Are we all made in the image of God?

GodLovesCats · Jan 31, 2022

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.

timothyu · Jan 31, 2022

Flesh is not the image of God. Ask any animal that was not made in His image. What we have that sets us apart from other flesh is what He gave us extra so that He could work through us. When we became self aware and focused on self, we closed that door.

bling · Jan 31, 2022

God's image is not in other animals and yet physically they are as good as they could be made to fulfill the task on earth they have. How are you way above the other animals?

timothyu · Jan 31, 2022

bling said:
How are you way above the other animals?

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.

Carl Emerson · Jan 31, 2022

The further we walk away from God and His Character the more animal like we become in behaviours.

Lost4words · Jan 31, 2022

I guess one would say that, going by my avatar of me, i am not made in the image of God.

But!! He did create me! Woof!

Albion · Jan 31, 2022

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

But what about all the people who were born with genetic defects?

The meaning of us being created in the image and likeness of God is that humans were endowed with intelligence and immortality, both of which are attributes of the Creator.

timothyu · Jan 31, 2022

Lost4words said:
I guess one would say that, going by my avatar of me, i am not made in the image of God.

But!! He did create me! Woof!

Yes and unlike man you are acting as you were made to act.. chewing shoes included

timothyu · Jan 31, 2022

Albion said:
humans were endowed with intelligence and immortality

Neither of which we have exercised

Blade · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
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.

Good question we do tend to think of "image" as mirror copy kind of thing...to make it simple. We truly have no clue idea who we are. There is no one no creature in all of creation like man. Christ said "you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you." No angel has this. That GOD the great I AM ..He IS your FATHER! Again a word no angel can say. That light Christ had? Its also in us. Its real something people can see when the look at you.. you have something others don't have. ITS HIM! He is never ever going to leave us never forsake us!

Look at everything.. your FATHER made all of it.. and for you.

GreekOrthodox · Jan 31, 2022

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?

timothyu · Jan 31, 2022

If you don't know yourself you cannot know God. If you don't know God you cannot know yourself.

Abaxvahl · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
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.

God isn't a physical being so Adam and Eve weren't in His Image in that sense no matter their physical perfection.

We are all made in God's Image in the sense of being His representatives on Earth and the heads of all creation, like Adam was, and able to participate in the Logos with out intellects (nous). This divine participation is the core of being in the Image of God, as St. Athanasius says:

"He [God] gave them [man] a further gift, and He did not barely create man, as He did all the irrational creatures on the earth, but made them after His own image, giving them a portion even of the power of His own Word; so that having as it were a kind of reflexion of the Word, and being made rational, they might be able to abide ever in blessedness, living the true life which belongs to the saints in paradise."

And we know that this is the Eternal Word, who Christ is, hence St. Paul says Christ is the Image of God, and we were made in Christ Jesus.

klutedavid · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
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.

That was a physical creation, a flesh based life form.

We are being transformed into the image of Christ now.

Romans 8:29
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!

The first man was created as a fleshly image of The Creator, Jesus.

Jesus then took on our human form and initiated an entirely new creation.

Galatians 6:15
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

TedT · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
If we were all made in His image, why don't we all have perfect DNA?

Our bodies and genetics do not embody HIS image.

The image of GOD means things like personhood, that is, self awareness, intelligence, emotional ability, curiosity and creativity and the ability to make true free will decisions. Therefore any being that fits this description fits the image of GOD.

It also means they are suitable marriage partners for our GOD who created all of creation in HIS image to be HIS holy, heavenly Bride.

bèlla · Jan 31, 2022

Defects aren’t limited to maladies. If you delve into genetics you’ll see behavioral correlations too. That’s where nature and nurture come in.

Some favor eugenics for this reason. They’re breeding in and out certain qualities. Which can only happen selectively.

GodLovesCats · Jan 31, 2022

bling said:
God's image is not in other animals and yet physically they are as good as they could be made to fulfill the task on earth they have. How are you way above the other animals?

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.

GodLovesCats · Jan 31, 2022

Lost4words said:
I guess one would say that, going by my avatar of me, i am not made in the image of God.

But He did create me! Woof!

I always scoffed at the idea dogs are not made in the image of God because He "saw that all was good" in Genesis 1 - including the dogs that later became the ancestors of beagles.

coffee4u · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
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.

Your fleshy body is not the part that is created in the image of God. What is, is our spirit.
It doesn't matter how one looks on the outside, God does not even see that, people do.
1 Samuel 16:7

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The spirit became corrupted at the fall, so what once was a bright shinny mirror reflecting back something of God, became dull like it was covered with mud.
Jesus has wiped the mirror that is us, but even so we are still not perfected.
1 Corinthians 13:12

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
That comes later when the risen live on the new earth.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

eleos1954 · Jan 31, 2022

ChristianForCats said:
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.

Adam & Eve were originally created perfect, in His image.

He created everything good .... an VERY good.

Sin entered into the world and all of God's very good creation was (and is) tainted by sin.

Everything!

The good news is ... one day .... this sinful world will be destroyed and we will indeed experience God's perfect new creation. AMEN!

Isaiah 65:17
Amplified Bible
“Behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things [of life] will not be remembered or come to mind.

Come Lord Jesus ... Amen.

Are we all made in the image of God?

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