprehend. Jesus preaches in John 8:58 that before Abraham is I AM. John 1:3 stated that; All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
So, I have no doubt that Jesus pre-exist before the foundation of the world are created and He was the Creator prior before His incarnation and He was the one who said in John 10:30 I and my father are one. It was prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
This is fulfilled to Jesus the Son of God whose name is Everlasting Father that after He ascended to Father seated in the right hand Hebrews 1:3 then, seat in Father’s throne Revelation 3:21 To him that overcommeth, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, euen as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.