Bible Study: Are There Two Creations of Man?
Introduction:
There has been much discussion and confusion surrounding the first two chapters of Genesis. Some claim that Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 describe two different creations of man, leading people to question the accuracy of the Bible. However, when we study the Word of God rightly—comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13)—we find that the Bible does not contradict itself. Rather, it reveals truth in layers.
From an Apostolic Pentecostal perspective, we hold that the Word of God is infallible, divinely inspired, and harmoniously aligned. Genesis 1 and 2 are not contradictory accounts but complementary records—Genesis 1 is the broad overview, while Genesis 2 gives us the intimate detail of how God formed mankind.
Let’s explore both chapters to understand the creation of man and settle the question: Are there really two creations of man—or just one revealed in two ways?
Genesis 1: The Overview – Created in God’s Image
Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) says:
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
This passage gives us the initial declaration and completion of God’s creative intent. It tells us:
Man was made in the image and likeness of God.
God created both male and female.
This was the sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:31).
From the viewpoint of a child of God, being made in God’s image doesn’t mean we physically look like God (for God is Spirit – John 4:24), but that we reflect His nature, authority, and spiritual capacity. We are set apart from animals because we are spiritual beings with dominion, purpose, and the ability to commune with God.
Genesis 1 gives the full six-day timeline, ending with mankind created as the crowning achievement. However, the details of “how” God created man are not fully explained—yet.
Genesis 2: The Detail – Formed from the Dust
Genesis 2:7 (NKJV) says:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Here, we see the process. Genesis 2 focuses on the personal and intimate act of forming man, not just the statement that man was created. This includes:
The physical formation from dust.
The breath of life given directly by God.
The placement of man in the Garden of Eden.
The formation of woman from man’s rib (Genesis 2:21-22).
This is not a second or separate creation—it is the detailed account of what God already said was done in Genesis 1.
The Hebrew literary structure often uses a technique where a broad event is described first, followed by a zoomed-in focus. That’s what’s happening here. There is no contradiction—only clarification.
Why This Matters Doctrinally (Apostolic Perspective)
The Bible is one harmonious book. As Children of God, we believe:
There is one God, not two (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6).
There is one creation of mankind, not two.
God’s Word never contradicts itself—He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).
When people suggest that Genesis 1 and 2 describe two separate human races or creations, they open the door to false doctrine, such as:
The “pre-Adamic race” theory, which contradicts the Bible’s teaching that Adam was the first man (1 Corinthians 15:45).
Racist ideologies that wrongly use Scripture to divide humanity.
Scripture affirms that all humanity came from one blood (Acts 17:26). Jesus came as the second Adam (Romans 5:12–19), to redeem all who are born of the first Adam.
Conclusion
So, is the idea of two creations real or fake? From the clear witness of Scripture and through the lens of sound Apostolic doctrine, we affirm that:
Genesis 1 is the overview of creation, declaring that God made mankind in His image.
Genesis 2 is the detailed explanation of how God did it—forming man from dust and breathing life into him.
There is no contradiction, only a deeper revelation.
As believers, we should not be shaken by surface-level arguments or confusion. The Word of God is deep, yet consistent. When rightly divided, it always points us back to truth.
Let us hold to the unchanging truth that we are God’s special creation, formed with purpose, and redeemed through Christ—the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), who came to restore what was lost in the fall of the first man.
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV)
