Bible Study God

[Bob10]

Man's old idea was of a solitary God. Alone. Aloof. Without peer. Without heir. They thought He was a God who would have said, as James Weldon Johnson put it, "I'm lonely; I'll make me a world." He was alone from eternity and would remain alone for eternity. At a festival, He would dine alone.

But then came the Son, and some, still holding to their solitary God, created a Trinity - a God who, though three faceted, was still alone, and who would remain alone. The three sides of the Trinity present a closed Godhead - One that could be adored, but never joined. At a festival, the three would dine as one - alone. God's family could never increase.

But when we read the Bible, we find a God who, far from being alone for eternity, seems determined not to be alone at all. He is a Father. He has a Son who is like Him. He intends to have more sons who will be like Him. At festival time, He will be surrounded by family. Scientists tell us the universe has been here for 12 billion years [as of 1999]. What has God been doing? Is this the first time He has done this? Will it be the last?

God has placed in all His creatures a "reproductive imperative." Each of His creatures, great and small, must reproduce "after his kind." It is odd how man, who has the same imperative, and is made in the image of God, misses the point when it comes to what God is doing. God, also, is reproducing after His kind.


http://www.abcog.org/lesson4.htm

 

[sehad]

Are you suggesting that there are other "Gods" other than God himself?

 

[Imagican]

NO, I believe he is simply pointing out that each of us was created in HIS image. Given the time to mature, each of us was given to potential to be 'like God'. Otherwise, the Bible teaches that which is NOT true.

 

[sehad]

God, also, is reproducing after His kind.

What exactly does "His kind" mean?

 

[Bob10]

sehad

what exactly does "His kind" mean?

It is odd how man, who has the same imperative, and is made in the image of God, misses the point when it comes to what God is doing. God, also, is reproducing after His kind.


Perhaps God is not just the name of a person, but of a kind of being.


CS Lewis: "What God begets is God, just as what man begets is man" (Mere Christianity, book 4 - Making and Begetting).




2 Peter
1:4

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

[Gendou Ikari]

I couldn't have said it any better myself Bob10. :-D

I would like to add that Christ is the Image of the Invisible God. He is God in Human form. God the Father is not a human but we are human. We will never be of exactly the same thing/essence as God the Father but we will be transformed into the Image of Christ. We will be perfect and human like Christ forever subject to God the Father. Not only that we will become One with God through His Holy Spirit. Isn't the Truth of God wonderful! :smt040

 

[mutzrein]

God, also, is reproducing after His kind.

What exactly does "His kind" mean?

Born of His Spirit. That is what it means to be in His image. Yes Jesus was the image of the invisible God. But not God in human form. He was His son, born of His Spirit. Anyone who is born of His Spirit is born in the image of God. Spirit gives birth to Spirit.

 

[tim-from-pa]

I agree with you 100% Bob. Too much of so-called Christianity seems to make man's ultimate destiny nothing more than eternally grateful saved beings whose sole job is to give God an eternal ego boost.

 

[sehad]

I agree with you 100% Bob. Too much of so-called Christianity seems to make man's ultimate destiny nothing more than eternally grateful saved beings whose sole job is to give God an eternal ego boost.

My fiancee often have "weird" discussions I guess you could say about if there has ever been another universe before or if there will ever be another one after the rapture of the church takes place. I mean, eternity is a loooooong time. But what you're saying here seems to say that once we get to heaven that we will be "made" to worship him. I think it will be a choice. The bible mentions mansions, if we never get tired what is the point of having one if you're not going to use it? Will we have families in heaven? What exactly will we do for all eternity?

 

[Bob10]

mutzrein

Jesus was the image of the invisible God. But not God in human form.

Jesus was God in the flesh. "......and the Word was God.....The Word was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us" - John 1:1-14.




http://www.borntowin.net/guestessay.asp ... onal&id=10

http://www.abcog.org/lesson2.htm



Make no mistake about it. Jesus was the Word, the Word that was with God and was God. He revealed himself in those terms and the Jews understood exactly what he was saying. And thus he denies the idea that God is impersonal, a mere force in the universe. He came in the flesh. He was God - in person.

 

[mutzrein]

Bob

I err not. We have a difference in our understanding of what the Word of God is. The word is Jesus - yes. But the Word, as it emanates from God, is in a sense a reflection of God, not God Himself. And this is consistent too with the scripture speaking of Jesus being in the image of the invisible God.

The God I speak of is a personal God and the Word of God (Jesus) is my 'personal saviour', the son of the Living God.

I have posted on this elsewhere. If need be I am happy to repost here if you wish.