In His Image

[SnowDove]

From what I've seen on this site, and heard from others in real life, most people believe that the phrase "In His image" means that God has two ears, a mouth, two nostrils...four limbs, etc. But, I disagree. We know for certain that God has a soul...free will...emotions, etc...and I believe that that's what the phrase means. I don't think that our physical bodies are as important as how our souls are made...and our souls are in God's image. Sin has marred those souls, but they were still formed in His image.

[bible]genesis 1:27[/bible]

It says male and female...but God isn't male or female...He's God! So, that makes me wonder if we are truly physically in His image if I'm female and you're male...and so on? That's a weak question...but it does make me wonder. Overall, I think that 'in His image' refers to the most important part of us...our inner-self...what makes us who we are.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Snide remarks? Lol...no snide remarks...but any thoughts?

Edit: I just stumbled accidentally on something in this area. It is on http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html I was looking up the beliefs of Seventh Day Adventists, since I didn't know...and this is one of the beliefs they listed. I find it interesting...funny how I stumbled on it!

"Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)"

 

[brinny]

Wow! Yes, it is our souls that are in the image of God! It is perhaps that part of us that longs to be reunited with Him, and cries out with groanings that only God can hear. The inexpressible mourning that we experience surely must come from the depths of our souls.

Souls! How awesome that God finds each soul more precious than we can fathom. I agree that our bodies are temporary and that they are temporary. But our soul is eternal. When we are reunited with God we will have a 'body' that fits our soul. At least that is my musing on it.

How this world and all its influences, and the sin that besets us keeps us oblivious to the fact that we have a soul, and that it is so much more infinately precious than our physical bodies.

Awesome thread!

 

[poohmom]

I looked up image in the Strong's Concordance, and in the Hebrew it's root means to shade. In other words, His shadow. It also says that it figuratively means illusion, resemblance; hence a representative.

Interesting, huh?

I had heard that we were made in His shadow, but I had never looked it up before to see that there is a figurative meaning, too.

Does that help any?

 

[SnowDove]

Yes...thank you for doing that! I love Strong's Concordance and didn't even think of it! Thank you!

 

[poohmom]

You are very welcome!

I love having a reason to pull out the Concordance! It always sheds some light on verses when you know what just one of the words in it means in the original language.

 

[Evie]

Yes...thank you for doing that! I love Strong's Concordance and didn't even think of it! Thank you!

How do you make holy water?
Boil the hell out of it! -cute!!! made -me laugh

 

[SnowDove]

cute!!! made -me laugh

Thank you! Heehee...

 

[WeakButHopeful]

I hope you agree this is on topic, though I know it is a little loose.

C.S.Lewis in "Mere Christianity" (which I'm currently re-reading) spends a bit of time on the "person" of God, and the question some critics have asked: if God wanted many sanctified Sons and Daughters why didn't he just make us that way, rather than giving us free will to sin and lose our relationship with Him which meant we had to be redeemed. The answer is a bit long and involved, but one of the ideas he proposes is that maybe there is no other way for God to have many Sons and Daughters than through this very process which necessarily includes free will. In other words, if we were created that way how could you say that any one of us was different than another without basing your distinction on elements of the material universe (eye color, birth place, singing voice) which would be irrelevant to sanctified beings destined to spend eternity with their Creator (kind of like making distinctions between brain surgeons based on the lengths of their eye lashes...my summary and analogy, of course...I'm no C.S.Lewis)

 

[Endure2]

well the bible says moses saw Gods form... and when the bible says we are made in the IMAGE of God, it is the same word used to describe the shape and texture of things like statues or idols in other scriptures.

or so i hear from scholars that i trust.
i use to be really into discussing these things, but ive lost enterest in it over the years, it doesnt do much for me as a person.
there are more important things to me than knowing this...
though im not being critical of your interest.

 

[WeakButHopeful]

and when the bible says we are made in the IMAGE of God, it is the same word used to describe the shape and texture of things like statues or idols in other scriptures.

As you say, Endure2, this discussion isn't of interest to everyone, but the point made earlier in the thread by poohmom was that the word from scriptures suggests a shadow, resemblance or representative, which is what statues or idols are. So I'm not sure I picked up on the distinction you were making. I just thought I'd ask you to clarify, but I understand it's not of a lot of interest to you , so no pressure.
God bless.

 

[SnowDove]

I think that the shadow or resemblance can again be questioned as to whether it means His actual physical image (which I'm not really sure what it is) or His free will...etc. Idols are "gods" or spirits like the real God (except, they aren't real...duh ). The only thing physical about them are how man formed statues of them. What's my point? Hmmm...ask me later.

 

[Endure2]

it doesnt really matter to me so.
i for one do believe God looks a certain way.

 

[SnowDove]

This is not directed at Endure2...I can tell you don't want to discuss this...so don't unless you really want to...my question was aimed at those who are interested. Perhaps God does look a certain way...I mean, He must have some form...right? Even if He didn't, that's not important. But, what's to say that that shape or form is one of skin and hair (maybe He's balding... )! Lol...maybe our heavenly bodies will be in the image of God's if it is different.

Ah...another question. Was Jesus seen in His new body? Part of me makes me think no, just because he still had the scars from his crucifixion. I don't want to try to draw conclusions out of deductive reasoning, though...does anyone have any Scriptural reference to it?

 

[Endure2]

welll im pretty sure that the bible says well see those scars one day too.
i dont have the scripture on hand though.
he told mary and martha not to touch him becuase he hadnt ascended... but later he invited people like thomas to touch him...
seems to me it was his new body.