Image of God

[IPbrown]

Hello!

I have often heard the idea from Genesis that we are made in "God's image" used in bioethical debates and I've even used it myself. But when I think about it I realise that I really don't know what it means - I don't even know what it means to the other people I've heard talking about it.

Please let me know what you interpret being made in God's image to mean. Does this tell us about ourselves as we are, how we ought to be, or about how God is? (or all of the above!)

Thanks

Isla xx

 

[Albion]

I don't have any idea how the bioethical community uses the term, but theologians generally understand the meaning of being created in the image and likeness of God to mean that we have 1) reasoning ability, and 2) an eternal existence. Both are held to be key elements in what makes God who he is. And he allowed us to have them, too, unlike any other part of his creation.

 

[squint]

Hello!

I have often heard the idea from Genesis that we are made in "God's image" used in bioethical debates and I've even used it myself. But when I think about it I realise that I really don't know what it means - I don't even know what it means to the other people I've heard talking about it.

Please let me know what you interpret being made in God's image to mean. Does this tell us about ourselves as we are, how we ought to be, or about how God is? (or all of the above!)

Thanks

Isla xx

Good question! And a most difficult topic.

God Is A Spirit:

John 4:24
God is a Spirit

God is invisible:
1 Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

God Placed The Fullness of His Spirit in His Image, MANS IMAGE, His Son as a physical/flesh FOCAL POINT:

Col. 1:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

God has SHARED HIS SPIRIT which was IN FULL IN HIS SON with 'us' as well. Not that 'we,' any of us individually have that SAME FULLNESS presently, but we DO have a token of that same SPIRIT.

That SPIRIT is LOVE.

Everyone who LOVES knows God and is BORN OF GOD. (1 John 4:7)

We can observe THE IMAGE of MAN and see that apart from HIS SPIRIT (which is LOVE) it, in the end is LIFELESS DEAD FLESH termed for eventual dust. The IMAGE then is NOT the priority view, but THE SPIRIT that resides IN THE IMAGE.

enjoy!

squint

 

[IPbrown]

thank you so much!

Squint, do you think that image/spirit/love is something that is added to our physical bodies or encoded within our natural existence (or something completely different!)?

If scientists were to alter an embryo's DNA in a way that would not happen 'naturally' (e.g. add in some other organism's DNA), could that compromise God's image in the resultant baby?

Albion, thanks for your answer - it puts very succinctly what I have been searching for! If the ability to reason is so vital to it though, if we lose reasoning ability are we then less in God's image?

i know these aren't questions that lead to easy quick answers and may not have answers that we could grasp at all but I'd be fascinated to hear any ideas you have about them.

Isla xx

 

[squint]

thank you so much!

Squint, do you think that image/spirit/love is something that is added to our physical bodies or encoded within our natural existence (or something completely different!)?

Linking love to flesh in any form would remain problematic to me. Working 'through,' yes, encoded in DNA? Prolly not. Spirit is something that science will not be able to can, dissect and analyze.

If scientists were to alter an embryo's DNA in a way that would not happen 'naturally' (e.g. add in some other organism's DNA), could that compromise God's image in the resultant baby?

Ultimately I do believe God Himself is in charge and complete control of all things. As believers we are told to know 'no man,' not even Christ after the flesh...and that is how I too try to view things.

s

 

[ThomasDa]

Hello!

I have often heard the idea from Genesis that we are made in "God's image" used in bioethical debates and I've even used it myself. But when I think about it I realise that I really don't know what it means - I don't even know what it means to the other people I've heard talking about it.

Please let me know what you interpret being made in God's image to mean. Does this tell us about ourselves as we are, how we ought to be, or about how God is? (or all of the above!)

Thanks

Isla xx

It actually speaks to what we, with God's help, will become.

 

[Yab Yum]

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

IMHO the significance of this passage is to demonstrate that God is both singular and plural, both male and female.

 

[ThomasDa]

Hello!

I have often heard the idea from Genesis that we are made in "God's image" used in bioethical debates and I've even used it myself. But when I think about it I realise that I really don't know what it means - I don't even know what it means to the other people I've heard talking about it.

Please let me know what you interpret being made in God's image to mean. Does this tell us about ourselves as we are, how we ought to be, or about how God is? (or all of the above!)

Thanks

Isla xx

We who enter God's Kingdom will be in His image and likeness the same way sons and daughters are in the image and likeness of their earthly parents.

 

[IPbrown]

We who enter God's Kingdom will be in His image and likeness the same way sons and daughters are in the image and likeness of their earthly parents.

But children can be so different from their parents! surely there are parts of us that aren't God-like (e.g. jealousy) - how can we know which bits are God-like and which bits aren't?

 

[ThomasDa]

But children can be so different from their parents! surely there are parts of us that aren't God-like (e.g. jealousy) - how can we know which bits are God-like and which bits aren't?

When we enter God's Kingdom and become immortal we will be like our elder brother Jesus. At that time our creation will be done. At that time God will have finnished creating us in His image. At that time we will be prefected. Our creation is a process not something done by fiat.
Our creation was not finnished when God made Adam and Eve, it had just begun.