What is the primordial state?
Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Key Facts
Term Name
Primordial State
Concept Type
Theological
Key Takeaways
- The primordial state represents humanity's original condition of holiness and harmony with God.
- It establishes the foundation for human dignity and the necessity of God's redemptive plan after the Fall.
- The concept underpins modern ethics, emphasizing stewardship and the inherent value of all humans.
What is the Primordial State?
The primordial state, as described in the creation accounts, represents humanity’s original condition of holiness and harmony with God.
Scripture portrays this state in Genesis 1 - 2, where humans are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and live in a garden under His care (Genesis 2:8-17). This ideal condition highlights the goodness of creation before sin entered through Adam and Eve’s disobedience.
The Primordial State in Genesis 1:26-28
Genesis 1:26-28 reveals the divine intent for humanity as stewards created in God’s image, reflecting His authority and relational design.
In Genesis 1:26-27, God declares, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,' establishing humanity’s unique role as bearers of His character and moral agency. Verse 28 then charges them to 'fill the earth and subdue it,' granting dominion over creation as a reflection of God’s sovereignty. This passage portrays the primordial state as one of intentional partnership with God, marked by innocence, trust, and harmonious stewardship.
Understanding this text underscores human purpose as both relational - existing in covenant with God - and missional - cultivating creation under His authority. This ideal state, however, is later disrupted by sin, setting the stage for Scripture’s redemption narrative.
Theological Implications of the Primordial State
The primordial state's theological significance extends beyond creation into doctrines of human dignity, the Fall, and redemption, particularly as articulated in Romans 5:12.
This original condition of harmony with God establishes the foundation for human dignity, as humanity's created purpose in God's image (Genesis 1:27) reflects inherent value. However, the Fall disrupted this state, introducing sin and death that Scripture attributes to Adam's disobedience (Romans 5:12). Theological debates about original sin center on whether this rupture in the primordial state entails inherited guilt or a corrupted human nature passed to descendants.
The primordial state thus becomes pivotal in salvation history, as its disruption necessitates God's redemptive plan. By framing humanity's fall from an ideal state, Romans 5:12 underscores the universal need for restoration through Christ. This narrative tension between creation's original goodness and its fallen condition shapes Christian theology's emphasis on grace and reconciliation.
Why the Primordial State Matters Today
The primordial state continues to shape modern ethics by anchoring debates on human purpose and creation care.
In Genesis 2:15, God places humanity in the Garden of Eden 'to work it and take care of it,' a mandate that underpins contemporary environmental stewardship. This verse frames care for creation as a moral duty rooted in our original design, challenging exploitative attitudes toward nature. Similarly, the primordial state’s emphasis on humans being made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) establishes a biblical foundation for ethical frameworks that affirm human dignity, regardless of social status or circumstance. These principles resist cultural trends that reduce life to utilitarian value or commodify human relationships.
Yet modern challenges - such as postmodern skepticism toward universal truths or scientific narratives that downplay theological creation accounts - complicate this concept. While such critiques raise valid questions about human exceptionalism, Scripture focuses on the primordial state’s revelatory purpose: to show that human flourishing is tied to alignment with God’s design, not solely biological evolution.
Going Deeper
To deepen understanding of the primordial state, scholars and readers alike often explore related themes such as the image of God and the Garden of Eden.
Augustine, for instance, interpreted Romans 5:12 to emphasize the universality of sin’s consequences, while Irenaeus viewed the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8-17) as a formative stage for human moral growth. Exploring these perspectives alongside Genesis 1:27’s declaration of humanity being made in God’s image enriches discussions on how the primordial state informs Christian anthropology and soteriology.
Further Reading
Key Scripture Mentions
Genesis 1:26-28
God creates humanity in His image and commissions them to steward creation.
Genesis 2:15
Humans are placed in the Garden of Eden to work and care for it.
Romans 5:12
Explains how sin and death entered the world through Adam's disobedience.
Related Concepts
Image of God (Theological Concepts)
The divine attribute imparted to humanity in creation (Genesis 1:27).
Original Sin (Theological Concepts)
The inherited corruption of human nature resulting from the Fall.
Stewardship (Terms)
The responsibility to care for creation as entrusted by God (Genesis 2:15).