What is the image of God

-

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [Gen. 1:27]

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Mormonism maintains that human beings are literal offspring of “God” and that “God” exists in a body. Because Christianity believes in creation ex nihilo, such unsubstantiated beliefs have no place in our faith. God created the physical universe and cannot himself be physical.

The traditional Christian view of the image of God distinguishes between his image in two senses. In a broad sense, human beings are spiritual image-bearers of God in all that they are, with the result that they govern creation. In a narrower sense, each person is to live in God’s image in holiness and righteousness. Thus, when Adam sinned he lost the image in the narrow sense but retained it in the broad sense. This conception emphasizes the spiritual and moral core of humanity. However, we must be careful not to go too far to separate the spiritual from the physical qualities of human life.

Perhaps a variation on this idea might help us keep a balanced understanding. The Hebrew term for image means “reflection.” Every individual has the capacity to mirror God as a spiritual being and the responsibility to reflect God in thought and action. Jesus Christ, as the second Adam, was in his essential being the utter reflection of God. And Jesus utterly reflected God in the obedience and justice he demonstrated before the world. As that perfect image-bearer Jesus received dominion over all creation (Heb. 1:3). In the same way, as we are renewed to conform to the image of God, we are called to faithfully reflect God in all that we do.

Adam did not want to reflect God through submitting to him. Rather, he wanted to be like God in the sense of being the same as God. Thus, Adam distorted what it meant to be the image of God in the narrow sense, and that distortion corrupted all of God’s image in the broader sense.

In your prayers today, ask God to show you more fully what it means to reflect him in your home, your school, or in your work. Think about what you have to do today and lay those responsibilities before him in submission. Ask him to make you a better mirror of his holiness and glory.

Sproul, R.C., Before the Face of God: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books) 1994.

Popular posts from this blog

Speaking in tongues for today - Charles Stanley

-
Image
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. … And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way - 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 28, 30—31 The Lord Jesus Christ had come and gone. The church—newly birthed—was in a transition time. The new covenant was seen as a threat to the Jewish leaders; therefore, there was persecution for those who had chosen to follow Christ. The new religion, in its infant stages, had no Bible, few leaders, and absolutely no support from the government. Astounding that it survived, isn’t it?  How in the world did it survive with so little going for it? Power. Not just a force, but mighty, visible power. This new church
Read more

What is the glory (kabod) of God?

-
Image
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Scripture places a high value on God 's glory, and it is not hard to figure out why. Since the inherent glory of the Lord is something that He will not share with others (Isa. 42:8), we know that His glory is something that He prizes highly; indeed, He prizes it more highly than anything else. We should, therefore, set the glory of God as the goal and overarching emphasis of our lives. Whatever we lose for the sake of making the Lord's glory known will be worth it when we see the dazzling light and beauty of; the divine glory (28:5; Rev. 21:23). Glory has to do with light and beauty, but those aspects do not sum up what the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God. Interestingly, the Hebrew word kabod , which is translated into English as "glory," has the root meaning of "weight" or "heaviness."
Read more

The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father

-
Image
Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To bring out the same truth in another way, Paul says God sent Jesus (as a Man) to live under the Law in order “to redeem those under law, that we [Jews and Gentiles ] might receive the full rights [adoption] of sons” ( Galatians 4:5).  By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.  Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God , by faith.  Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, but to make it p
Read more