Man - 'Created in the image of God'

[Daily Devoted]

1John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall resemble Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." All Christians should have the hope of been holy, it will make you do the right thing at all times.

I think you are mistaken on the interpretation of this verse. Are you saying that this verse means we can be sinless in this life? This verse has to be taken in context. This is referring to the second coming of Christ. When Christ returns, he will appear in his full glory. At this time we will receive our glorified bodies. Only then can we become sinless. We can strive to be pure on this earth, and we should, but we will never become sinless.

 

[free spirit]

I'm not angry, just amused by your condescending attitude and your suggestion that I am an illegitimate child of God while you are the real thing.

I am sorry if I inavvertly give that impression. It must be the witness that I have received from God that make me speak like that: I hope you are not offendet by it.

 

[Thief]

As I stated previously, God is spirit. He does not have a physical body. He can still reveal Himself to us though. God's physical laws are not for Himself, because He does not exist in the physical. As far as our sense of time, God is outside time. Time is another one of His creations.

I agree He is spirit...and the sons of God are then spirit...
but the laws he set are fixed and He abides.
Reality wouldn't hold if it got 'flexed'.
Wanna start a thread about miracles?

And time does not exist. It is no more than a quotient on a chalk board.

When the Bible says we are made in His image, it means that man and God share immaterial qualities such as intellect, will and emotions.

Man is physical.
What image then can a man possess that resembles God?
(and knowing the difference between good and evil might correct ...biblically...)
But the devil knows the scriptures...all of them....
and he doesn't live in heaven....right?

 

[Daily Devoted]

Man is physical.
What image then can a man possess that resembles God?
(and knowing the difference between good and evil might correct ...biblically...)
But the devil knows the scriptures...all of them....
and he doesn't live in heaven....right?

Man is physical, but we also have a spirit. Genesis 41:8 "And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh."

It is our spirit that resembles God. To define spirit - the invisible source or center of personality.

As far as how a person gets saved, look at my thread. What's Your Take On Salvation?

And if you want to start a thread on miracles, go ahead. I will read it.

 

[Thief]

Seems we are moving to a discussion of God as spirit?

And that Spirit can be described as what?

 

[Daily Devoted]

but the laws he set are fixed and He abides.
Reality wouldn't hold if it got 'flexed'.

And time does not exist. It is no more than a quotient on a chalk board.

God exists outside of our physical laws. Can you further explain what you mean by flexed?

God established time when He created everything. He established days first of all: "the evening and the morning were the first day." Then He set up the seven day week by creating everything in six days and resting on the seventh. Time does exist.

 

[free spirit]

I think you are mistaken on the interpretation of this verse. Are you saying that this verse means we can be sinless in this life? This verse has to be taken in context. This is referring to the second coming of Christ. When Christ returns, he will appear in his full glory. At this time we will receive our glorified bodies. Only then can we become sinless. We can strive to be pure on this earth, and we should, but we will never become sinless.[/

I do not know about your thinking but what you say is a poor excuse for not repenting. This verses are true to me: 1John 3:6-7, "No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous."

 

[Daily Devoted]

Seems we are moving to a discussion of God as spirit?

And that Spirit can be described as what?

We already spent quite a while discussing this. Have you read all the posts?

A spirit being would be a being that does not have a physical body. Our spirits can live apart from our body, but our bodies cannot live without our spirit. James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." That shows that a spirit can exist without a body, which God does.

 

[free spirit]

The point I really wanted to make here is that we are not in bondage to sin after we are bought with the blood of Christ.

Therefore if we are not in bondage to sin we do not have to obey its temptations, thus we are on the way to holiness.

 

[Daily Devoted]

I do not know about your thinking but what you say is a poor excuse for not repenting. This verses are true to me: 1John 3:6-7, "No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous."

I never said not to repent. As to the passage you listed, let me say that you have to interpret Scripture with Scripture. In the same book it says this: 1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Keep in mind too, the book of 1 John was written to believers. When he says, "No one who abides in Him sins," it is explained with this: although we believe and are longer bound to sin, we do not always abide in Christ. Believers can sin, and sever their fellowship with Christ. When we abide in Christ, we don't sin; when we are not abiding in Christ, we sin.

 

[Daily Devoted]

we do not have to obey its temptations, thus we are on the way to holiness.

Exactly. On the way to holiness, although in this life we will never reach holiness.

 

[james2ko]

Did I miss it?...did anyone describe what the image of God is?

Scripture is sprinkled with references of God’s body parts. They show that God has eyes, ears, hands, feet, a mouth, nostrils, arms and legs, etc. In just one location, Isaiah 59:1-2 mentions His face, ears and hands. Numerous verses make reference to the mind of God and Christ (Phil. 2:5).

Humans have all of these same physical attributes that God Himself possesses, although made of flesh and not Spirit. So would it be so incomprehensible to conclude, based on scripture, that God's spiritual body has the image or likeness of our physical bodies?

 

[Daily Devoted]

Scripture is sprinkled with references of God’s body parts. They show that God has eyes, ears, hands, feet, a mouth, nostrils, arms and legs, etc. In just one location, Isaiah 59:1-2 mentions His face, ears and hands. Numerous verses make reference to the mind of God and Christ (Phil. 2:5).

Humans have all of these same physical attributes that God Himself possesses, although made of flesh and not Spirit. So would it be so incomprehensible to conclude, based on scripture, that God's spiritual body has the image or likeness of our physical bodies?

This is what I was trying to say. Thank you for this. I would agree with this.

 

[Thief]

God exists outside of our physical laws. Can you further explain what you mean by flexed?

If God is 'outside' physical law....
Then interaction means 'what'...to you?

God established time when He created everything. He established days first of all: "the evening and the morning were the first day." Then He set up the seven day week by creating everything in six days and resting on the seventh. Time does exist.

There have been several threads here at the forum about time.
It is a quotient on a chalkboard.
Not a force or substance.

And the Genesis report of day and night is a bit shaky.
And you want to support your respective with it?

 

[Daily Devoted]

There have been several threads here at the forum about time.
It is a quotient on a chalkboard.
Not a force or substance.

And the Genesis report of day and night is a bit shaky.
And you want to support your respective with it?

Time may not be a force like wind, but it still exists.

How is the Genesis report shaky?

 

[Thief]

Scripture is sprinkled with references of God’s body parts. They show that God has eyes, ears, hands, feet, a mouth, nostrils, arms and legs, etc. In just one location, Isaiah 59:1-2 mentions His face, ears and hands. Numerous verses make reference to the mind of God and Christ (Phil. 2:5).

Humans have all of these same physical attributes that God Himself possesses, although made of flesh and not Spirit. So would it be so incomprehensible to conclude, based on scripture, that God's spiritual body has the image or likeness of our physical bodies?

Yeah well gee......
Are you hoping God looks like you?

And what if He doesn't?

 

[Thief]

Time may not be a force like wind, but it still exists.

Nope...not at all.

How is the Genesis report shaky?

All things green and bear seed...Day Three
The sun, moon, and stars are placed.... the seasons are set...Day Four.

Any farmer could tell you...
Seed bearing plant life...without the seasons already in place?....not likely.

 

[Daily Devoted]

All things green and bear seed...Day Three
The sun, moon, and stars are placed.... the seasons are set...Day Four.

Any farmer could tell you...
Seed bearing plant life...without the seasons already in place?....not likely.

Just because seasons were not in place does not mean that the light that was there before the sun did not provide the same nourishment for the plants that the sun does now. When the earth was created there was a canopy of water surrounding the earth, which caused the whole earth to be like one big greenhouse. In fact, seasons as we know them now, most likely didn't come about until after the Flood. That was when the canopy was removed. At the beginning of creation it never rained. God watered the earth by a mist that came up from the earth. Genesis 2:6 "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."

 

[Katzpur]

I am sorry if I inavvertly give that impression. It must be the witness that I have received from God that make me speak like that: I hope you are not offendet by it.

Maybe I just don't know what you're trying to say. Now you're saying that the witness you received from God made you tell me that I am His illegitimate daughter? Somehow, I can't imagine God prompting you to say such a thing. It really doesn't matter a whole lot, free spirit. In the end, all that matters is that God knows I'm His.

 

[Thief]

Just because seasons were not in place does not mean that the light that was there before the sun did not provide the same nourishment for the plants that the sun does now. When the earth was created there was a canopy of water surrounding the earth, which caused the whole earth to be like one big greenhouse. In fact, seasons as we know them now, most likely didn't come about until after the Flood. That was when the canopy was removed. At the beginning of creation it never rained. God watered the earth by a mist that came up from the earth. Genesis 2:6 "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."

You are misquoting for your own convenience of belief.

The sun, moon, and stars were not in place until Day Four.
Seed bearing plants require the seasons.
The sequence of creation is not in proper order.

But I happen to be a rogue theologian and have no problem with it.

I have always believed God to be the Creator.
As far back as my memory goes...that was my first solid thought.

Genesis is just one telling of that quality.
It happens to be a poor edition.
There is truth in the telling.
You just have to be a bit more open minded....
The people who wrote it, may have been inspired by God....
and God may have dictated some portions....

But I don't expect accurate accounts from people who believed the earth to be flat....and the actual nature of stars and planets unknown.