They are humanistic explanations of the likeness of man to god iv. Creating god in the image of man is an examination and evaluation of this new open view of god. Clines the old testament references to the doctrine of the image of god in man are tantalizing in their brevity and scarcity. When we gaze god ward our vision is so colored by subjective states, that the unchangeable wears the aspect of mutability. Man is a living soul, composed of a physical body and a nonphysical spirit element. Yet even if the essential meaning of the image is clear, namely that mans splendour is his likeness to god, we still need to know in what respect man is like god. Apologetics press intermediate christian evidences. What it means to be made in the image of god focus on. The genesis 1 account of creation lays out a series of phases of.
Creating god in the image of man geisler, norman l. The earth, which was formless and empty verse 1, was first given shape and was then. The bible account is primarily concerned with the relationship between god and man. The image of god is not just being restored in us, but we are also being made into the image of jesus. Bruce malone this coffeetablesized hardcover uses a timeline of scientific and archaeological facts to validate that the creation account of the bible is accurate. Scripture pencil, or, some characteristic marks of a man who is going to heaven. It is identified with christ, image now being the perfect reflection of the prototype. This makes our present condition not reflective of our original state prior to sin. Divine truth is ever seeking to reveal itself through the channel of the holy spirit. While the substantive interpretation of god s image in man imago dei is not specifically affirmed in scripture, and it is only one of the three traditional conceptions about the image of god in mankind, it is the most. There are three biblical categories concerning the image of god in man. So, what was the effect of sin when it comes to the image of god in man.
The doctrine of man as god s image is also a doctrine of the moral, personal, and nonanimal, character of god. From the beginning of the end in genesis protology to the end of the beginning in revelation eschatology, the image of god is crucial for understanding the flow of redemptive history. Specifically, how can the corporeal element in man image the spiritual nature of god. God formed adam from the dust and gave him life by sharing his own breath genesis 2. The image is just that, mankind is made in the image of god, whereas the likeness is a spiritual attribute of the moral qualities of god. This link finds its first expression in the account of creation itself. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of god. Since man and women were both made in the image of god. The image of god after the fall the reformed collective. In sending christ to the earth to live as a man, god shows us what it truly looks like to live a life in the image of god. Man was created without sin but became sinful after adam disobeyed, therefore adams sin marred mankind. Israel was forbidden to worship images, but, perhaps surprisingly, scripture teaches that there is a true image of god, ourselves.
Thesis statement the bible teaches that man was made in the image of god, therefore as god s image bearers it is important to understand the nature of that status. Earlier christian tradition has posited the idea that the image of god could extend to angels as well as human beings, a notion considered by theologians as significant as john calvin and thomas aquinas. We are being conformed to jesus image, transformed. The image of god in man resides in the spiritual element.
According to the bible, the first man was perfect, made in the image of god genesis 1. Things certainly look different when viewing the whole picture from the veranda of the universe. Origen held that genesis speaks of mans creation in the image, but can obtain the likeness by works. And god created man in his own image, in the image of god he created him. The significance of gods image in man gerald bray introduction it is now nearly a quarter of a century since david clines gave his 1967 tyndale old testament lecture the image of god in man. It is within the context of this research to outline the definition of the image of god in man, the effects of the fall on mankind, as well as the historical views and modern views of imago dei. While the biblical meaning of the image of god must be foundational to any proper.
Gods eternal purpose for mankind 2 incarnate as the means of bringing a vast family of sons into the glorious measure of full stature. The image of god and economics david tucker concordia university. Adam and eve were more than animated clay, they were spiritual, endowed with a genuine capacity to know god, fellowship with god, and respond to god in. We are clay images a powerful lesson in humilitybut we are also images of god creatures of wondrous value and dignity. Made in the image of god the basis for our significance. In genesis we see not only that humans are made in the image of god, but that. Although somewhat closely related to the image of god, man s dominion over the world is a consequence, not the essence, of the divine image. Tyndale old testament lecture, 1967 the ima ge of god in man by d. Though man is made in god s image, he has turned from god to false images, even images of man himself. On the flip side, it is inaccurate to say that we are still made in the image of god without adding the disclaimer that the current image in man is not the same as it was at creation. The significance of god s image in man gerald bray introduction it is now nearly a quarter of a century since david clines gave his 1967 tyndale old testament lecture the image of god in man. At the start of the story is the tantalising phrase in genesis 1, god created man in his own image. Cultures throughout the world are filled with mysteries which do not fit the pervasive evolutionary timeframe, but make perfect sense if the biblical timeline of history is accepted. Man was distinguished from other creatures by an excellence all his own, for he was made in the image of god.
Image of god a phrase found several times in the book of. The four basic arguments for this interpretation are. The trinity foundation man as created in gods image. Man was created as a direct act of god, in his image. And god created man in his image, in the image of god he created him, male and female created he them.
What it means to be created in the image of god core. Then god said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness genesis 1. Jul 28, 2015 thus, the image of god does not exist in what we are but rather what we docreating relationships with both our male and female counterparts and the creator of the universe. He is something different to us today from what he was at any time in the past. Berkouwer will say occasionally that he agrees with what he is quoting by someone else. May 04, 2017 the image was not totally destroyed at the fall. God created man in his image, and man was very good gn 1. The image of godfallen and restored knowing scripture. The last biblical category of the image of god in man is called the functional view. And god created man in his own image, in the image of.
Therefore, the mere possession of the traditional ontic qualities does not mean man is in the image of god. For instance, god deter mines to make man in his image, but when it happens, genesis gives a threefold emphasis that man as male and female was cre ated by god gen. Man in the image of god why did god create mankind. Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it. What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of god. It is a mark of our identity and, in a broken world, of our potential. When we gaze godward our vision is so colored by subjective states, that the unchangeable wears the aspect of mutability. Problematic interpretations of the image of god the image of god refers to external, visible form.
The idea that we are made in the image of god has given comfort and moral stimulus to many. What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of. Satan, however, is obviously given no such right in scripture. Aug 15, 2015 the hebrew language of verse 27 makes it clear that gods image in mankind depicts humanity as distinct from animals. An honest, biblical approach at understanding the image of god will embrace both the narrow and broad sense. In this essay, i will explain both the strengths and weaknesses of each view, how my understanding of the image of god has been shaped by them, and why these perspectives can help us better understand our. Its meaning and theological significance in narsai history has bequeathed narsai a strange legacy. This image was not of the essence of man s nature, nor was it a gift to man after creation. This book is a critique of the differing views about the image of god.
If man is an exact image, than is god both male and female. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood shall be shed, for god made man in his own image gen. It would be difficult to overstate the centrality of the image of god as a crucial theme in biblical theology. The church fathers made a distinction be tween image and. Instead of worshipping god and reflecting his rule over creation, fallen man now worships creation. Traces of this truth are found even in gentile literature. If mans image was physical, made in the image of god, jesus would not have had to take the form of a man, he would have already possessed it. In the image and likeness of god apologetics press. So god created man in his own image, in the image of god he created him. Lewis 1 paints a word picture of the dawn of history.
I think i got his point, but i wish he would say more about how he views the image of god in man. For the reformers4 it was the state of original righteous ness enjoyed by adam before the fall, the entire excellence of human nature including everything in. The relational view of the image of god the relational view of the image of god has its roots in the work of martin luther. Created in the image of god 7 several factors in the creation account in genesis 2 which provide the basis for pauls teaching about the relationship of man and woman. Thankfully, the image of god definition extends further than the definition that we have made it. Then god said let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth. His moral purity has been lost and his sinful character certainly does not reflect god s holiness. Apr 05, 2017 the other passages instead refer to the image of christthe image of his son, the image of the man of heaven, and the image of the lord. Narsai acknowledges the problem when he asserts in. Man was created by god, in his image, for gods joy and glory, and exists only in the context of god. The fourth unique feature of mans creation is the divine counsel which preceded it. The book of genesis tells us that god created man in his own image, forming man from the dust of the earth and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life genesis 1.
On the last day of creation, god said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness genesis 1. John sailhamer explains, mans image is not simply of himself. We are clay imagesa powerful lesson in humilitybut we are also images of god creatures of wondrous value and dignity. Within the trinity there is an agreement, a plan for action to make man in the image of god. One might say that the image of god runs through our cores like the lettering in a stick of rock, a part of our nature which, perfectly expressed, would mark us as the people we were created to be. Then god said, let us make man in our image, after our. Being god s image bearer somehow involves dominion over the earthly creatures. Image of god bakers evangelical dictionary of biblical. We are thus enabled to realize the necessity of a direct revelation of these great fundamental truths, to which human wisdom could not attain in any other way, which without the sancti on of gods word were doomed to r emain simple hy potheses, incapable of. He explains, we may conclude that theological concern with the image of god has concentrated on the socalled dual character of the image, and especially on the question of whether we can correctly speak of the image when mans conformity to gods will has vanished. As theologian wayne grudem explains, since man has sinned, he is certainly not as fully like god as he was before. The biblical roots of the idea of the relational image are in genesis 1. Paul, looking at god s eternal purpose for man, while he was seated with him in heavenly places.
Fourth, the image is not man s domination of the lower creation around. The image of god and the likeness are similar, but at the same time they are different. It is the presence of this image that allows man to exercise dominion over the earth. What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of god imago dei. He explains, we may conclude that theological concern with the image of god has concentrated on the socalled dual character of the image, and especially on the question of whether we can correctly speak of the image when man s conformity to god s will has vanished.
Some within the movement picture god with human limitations, rewriting classical beliefs that god is unchanging, allpowerful, and allknowing with dire consequences for the christians life of faith. According to scripture man was created in the image of god, and is therefore godrelated. Pdf man as the image and glory of god, and woman as the. For instance, god deter mines to make man in his image, but when it happens, genesis gives a threefold emphasis that man as male and female was cre. Man was created by god, in his image, for god s joy and glory, and exists only in the context of god. For the reformers4 it was the state of original righteous ness enjoyed by adam before the fall, the entire excellence of human nature including everything in which the nature of. Paul pointed out to the athenians that some of their own poets have spoken of man as the offspring of god, acts 17. In the day when god created man, he made him in the likeness of god.