James Boyd

No creature has life in himself; God alone has that. Man was made a living soul by God’s breathing into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). Therefore man is “The offspring of God,” and that no mere animal is. In Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). As to the lower creation, the waters brought forth the creatures that move in them, and the earth brought forth the living creature, the cattle, and the beast after its kind. In this way they were brought into being by the power of God. But man is the subject of Divine counsel. The Godhead consult together regarding his creation. God said, “Let us make man in our image.” Man is placed in intelligent relationship with God. The word of God is addressed to him. He is set in responsibility to God. He is God’s offspring. The lower creation is under his authority, he is under the authority of God. God names him, he names the animals. These are to look up to him, he is to look up to God. He was the link between God and everything that God had made upon the earth. He was to bear rule over the fish of the sea, the fowls of the air, and over everything that moved upon the earth; God was to have rule over him. There was affinity between him and God; and there was affinity between him and the living creatures.