What does it mean to be in the image of God?

[Brian1040]

Can anyone answer this question?

 

[JTLauder]

There is no explicit description of what the "image of God" is other than the Genesis saying that both males and females were created in God's image. (In case there is argument over this, the word "man" used in Genesis 1:27 in Hebrew translates to "human being, mankind" and a different Hebrew word is used elsewhere in the OT that specifically refers to a male "man" as distinct from a woman.)

So we can infer that God's image is inherent either in both males and females, or in either but together represent God's image.

So we can try to observe and learn some of God's character and see if they are present in people.
Some general personalities include a high capacity for creativity, higher cognitive functions and reasoning, moral awareness, free will decision making, love, mercy, and compassion.

What else can people think of?

 

[~InHisHands~]

Love, mercy, grace, lovingkindness, humbleness, gentleness, truth, patience, dying to self. I believe this all comes with knowledge as we get to know Christ and his character.
One day we will all be perfected enough to be like Christ.

 

[CardinalBaseball]

2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God

I think someone may be able to make something of this.

 

[LetTheTruthBeTold]

There is no explicit description of what the "image of God" is other than the Genesis saying that both males and females were created in God's image. (In case there is argument over this, the word "man" used in Genesis 1:27 in Hebrew translates to "human being, mankind" and a different Hebrew word is used elsewhere in the OT that specifically refers to a male "man" as distinct from a woman.)

So we can infer that God's image is inherent either in both males and females, or in either but together represent God's image.

So we can try to observe and learn some of God's character and see if they are present in people.
Some general personalities include a high capacity for creativity, higher cognitive functions and reasoning, moral awareness, free will decision making, love, mercy, and compassion.

What else can people think of?

God created Adam using His own image(his imagination?). We look like what God would look like if He we're physically here. Example: Jesus.

 

[Brian1040]

There is no explicit description of what the "image of God" is other than the Genesis saying that both males and females were created in God's image. (In case there is argument over this, the word "man" used in Genesis 1:27 in Hebrew translates to "human being, mankind" and a different Hebrew word is used elsewhere in the OT that specifically refers to a male "man" as distinct from a woman.)

So we can infer that God's image is inherent either in both males and females, or in either but together represent God's image.

So we can try to observe and learn some of God's character and see if they are present in people.
Some general personalities include a high capacity for creativity, higher cognitive functions and reasoning, moral awareness, free will decision making, love, mercy, and compassion.

What else can people think of?

I will answer my question by posting a new Thread, even though I have answered the question, somewhat on my other Thread that I posted. Maybe you can read it and take a guess.

 

[linssue55]

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7); “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created be him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27). This is soul image.

These statements introduce facts and forces quite beyond the range of human understanding. It is clear, however, that the immaterial part of man originates not as a creation, but as a transmission. Some element of creation may have been present and active, but it is evident that the “living soul” which man became by the divine inbreathing. It is an impartation from the Eternal One. The human soul and spirit (spirit given at salvation) thus are originated and that, as before indicated, by Elohim, which title implies that all three Persons of the Godhead have shared—
and each as sufficient in Himself-in securing this crowning work of Elohim’s productive powers.

 

[Brian1040]

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7); “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created be him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27). This is soul image.

These statements introduce facts and forces quite beyond the range of human understanding. It is clear, however, that the immaterial part of man originates not as a creation, but as a transmission. Some element of creation may have been present and active, but it is evident that the “living soul” which man became by the divine inbreathing. It is an impartation from the Eternal One. The human soul and spirit (spirit given at salvation) thus are originated and that, as before indicated, by Elohim, which title implies that all three Persons of the Godhead have shared—
and each as sufficient in Himself-in securing this crowning work of Elohim’s productive powers.

Of all the people that have responded to my post, you are the only one that came the closes. You have not hit the mark, just touched it a little bit.

 

[JContinuum]

Before Christ came the image of God became marred in humans. We were born in the image of Adam, when we accepted Christ, then santification process changes us into the image of Christ.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,

1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him

Image of God? Let the Scripture define it!

Ephesians 4:22-24 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the image of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:8-10 But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.


The definition of "Image God" in my opinion is Jesus Christ

 

[linssue55]

Of all the people that have responded to my post, you are the only one that came the closes. You have not hit the mark, just touched it a little bit.

Exegeted..........

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]Gen.....[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]26~~ And Elohiym/Godhead {All agreed} said/decreed,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]"Let Us manufacture {'asah - something out of something} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{man's personality/soul is being created here} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]mankind {human race} in Our shadow image {tselem - real but invisible essence - all the same} - after Our pattern/likeness [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{damuwth - personality that comes out of that essence - each different}.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]And they shall rule over the fish of the sea,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and over the birds of the heavens,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and over the cattle {domesticated animals}[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and over all the earth,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and over every creeping thing {reptiles and insects}[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]that creeps/glides on the earth.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{Note: The invisible essence of God is in view here -[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]'I am' - self-awareness;[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]'I ought' - moral reasoning power (knows right from wrong);[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and 'I will' - free will.}[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]27~~ So Elohiym/Godhead created[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{bara' - something out of nothing - man's soul}[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]the Adam/man {the first man} in His Own shadow image -[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]in the image of Elohiym/Godhead . . .[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]He created {bara'} him {singular - Adam only}.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]Male and female {both Adam and Eve's souls}[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{right man/ right woman in soul only},[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]He created {bara'} them {plural}.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{Note: Only the male body was created at this point. The female body was created later, but her soul was created at this point and stored in Adam's body. God created the doctrine of right man with right woman in the SOUL at this point also.}[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]Gen....[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{Formation of Man and God's Provision for Man's Soul}[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]2:7~~ And the Lord God [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {Jehovah Elohiym - Jesus Christ} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]formed/designed [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {yatsar - to form from existing materials} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]the man [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {male body} [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]of the soil/earth/dust/ [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]'chemical content of the soul' of the ground [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and breathed [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {naphach - really means 'mouth to mouth resuscitation' here} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]into his nostrils [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]the 'breath of lives'/'spark of lives' [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {'neshamah chay' -plural - 'breath of lives' - both Adam and Eve's [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] soul see also Job 33:4}; [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and the Adam/man {Adam only} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]'became a living soul'/'became a soul having life' [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {nephesh - 'soul life'}.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{Note: Yatsar is the Hebrew word meaning to form. Used here for the creation of the male body. Yatsar means to shape something in a certain way. The woman completes the man. FYI, the woman's body in contrast is said to be 'banah' - which means to be built or constructed.}[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]Job 33:

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{Elihu's Dissertation on the Origin of Life - Correct Biblical Viewpoint}[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]4~~ The breath of God/'El [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]{ruwach - means spirit, breath, wind - means [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] breath} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]has made/manufactured me [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {`asah - manufacture out of something else} [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2]and the 'spark of life' from the Almighty . . . gives me life[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] {nashamah - ('na'-Sha-maaaa) means the 'spark of life' - soul life...see [/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Times New I2] Genesis 2:7}.[/FONT]
[/FONT]