Are we all made in the image of God?

[Thatgirloncfforums]

This is beautiful.

The Orthodox memorial service has these two verses

Of old, You created me from nothing and honored me with Your divine image. But when I disobeyed Your commandment, You returned me to the earth from which I was taken. Lead me back again to Your likeness, so that the ancient beauty may be refashioned.

I am an image of Your ineffable glory, though I bear the scars of my transgressions. Take pity on me, the work of Your hands, Master, and cleanse me by Your compassion. Grant me the desired homeland for which I long, making me again a citizen of Paradise.

Paul writes: Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man (Christ) is from heaven . . . Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven (1 Cor 15.45–49).

The ikon of God is a participation of God's energies, of light, of love, of beauty. So we are called to participate in the divine nature by Peter himself. If we approach each person we encounter as an image of Christ, would we act differently?

 

[ChetSinger]

Adam and Eve were physically perfect. God made them in His image.

But what about all the people who were born with genetic defects? If we were all made in His image, why don't we all have perfect DNA? Millions of people have defects known to only be caused by flaws in either how an ovum is fertilized or the DNA itself - not anything the mom did wrong while she was pregnant.

Being made in his image means that we're his representatives on earth. We stand in his place, having been given dominion by him over this little portion of the creation. Every human being born to Adam and Eve continues to carry this status, just by being born.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Being made in the image of God clearly means many things including the capacity to receive the indwelling on His Spirit.

 

[disciple Clint]

Adam and Eve were physically perfect. God made them in His image.

But what about all the people who were born with genetic defects? If we were all made in His image, why don't we all have perfect DNA? Millions of people have defects known to only be caused by flaws in either how an ovum is fertilized or the DNA itself - not anything the mom did wrong while she was pregnant.

I think some of your confusion comes from the misunderstanding of God. God does not have a physical body, God is spirit. The Bible uses anthropomorphic terms to describe God so that we can more easily related to God.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

This is beautiful.

Here is the service in English with the Greek tune (which is what I sing).

 

[Aussie Pete]

Adam and Eve were physically perfect. God made them in His image.

But what about all the people who were born with genetic defects? If we were all made in His image, why don't we all have perfect DNA? Millions of people have defects known to only be caused by flaws in either how an ovum is fertilized or the DNA itself - not anything the mom did wrong while she was pregnant.

All of mankind's problems are a result of Adam's sin. Decay and death entered all of God's creation, including Adam and Eve. If anything, it is amazing that the human race has not mutated itself out of existence. Gene damage may well be the result of the intense solar radiation from the sun. I've read studies that suggest that cell damage from solar radiation is the limiting factor for human life span.

Also, billions of people are born without birth defects. The human body has remarkable self-repairing abilities that God has built into us. One day we will get a new body that is perfect in every way. I'm looking forward to that!

 

[Hawkins]

Adam and Eve were physically perfect. God made them in His image.

But what about all the people who were born with genetic defects? If we were all made in His image, why don't we all have perfect DNA? Millions of people have defects known to only be caused by flaws in either how an ovum is fertilized or the DNA itself - not anything the mom did wrong while she was pregnant.

The meaning can be many fold. Spiritually we have the likeness of God that we should be holy as God is holy, though we fell and corrupted.

Physically we are a trinity with our body, soul and spirit.

Moreover the big picture is, God no longer provide active maintenance on anything physical in this world, including human genome. Even today's science can tell that we have the genes of Neanderthals inside us. Humans also marry to close relatives here and there in history. We are no longer the same as Adam at the genetic level. All left is for God to save our souls, all we still have as original is our human soul.

 

[bling]

Actually when we fell we became lower as they committed no sin in following the same instincts we chose to follow. They were given no other choice. We were, and as a result chose self interest over the will of God.

WOW! I agree animals do not "sin", but they can't sin either.
What "purpose might sin have in allowing us to fulfill our earthly objective?

 

[bling]

I can can use tools much better than chimpanzees and bonobos. I can talk much better than parrots, who do not understand what they are saying just because they have the ability to do so. (They just learn what to say, not what "Does Polly want a cracker?" actually means.) I can use logic, unlike cats who eat insects only to immediately start looking for the bugs they swallowed. I can read the text on my computer screen depending on the font type and size. I am able to form my opinions based on more than observations and most importantly know God.

Very good.
Can animals become like God Himself in that God is Love and they can have this illogical, thought-out, unconditional, unselfish, gift of Godly type Love.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Very good

Can animals become like God Himself in that God is Love and they can have this illogical, thought-out, unconditional, unselfish, gift of Godly type Love.

As long as they are not abused or neglected, pets offer unconditional love.

Once someone told me cats should be allowed in church because they are more pure at heart than people (due to the fact only humans are able to sin).

 

[timothyu]

What "purpose might sin have in allowing us to fulfill our earthly objective?

Consequences

 

[bling]

As long as they are not abused or neglected, pets offer unconditional love.

Once someone told me cats should be allowed in church because they are more pure at heart than people (due to the fact only humans are able to sin).

A pet's love is all instinctive (programmed into the pet). You quit caring for them and see how they "love" you.

 

[bling]

Consequences

What were the consequences for the chief of sinners (Paul)?

 

[GodLovesCats]

A pet's love is all instinctive (programmed into the pet). You quit caring for them and see how they "love" you.

They love you as long as you love them.

People OTOH drop friends after one small mistake.

It is no wonder I have seen signs that read, "The more people I meet, the more I love my cat."

 

[timothyu]

What were the consequences for the chief of sinners (Paul)?

The same as for the rest of us. We hopefully learn our self serving ways lead to nothng but trouble, especially for others and eventually for us. From this we learn to repent of those ways and chose the ways of the Kingdom instead which are more about servitude than self.

 

[bling]

They love you as long as you love them.

People OTOH drop friends after one small mistake.

It is no wonder I have seen signs that read, "The more people I meet, the more I love my cat."

Godly type Love has us Loving our enemies.
God Loves you in spite of what you have done, are doing or will do.

 

[bling]

The same as for the rest of us. We hopefully learn our self serving ways lead to nothng but trouble, especially for others and eventually for us. From this we learn to repent of those ways and chose the ways of the Kingdom instead which are more about servitude than self.

The consequence of sin is hell. If we are forgiven of our sins there are no consequences, just blessings. Paul took his past sins and made it part of his witness, to bless us all with his story.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

It is no wonder I have seen signs that read, "The more people I meet, the more I love my cat."

“A dog is better than I am, for he has love and does not judge.” - St. Xanthias, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

 

[pescador]

They love you as long as you love them.

People OTOH drop friends after one small mistake.

It is no wonder I have seen signs that read, "The more people I meet, the more I love my cat."

Most of us don't drop friends after one small mistake. If that was the case, nobody would have any friends.

BTW, I am very allergic to cats (specifically cat dander).

 

[trophy33]

Adam and Eve were physically perfect. God made them in His image.

Where does the Bible say that God made them in His image?

"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

It says that God created them to be male and female.

But he created him in his image.

Also, where does the Bible say they were physically perfect? What does it even mean?