God's image?

elgallo114 · 07-01-2006, 09:40 PM

Hope this hasn't been discussed before.

I was talking to another group of people when this subject came up so I thought I'd pose the question to all of you.

What was meant by "made in God's image?"

Was it literal meaning we look the same?
Does it mean that we have soul and other animals do not?
Does it mean that we have free will to chose God or not?
Does it mean that we have many God-like qualities that other animals do not?

These are some of the answers that were thrown around. Just wondering what some of you thought. Or if there were some other Scriptural (sp?) support for an actual answer.

Rebel Hog · 07-01-2006, 10:29 PM

Gen.1:26-27
[26] 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.
[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Eph.2:10
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are made in God's image, but the potential value of this image will not be realized unless we become conformed to the image of Christ in our morality. To be living in God's image, we must be in a right (i.e., moral) relationship with God and with other humans, using our minds and our authority to serve God and our fellow humans. This is what it means to be in the image of God and conformed to the perfect image, his Son.

Chuck7 · 07-02-2006, 02:55 AM

Yes...although God is called invisable at some places ,there are other scriptures tha tshow he had body parts as us. IMHO I believe it means just that. We are made in Hi simage. 1 John says,,"As He is so are we."According to scripture, He has arms , legs, ears ,eyes , hands, .Just look at Jesus . Is He not God as well as Son.?
C7

elgallo114 · 07-02-2006, 03:58 AM

So, so far you two don't think that "His image" has anything to do with having free will or the ability to choose?

It means only that we resemble the physical appearance of God?

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm still on the fence with this one, I just suspect that there is deeper meaning than we just look like Him. I'm always wary of trying to read too much into Scripture though.

Chuck7 · 07-02-2006, 04:12 AM

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm still on the fence with this one, I just suspect that there is deeper meaning than we just look like Him. I'm always wary of trying to read too much into Scripture though.
Elgallo

You are right..let's dig a little deeper,
1. We are His sons, :Like Father like sons}

2, We have His Spirit abiding in us {If we are His sons}

3. Since Christ is God revealed in the flesh...no doubt our bodies are in the same image.And he had flesh and blood as well

4. We feel pain...he felt pain.

5. He has emotions such as joy, crying , anger , compassion...we have those as well.

6. We are being conformed daily to become more and more like Him.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,

When people see us ..they should see Christ Jesus.

Alex The Hawk · 07-02-2006, 12:34 PM

We were Made in His Image as Elohim;

Surely, "Ye are gods" is one of the strangest statements recorded in the Bible. It is one of those verses that we simply pass over time and time again because of its peculiarity. We do not understand it, but we are able to live with that lack of understanding. What did Asaph mean when he penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in the 82nd Psalm? What did Jesus mean in John 10 when He quoted Asaph to the unbelieving Jews?
First we must look at Psalm 82 to get the context in which these words are found. In verse one Asaph declared that God judges among the gods(men). This word "gods" is the same Hebrew word used in verse six. Verses two through four inform us as to the identity of these gods whom God judges. They are none other than judges, or magistrates of the land. They were rulers who were perverting judgment through their office and authority. Because of this it is declared, "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

Leafrivermac · 07-02-2006, 02:59 PM

As far as our bodies being an image of God, I would kinda agree, but only from the aspect of the covenant relationship preparing for God manifested in flesh as Christ in the fulness of time. The fact that we have an immortal soul, superior brains to the beasts, having dominion and power over them, is part of that image also. I would also reflect on the fact that at birth, we have a certain kind of purity.

Snooky · 07-02-2006, 10:46 PM

If it means that we are made in his physical image, where are our wings and feathers? Psalms 91:4 Many of the discriptions given of God in the scripture are symbolic and even such phrases as "right hand" do not always mean a literal right hand.

Rebel Hog · 07-03-2006, 11:14 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Snooky

If it means that we are made in his physical image, where are our wings and feathers? Psalms 91:4 Many of the discriptions given of God in the scripture are symbolic and even such phrases as "right hand" do not always mean a literal right hand.

We are made in God's image, but the potential value of this image will not be realized unless we become conformed to the image of Christ in our morality. To be living in God's image, we must be in a right (i.e., moral) relationship with God and with other humans, using our minds and our authority to serve God and our fellow humans. This is what it means to be in the image of God and conformed to the perfect image, his Son.