Are we really made in God's image?

[justamanda]

To put it simply, "Image" to us may mean what is seen, but we must remember that words in english translation arent always identical in meaning to the original text. What is intended to be understood is that we are granted a personality and a mind, and we are beings of LOVE with a profound ability to LOVE, just as GOD IS LOVE. This separates us from logic and science, it is a spiritual gift that would have no reason to exist without a loving creator. We may not look just like God while we are on earth, but our spiritul body came from God, therefore is a part of God.

 

[peacefulbeliever]

I am aware of the different forms of figures of speech. I mentioned Metonymy because it is a popular figure of speech within the Bible. While I have not done a special study on the different forms of Figures of Speech in the Bible, most of these figures of speech in the KJV are defined for us with the help of Modern Translations. But you can't say that every time God Word's describes a human like body part in reference to God as being a figure of speech every time. For what in the world did God mean by telling Moses that he could not see His face but yet He was allowed to see His back parts? How do you even turn that into a figure of speech? Doing such a thing would regulate the text to just gobblie gook non sense or useless background noise. You have to explain it to me. Help me to see it. Otherwise I am going to assume you don't know what you are talking about (Because you can't explain it - using the context and or other Scripture).

You don't want to bother looking it up but yet you want to tell me I don't know what I am talking about?

Condescensio or Anthropopatheia [anthropomorphism] is used when ascribing human attributes to God.

Ps. 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Ps. 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thou right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. [the right hand of God denotes blessings]
When scripture speaks concerning God's face - it is speaking of God's presence.

Excerpt taken from faithbibleministriesblog.com Figures of Speech Part 1 A Figure of Speech is a designed and legitimate departure from the laws of language, in order to emphasis what is said.

Hence in such Figures we have the Holy Spirit’s own marking, so to speak, of His own words. Figures are used for the sake of emphasis and clarity. They can never, therefore, be ignored.

E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech used in the Bible: CONDESCENSION When God is spoken of as if He were human, or were a part of His creation, this is done in His condescension, so that He may reveal Himself in terms within the range of human perception.

Figures of Speech

Anthropomorphism: An implicit or explicit comparison of God to some corporeal aspect of mankind. By this comparison the author does not intend to be evocative but to be didactic, viz., to communicate a truth about the person of God. The author will choose that part of human life which best corresponds to some characteristic of God’s person: e.g., the face denotes His presence, the eyes denote His awareness, the ears signify His attentiveness, the nostrils signify His anger, and the heart speaks of His moral purpose (see Bullinger, pp. 871‑881, 883‑894). Revelation of the Godhead demands the use of anthropomorphic language, i.e., to communicate the nature of God in language people understand. Throughout the OT God is described as if he has all such human parts and functions. This is probably why Jesus is described as the complete revelation of God, the alpha and the omega, the Logos‑‑in the incarnation the Word (or should we say “the words”?) became flesh.
“His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the sons of men.” (Ps. 11:4)The psalmist, wishing to reveal God’s close examination of all human affairs, uses the expressions “eyes” and “eyelids.” God is a Spirit and not corporeal; moreover, divine omniscience does not need to squint the eyelids to look more intently. But what these mean for human life enables people to understand the divine activity of investigation and judgment.“Incline your ear to me.” (Ps. 31:3 [2])Again, the expression is human‑‑one leaning over to listen more intently to what someone says. God does not need to do this (nor does he have an ear that he lowers to the one praying). Such anthropomorphisms are for our benefit‑‑it is an urgent cry for God to hear the prayer.“Hide your face from my sins.” (Ps. 51:11 [9]).This is in David’s confession of sin. He prays that God would forgive him and not hold his sin against him. The human activity of “hiding one’s face.” i.e., not looking at something, graphically conveys his wish and brings him comfort.The Scriptures are filled with anthropomorphic expressions about God that will have to be interpreted clearly (and carefully since many people simply take these literally). God is described as having “everlasting arms,” “saving hand,” “consuming breath of his nostrils,” “feet”; he is portrayed as “sitting enthroned,” “hurling a storm,” “blotting out of a book,” “putting tears in a bottle,” and a host of other figurative expressions from the human realm. They are all meant to reveal the person and work of the LORD in terms that we can understand and appreciate.But note this: Many authors distinguish this figure from the description of God’s passion(s) which they designate as anthropopatheia: an implicit or explicit comparison between the nature of God and human passions. Doing this may give the impression that God may not in fact possess passions or emotions. This notion greatly limits God's personality, traditionally defined as intellect, sensibility and will. And so I do not use this category at all, but maintain that God’s passions are literal (see Bullinger includes it on pp. 882, 883).

 

[GodIsSalvation]

Yes man is made in the image of God and woman in the image of man. This is very clear throughout the Bible. That God is a man in form is also proved via Jesus of course whom is a perfect image of his Father.

 

[sassylady]

I've thought that being created in His image is because we are a three part being as He is.

 

[Jason0047]

You don't want to bother looking it up but yet you want to tell me I don't know what I am talking about?

Condescensio or Anthropopatheia [anthropomorphism] is used when ascribing human attributes to God.

Ps. 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Ps. 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thou right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. [the right hand of God denotes blessings]
When scripture speaks concerning God's face - it is speaking of God's presence.

Excerpt taken from faithbibleministriesblog.com Figures of Speech Part 1 A Figure of Speech is a designed and legitimate departure from the laws of language, in order to emphasis what is said.

Hence in such Figures we have the Holy Spirit’s own marking, so to speak, of His own words. Figures are used for the sake of emphasis and clarity. They can never, therefore, be ignored.

E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech used in the Bible: CONDESCENSION When God is spoken of as if He were human, or were a part of His creation, this is done in His condescension, so that He may reveal Himself in terms within the range of human perception.

Figures of Speech

Anthropomorphism: An implicit or explicit comparison of God to some corporeal aspect of mankind. By this comparison the author does not intend to be evocative but to be didactic, viz., to communicate a truth about the person of God. The author will choose that part of human life which best corresponds to some characteristic of God’s person: e.g., the face denotes His presence, the eyes denote His awareness, the ears signify His attentiveness, the nostrils signify His anger, and the heart speaks of His moral purpose (see Bullinger, pp. 871‑881, 883‑894). Revelation of the Godhead demands the use of anthropomorphic language, i.e., to communicate the nature of God in language people understand. Throughout the OT God is described as if he has all such human parts and functions. This is probably why Jesus is described as the complete revelation of God, the alpha and the omega, the Logos‑‑in the incarnation the Word (or should we say “the words”?) became flesh.
“His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the sons of men.” (Ps. 11:4)The psalmist, wishing to reveal God’s close examination of all human affairs, uses the expressions “eyes” and “eyelids.” God is a Spirit and not corporeal; moreover, divine omniscience does not need to squint the eyelids to look more intently. But what these mean for human life enables people to understand the divine activity of investigation and judgment.“Incline your ear to me.” (Ps. 31:3 [2])Again, the expression is human‑‑one leaning over to listen more intently to what someone says. God does not need to do this (nor does he have an ear that he lowers to the one praying). Such anthropomorphisms are for our benefit‑‑it is an urgent cry for God to hear the prayer.“Hide your face from my sins.” (Ps. 51:11 [9]).This is in David’s confession of sin. He prays that God would forgive him and not hold his sin against him. The human activity of “hiding one’s face.” i.e., not looking at something, graphically conveys his wish and brings him comfort.The Scriptures are filled with anthropomorphic expressions about God that will have to be interpreted clearly (and carefully since many people simply take these literally). God is described as having “everlasting arms,” “saving hand,” “consuming breath of his nostrils,” “feet”; he is portrayed as “sitting enthroned,” “hurling a storm,” “blotting out of a book,” “putting tears in a bottle,” and a host of other figurative expressions from the human realm. They are all meant to reveal the person and work of the LORD in terms that we can understand and appreciate.But note this: Many authors distinguish this figure from the description of God’s passion(s) which they designate as anthropopatheia: an implicit or explicit comparison between the nature of God and human passions. Doing this may give the impression that God may not in fact possess passions or emotions. This notion greatly limits God's personality, traditionally defined as intellect, sensibility and will. And so I do not use this category at all, but maintain that God’s passions are literal (see Bullinger includes it on pp. 882, 883).

You didn't read what I had written. I wasn't asking to go into explaining figures of speech. I do not disagree that the Bible uses figures of speech; And I am aware of Bullinger's book. My goal from you was to explain how God told Moses that He could not look at His face.

 

[Atwood]

God is not a 3 part being; He has one essence. He does have 3 persons (ego's). This is not analogous to body, soul, & spirit. (Did we leave out heart, reins, & mind?).

Check it out if you care to see if you don't find that all the references to IMAGE OF GOD have to do with rulership. Man is in the image of God relative to the animals, ruling over them. The husband in sin the image of God (1 Cor 11) relative to wives (ruling them -- LOL, a theory).

 

[oyster67]

There are many questions that have been rattling around in my mind recently, the least serious of which is this:
Are we really made in God's image?

God was once the only thing in existence. This means that he existed before gravity, before solid matter, before time, etc. This means that it is completely illogical to think God looks anything like a human.

1. God would not need legs because he has nowhere to go. He is everywhere at once.
2. We have flat feet because gravity holds us to the solid Earth and we need them to balance. God doesn't need feet.
3. God would not need arms or hands because there was nothing in existence to hold.
4. God would not have eyes because he would not need organs that are designed to take in light before he created light.
5. He wouldn't have any use for a nose, ears, or a mouth either because there was nothing to see, taste or hear.
5a. He wouldn't need a mouth to speak the universe into existence either, because there was no medium to carry the sound. Whatever the Bible means by "God said" must be something different than our idea of what it means to "say" something.
6. God does not need a body, especially not a solid one like we have. We use our bodies to interact with, and affect, the physical world. God interacts with the physical world in a non-physical way, so there is no reason for him to have a body of any shape or size.

We are shaped and structured the way we are because we have to interact with and thrive in our environment. God does not need any human-like features for any reason. So who exactly do we look like?

God looked quite a bit like a human when He walked the shores of Galilee.

 

[john832]

There are many questions that have been rattling around in my mind recently, the least serious of which is this:
Are we really made in God's image?

God was once the only thing in existence. This means that he existed before gravity, before solid matter, before time, etc. This means that it is completely illogical to think God looks anything like a human.

1. God would not need legs because he has nowhere to go. He is everywhere at once.
2. We have flat feet because gravity holds us to the solid Earth and we need them to balance. God doesn't need feet.
3. God would not need arms or hands because there was nothing in existence to hold.
4. God would not have eyes because he would not need organs that are designed to take in light before he created light.
5. He wouldn't have any use for a nose, ears, or a mouth either because there was nothing to see, taste or hear.
5a. He wouldn't need a mouth to speak the universe into existence either, because there was no medium to carry the sound. Whatever the Bible means by "God said" must be something different than our idea of what it means to "say" something.
6. God does not need a body, especially not a solid one like we have. We use our bodies to interact with, and affect, the physical world. God interacts with the physical world in a non-physical way, so there is no reason for him to have a body of any shape or size.

We are shaped and structured the way we are because we have to interact with and thrive in our environment. God does not need any human-like features for any reason. So who exactly do we look like?

We are made in the image of God. He was here first and made us to look like Him. Why is that a problem? Don't you believe Him?

 

[ELECT]

God is not a 3 part being; He has one essence. He does have 3 persons (ego's). This is not analogous to body, soul, & spirit. (Did we leave out heart, reins, & mind?).

Check it out if you care to see if you don't find that all the references to IMAGE OF GOD have to do with rulership. Man is in the image of God relative to the animals, ruling over them. The husband in sin the image of God (1 Cor 11) relative to wives (ruling them -- LOL, a theory).

God is a spiritual body with a personal soul and a Holy Spirit