In God's image

[Ross]

Genesis 1:26
"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."

What does it mean that man was created "in God's image?"

On a secondary note, the following verse says:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Does Genesis 1: 27 indicate that God is both male and female?

[placebofactor]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #19]

Here's a mind bender: Let’s take a look at Jesus pre-incarnate form. He was seen in the fiery furnace as a man, by Abraham as a man, by Jacob who wrestled with him as a man, and he walked in the garden with Adam as a man.

‘As a man’ is actually God’s manifestation to Adam, Abraham, Daniel et. al., and Jacob, not as Jesus’ pre-incarnate form, as you claimed. Jesus is the Almighty God, who is everything, and no one can describe Him rightfully, even Adam and Moses

This is one of the most fascinating and profound themes in all of Scripture: the visible, bodily appearances of the Son of God before He was born of Mary. The Bible repeatedly portrays the Son as a man long before His incarnation. So let the scriptures reveal what Jesus pre incarnate form looked like.

The Son of God, per se, was the visible manifestation of God in His incarnation. On the contrary, you still insist that the ‘as a man’ [in previous manifestations of God], was the ‘visible, and bodily appearances of the Son of God before He was born of Mary.’

The Son of God was a creation from God through the overshadowing made by the Holy Spirit to Mary. The child she conceived was the second Adam - the man who didn’t go under the process of ‘coitus.’ You misinterpreted God’s manifestation through ‘a man’ to the Son of God, who existed only when he was born [of Mary].

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

The Son appears in the fiery furnace: “The form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man in the fire: Daniel 3:25, “The form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” This is the clearest statement in the entire Old Testament that the Son appeared in human form before his birth in Bethlehem. He walked, he appeared as a man, was visible, and was recognizable as divine.

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

The fourth man in the company of Mezhach, Shadrach, and Abed-nego was only God’s manifestation that king Nebuchadnezzar saw inside the furnace, contrary to what you claimed he was the Son of God whom Mary brought forth.

So, what does this tell us about Jesus pre-incarnate form? The Son appeared repeatedly as a man before the incarnation. He had a visible, tangible, structured form. His form was human-like, but not flesh and blood, and I believe his form is the pattern for us being made in God’s image.

Jesus manifested Himself through a man repeatedly to some biblical characters like Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jacob in the OT, and through the Son of God, per se, in the NT.

OneJack, Happy New Year. OneJack, I really would like to discuss things with you, but most of the time, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Let me start the New Year off with two questions.

1. Do you believe the Father and Son are two separate individuals? Yes or no will do.

2. If not, when do you think the Son of God came into existence?
A. Before the Creation of the Heaven and Earth?
B. After the creation of the heaven and earth began.
C. Or when he was born of Mary?

[OneJack]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #19]

Here's a mind bender: Let’s take a look at Jesus pre-incarnate form. He was seen in the fiery furnace as a man, by Abraham as a man, by Jacob who wrestled with him as a man, and he walked in the garden with Adam as a man.

‘As a man’ is actually God’s manifestation to Adam, Abraham, Daniel et. al., and Jacob, not as Jesus’ pre-incarnate form, as you claimed. Jesus is the Almighty God, who is everything, and no one can describe Him rightfully, even Adam and Moses

This is one of the most fascinating and profound themes in all of Scripture: the visible, bodily appearances of the Son of God before He was born of Mary. The Bible repeatedly portrays the Son as a man long before His incarnation. So let the scriptures reveal what Jesus pre incarnate form looked like.

The Son of God, per se, was the visible manifestation of God in His incarnation. On the contrary, you still insist that the ‘as a man’ [in previous manifestations of God], was the ‘visible, and bodily appearances of the Son of God before He was born of Mary.’

The Son of God was a creation from God through the overshadowing made by the Holy Spirit to Mary. The child she conceived was the second Adam - the man who didn’t go under the process of ‘coitus.’ You misinterpreted God’s manifestation through ‘a man’ to the Son of God, who existed only when he was born [of Mary].

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

The Son appears in the fiery furnace: “The form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man in the fire: Daniel 3:25, “The form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” This is the clearest statement in the entire Old Testament that the Son appeared in human form before his birth in Bethlehem. He walked, he appeared as a man, was visible, and was recognizable as divine.

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

The fourth man in the company of Mezhach, Shadrach, and Abed-nego was only God’s manifestation that king Nebuchadnezzar saw inside the furnace, contrary to what you claimed he was the Son of God whom Mary brought forth.

So, what does this tell us about Jesus pre-incarnate form? The Son appeared repeatedly as a man before the incarnation. He had a visible, tangible, structured form. His form was human-like, but not flesh and blood, and I believe his form is the pattern for us being made in God’s image.

Jesus manifested Himself through a man repeatedly to some biblical characters like Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jacob in the OT, and through the Son of God, per se, in the NT.

OneJack, Happy New Year. OneJack, I really would like to discuss things with you, but most of the time, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Let me start the New Year off with two questions.

1. Do you believe the Father and Son are two separate individuals? Yes or no will do.

NO

2. If not, when do you think the Son of God came into existence?
A. Before the Creation of the Heaven and Earth?
B. After the creation of the heaven and earth began.
C. Or when he was born of Mary?

C

[placebofactor]

[Replying to OneJack in post #22]

The following evidence is directly from the Scriptures. These are the strongest Old Testament passages that show the Father (YHWH) and the Messiah (Jesus) are two distinct individuals. These verses are powerful because they show two divine persons interacting, speaking to each other, or being described separately.

Psalm 110:1: This is the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament, and it shows two Lords interacting. Psalm 110:1, “The LORD (YHWH, the Father) said unto my Lord (the Messiah), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Two divine persons. One speaks; the other obeys. They cannot be the same individual.

Daniel 7:13–14: The Son of Man approaches the Ancient of Days. This is one of the strongest passages showing two separate divine beings. Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man (Jesus) came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days (the Father).” Two individuals.

Isaiah 48:16: The Lord GOD and His Spirit send the Messiah; this also is a powerful Trinitarian verse hidden in plain sight. Isaiah 48:16, “... and now the Lord GOD (the Father), and his Spirit (the Holy Spirit), hath sent me (the Messiah).” Three distinct persons: The speaker (Jesus) is sent by two others, proving distinction.

Isaiah 61:1: Jesus quoted this about Himself in Luke 4. Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit (Holy Spirit) of the Lord GOD (the Father) is upon me (Jesus); because the LORD (the Father) hath anointed me.” Three distinct persons again: The Messiah is anointed by the Father, are not the same person.

Proverbs 30:4: This verse explicitly says God has a Son. Proverbs 30:4, “What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?” If the Father has a Son, then the Son is not the Father.

Hosea 1:7: Two persons both called LORD. Hosea 1:7, “But I (the Father) will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD (a second person) their God...” The LORD saves Israel by the LORD, two individuals.

Zechariah 2:8–11: This is one of the most explicit passages in the Old Testament. Zechariah 2:11, “... and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts (the Father) hath sent me (the Son) unto thee.” The speaker is the Son, and He says the Father sent Him. Two persons, both divine.

Another unmistakable two-person passage. Genesis 19:24, “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” One LORD on earth, one LORD in heaven, two individuals acting together.

[OneJack]

[Replying to placebofactor in post #23]

Psalm 110:1: This is the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament, and it shows two Lords interacting. Psalm 110:1, “The LORD (YHWH, the Father) said unto my Lord (the Messiah), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Two divine persons. One speaks; the other obeys. They cannot be the same individual.

David did not specifically identify the first and second Lord as YHWH, the Father, and the Messiah, respectively, did he? Psalms 110:1 is a narration from David, not a live scenario between the two Lords, as you claimed. You should gather other linkages to Psalms 110:1 that clearly identify the entities as two divine persons or not. Let the verses provide clarity regarding the true identities of the entities involved in this issue, will you?

Daniel 7:13–14: The Son of Man approaches the Ancient of Days. This is one of the strongest passages showing two separate divine beings. Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man (Jesus) came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days (the Father).” Two individuals.

Dan 7: 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority,glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Daniel saw in his vision ‘one like a son of man,’ not ‘the Son of God,’ per se, who doesn’t yet exist at that instance. The ‘one like a son of man’ who was given authority, glory, and sovereign power….. is related to David’s offspring [in 2 Sam 7:13-14] whom God will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Sam 7:13. When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rodwielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.

The ‘one like a son of man’ and the ancient of days in Psalms 110:1 are both the spirits’ manifestations of the Almighty God that Daniel saw in his vision. And the fulfillment of the ‘one like a son of man’ is the flesh manifestation of the Almighty in His incarnation, through the Son of God whom Mary brought forth, in the NT.

Don’t forget that the Almighty can do all things - The ‘one like a son of man’ and the ancient of days in Psalms 110:1 are both the spirits manifestations of the Almighty God that Daniel saw in his vision. And the fulfillment of the ‘one like a son of man’ is the flesh manifestation of the Almighty in His incarnation, through the Son of God whom Mary brought forth, in the NT. nothing is impossible with God. He can manifest Himself infinitely yet He is still everything and everywhere. What am I saying here? God used the ‘one like a son of man’ as His spirit’ manifestation, so was the ancient of days, for Daniel to see the incoming Messiah through a vision [in the spirit]. The ‘one like a son of man’ and the ancient of days that Daniel saw in his vision were just in plain spirit vision, not the permanent form and shape of the Almighty God, not even the Son of God himself, who’s not yet in existence at that time.

Isaiah 48:16: The Lord GOD and His Spirit send the Messiah; this also is a powerful Trinitarian verse hidden in plain sight. Isaiah 48:16, “... and now the Lord GOD (the Father), and his Spirit (the Holy Spirit), hath sent me (the Messiah).” Three distinct persons: The speaker (Jesus) is sent by two others, proving distinction.

Isaiah 61:1: Jesus quoted this about Himself in Luke 4. Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit (Holy Spirit) of the Lord GOD (the Father) is upon me (Jesus); because the LORD (the Father) hath anointed me.” Three distinct persons again: The Messiah is anointed by the Father, are not the same person.

Isa 48:16. Come near me and listen to this:
“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;
    at the time it happens, I am there.”
And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me,
    endowed with his Spirit.

This verse has only one speaker, the Sovereign Lord alone, who said:

12. Listen to me, Jacob,
    Israel, whom I have called:
I am he;
    I am the first and I am the last.
13 
My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,
    and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
    they all stand up together.

The Sovereign Lord was speaking about His coming incarnation where He will send Himself through the Son of God to whom He dwelt His Spirit, not the Holy Spirit, as you opined.

Let us now take this to the declaration made by the Son of God himself to the apostles and the Jews, where he said:

John 14:10. Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works.

The Son speaks clearly in this verse that the Father is living in him, and He (the Father) is doing his works. Also, the Father, living in him, speaks the words with authority.

The fulfillment of ‘And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit’ and Isa 61:1 is in John 17:3 and John 14:10-11 above.

“Now this is eternal life that they know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”

The Sovereign Lord sent Himself, through the Son, as Jesus Christ, or Immanuel, or Mighty God, or Eternal Father (Isa 7:14; 9:6; Matt 1:21). The Spirit that was in the Son was the Father Himself (John 14:10-11), whose name is Immanuel, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Jesus.

[NeutralZone]

Peace to you Ross,

Genesis 1:26
"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."

What does it mean that man was created "in God's image?"

On a secondary note, the following verse says:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Does Genesis 1: 27 indicate that God is both male and female?

God is Spirit - but He does have both male and female in Him, yes!

Really, tam?

I guess that explains why the Abrahamic God is ALWAYS referred to as the Father.

[NeutralZone]

...What does it mean that man was created "in God's image?"

Bible tells God is spirit. So, if we are image of Him, we are image in spiritual sense. And it could be said that the image is captured in flesh. This could be compared to if you take a picture of a house. House is a complex 3D system possibly made of many materials and the image is paper and only shows in 2D what the house looks outside.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:24

Image shows some attributes the source of image has. And in this case those attributes can be the ability to make and do things.

So, explain to us, 1213: How can a spirit person that is supposed to be invisible be "captured in flesh," which is visible. Those are two types of persons that are direct opposites. Make it make sense, 1213.

[NeutralZone]

...What does it mean that man was created "in God's image?"

Bible tells God is spirit. So, if we are image of Him, we are image in spiritual sense. And it could be said that the image is captured in flesh. This could be compared to if you take a picture of a house. House is a complex 3D system possibly made of many materials and the image is paper and only shows in 2D what the house looks outside.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:24

Image shows some attributes the source of image has. And in this case those attributes can be the ability to make and do things.

You are using a visible photograph (a 2D image) vs. an actual visible house (a 3D image) as a means of explaining an invisible spirit God vs. a visible human made of flesh? You can't be serious. Notice that I bolded in blue everything that is visible so that I could somehow make it possible for you to see your error, as follows:

1. Both the photograph of the house and the actual house are visible.

2. The Abrahamic God, Jehovah, is a spirit and is therefore invisible, whereas humans that are made of flesh and are in God's image are visible.

[1213]

You are using a visible photograph (a 2D image) vs. an actual visible house (a 3D image) as a means of explaining an invisible spirit God vs. a visible human made of flesh? You can't be serious. Notice that I bolded in blue everything that is visible so that I could somehow make it possible for you to see your error, as follows:

1. Both the photograph of the house and the actual house are visible.

2. The Abrahamic God, Jehovah, is a spirit and is therefore invisible, whereas humans that are made of flesh and are in God's image are visible.

Yes, I used the idea of visible image and visible house as an example of how different image is from the source. If we are images of God, who is a spirit, then the image is also spiritual, not flesh, but the image is in flesh. Our spirits are not visible in the same sense as body is. But, spirit can come visible in actions, similarly as God comes visible in His actions. And in this case spirit could be understood as mind.

[OneJack]

You are using a visible photograph (a 2D image) vs. an actual visible house (a 3D image) as a means of explaining an invisible spirit God vs. a visible human made of flesh? You can't be serious. Notice that I bolded in blue everything that is visible so that I could somehow make it possible for you to see your error, as follows:

1. Both the photograph of the house and the actual house are visible.

2. The Abrahamic God, Jehovah, is a spirit and is therefore invisible, whereas humans that are made of flesh and are in God's image are visible.

Yes, I used the idea of visible image and visible house as an example of how different image is from the source. If we are images of God, who is a spirit, then the image is also spiritual, not flesh, but the image is in flesh. Our spirits are not visible in the same sense as body is. But, spirit can come visible in actions, similarly as God comes visible in His actions. And in this case spirit could be understood as mind.

Are you pointing out that God created man with a spirit?

[NeutralZone]

You are using a visible photograph (a 2D image) vs. an actual visible house (a 3D image) as a means of explaining an invisible spirit God vs. a visible human made of flesh? You can't be serious. Notice that I bolded in blue everything that is visible so that I could somehow make it possible for you to see your error, as follows:

1. Both the photograph of the house and the actual house are visible.

2. The Abrahamic God, Jehovah, is a spirit and is therefore invisible, whereas humans that are made of flesh and are in God's image are visible.

Yes, I used the idea of visible image and visible house as an example of how different image is from the source. If we are images of God, who is a spirit, then the image is also spiritual, not flesh, but the image is in flesh. Our spirits are not visible in the same sense as body is. But, spirit can come visible in actions, similarly as God comes visible in His actions. And in this case spirit could be understood as mind.

Go ahead and repeat the same nonsense if that makes you happy, 1213. At Post 14, RR144 gave you a credible explanation of what it means when scripture says humans were created in God's image. Below is the weblink that will take you directly to what RR144 said.


POST 14:
viewtopic.php?p=1181214#p1181214