This means that humans were given characteristics and qualities that mirrored God’s own, such as love and a sense of justice.
We were also endowed with thinking and reasoning abilities, coupled with moral and spiritual capacities.
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https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
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What does it means, man was made in the Image of God?
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We were also endowed with thinking and reasoning abilities, coupled with moral and spiritual capacities.
I just tend to not see any thing in Adam and Eve that shows spiritual discernment.
I do see a tree planted on either side of a river clear as crystal in their cerebellum structure.
I also tend to see a natural pacemaker that looks like a crucified man directing the beating function of the heart.
Law in heart and mind.
A seed is the Word of God. Symbolism / Imagery.
Mississippi redneck
eddif
And other things.
reddogs
Member
That is His purpose as our Savoir and Redeemer, or else we perish with Satan and his minions in the fiery lake at the end..
Satan will receive eternity in the Lake of Fire. He isn't owed anything, he owes. God redeemed all who will live with Him in Holiness and Love. The rest are lost forever. Christ paid for the sins of the repentant to God. As for evil doers, their debt to the Creator remains.
RandyK
I copied this from the other post:
It’s very simple actually. Just remove all your preconceived ideas for a moment and read the text. It speaks for itself.
Gen 2:7 - And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
This text is quoted by Paul who says the same thing.
Let’s read.
Let us make man in our image after our likeness.
God formed man of the dust of the ground. God then breathed into Him(man) the breath of life; and the man(he) became a living soul.
That’s what both Moses and Paul say and agree.
And I agree with them.
What was formed from the ground is called man. And what became a living soul with the breath of life is a living man. But it is the man which was first formed who is in the image and likeness of God.
That is exactly what the text says by both Moses and Paul.
I copied this from the other post:
It’s very simple actually. Just remove all your preconceived ideas for a moment and read the text. It speaks for itself.
Gen 2:7 - And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
This text is quoted by Paul who says the same thing.
Let’s read.
Let us make man in our image after our likeness.
God formed man of the dust of the ground. God then breathed into Him(man) the breath of life; and the man(he) became a living soul.
That’s what both Moses and Paul say and agree.
And I agree with them.
What was formed from the ground is called man. And what became a living soul with the breath of life is a living man. But it is the man which was first formed who is in the image and likeness of God.
That is exactly what the text says by both Moses and Paul.
RevSRE
Supporter
Image of God in man.
I want to start by saying I know that this has been a point of discussion for a long time and we still try to make it clear. I will only add my ideas, we will not solve this point any time soon. Everyone has a right to their opinion. If only one point is correct I may be in good company with the majority.
There are almost as many opinions on the meaning of this as there are people. Still, I will venture to offer one more.
First God is The Self-existent Spirit Essence, the Majesty of Holiness. God has no corporeal form, He is SPIRIT.
Second It only stands to reason if GOD as a Spirit is to talk with man, He must appear in a form man can see and understand.
Given: God made man for fellowship.
Given: God and man are Persons. Person means thinking, feeling, and acting NOT THE PHYSICAL FORM.
Given: God and man have reason (knowledge), feelings (emotion), and the ability to act (free will).
I feel the best definition of the Image of God in man is,
The ability to, “With knowledge of result”, MAKE A CHOICE.
No other creature in all creation has such an ability. I will further state that for God to truly and personally fellowship with man, man must have reason, emotion, and free will, (that is to say the Image of GOD);
“AT LEAST TO A LEVEL TO TRULY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
Think about this the Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite sovereign man with a Free Will to FELLOWSHIP. They had to have enough in common TO FELLOWSHIP!
What we need in worship is to return to that fellowship!
The teaching on this subject; apart from “everyone” having their own description of “The Image”, the teaching has been very poor and fails to show how wonderful God is. The Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite man with a sovereign free will and moral responsibility. But, more than just free will “The Image” includes the moral attributes of God, holy, wise, good, merciful, loving, and sovereign. Man was made to fellowship with God.
When “the fool” said in his heart, using the free choice God gave him we get to result listed in Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Hebrew word נבל nabal, which we render fool, signifies an empty fellow, a contemptible person, a villain. One who has a muddy head and an unclean heart; and, in his darkness and folly, says in his heart, “There is no God.” Saying There is no God is his sin, the actions and corrupt behavior is only the symptoms of a disobedience.
“Natural Man” who made a CHOICE to say there is no God, the Fool and
“Spiritual Man” who made a choice to Hear God’s word and keep His commandments, a change of mind from ME to GOD, saved by Grace.
Gen 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.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
The Hebrew word ֶצֶלם ṣelem: A masculine noun meaning an image, a likeness, a statue, a model, a drawing, a shadow. The word means image or likeness; its most celebrated theological and anthropological use was to depict human beings as made in God's own image (Gen_1:26-27; Gen_5:3).
The Hebrew word ָרָדה rāḏāh: A verb meaning to rule, to have dominion, to subjugate. This Hebrew word conveys the notion of exercising domain, whether legitimate or not, over those who are powerless or otherwise under one's control.
(Just for Fun, John Wycliffe translated it Sovereign, and William Tyndale translated it Rule.)
In our image, after our likeness - What is here said refers to his spirit. This was made in the image and likeness of God. Now, as the Divine Being is infinite, he is neither limited by parts, nor definable by passions; therefore he can have no corporeal image after which he made the body of man. The image and likeness must necessarily be intellectual; his mind, his soul, must have been formed after the nature and perfections of his God. The human mind is still endowed with most extraordinary capacities; it was more so when issuing out of the hands of its Creator. God was now producing a spirit, and a spirit, too, formed after the perfections of his own nature. God is the fountain whence this spirit issued, hence the stream must resemble the spring which produced it. God is holy, just, wise, good, and perfect; so must the spirit be that sprang from him: there could be in it nothing impure, unjust, ignorant, evil, low, base, mean, or vile. It was created after the image of God; and that image, St. Paul tells us, consisted in righteousness, true holiness, and knowledge, Eph_4:24 Col_3:10. Hence man was wise in his mind, holy in his heart, and righteous in his actions. Were even the word of God silent on this subject, we could not infer less from the lights held out to us by reason and common sense. . (Adam Clark)
And let them have dominion - Hence we see that the dominion was not the image. God created man capable of governing the world, and when fitted for the office, he fixed him in it. We see God’s tender care and parental solicitude for the comfort and well-being of this masterpiece of his workmanship, in creating the world previously to the creation of man. He prepared everything for his subsistence, convenience, and pleasure before he brought him into being.(Adam Clark)
In His own Image means, That part of God in man that makes man similar or like God. That which allows a person to fellowship with and know God.
In the Old Testament Deu 6:4 there is a prayer called the Shem:
Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD: And you shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and (the word for heart the action of will.)
with all your soul, and (the word for Soul is “ Breath of life” and the instinct to preserve it.)
with all your might. (the word for Might is exceedingly, all ability,
the mind and reason and the seat of emotion)
Jesus interpreted this Hebrew word Might as the Greek word MIND.
Mat_22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Mar_12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
Based on the content of this famous prayer, many have used these ideas to express the way a person’s mind works, the way we relate to God by His command.
Mind, Thinking, The ability to reason, know, and understand; Feeling, emotion, hope, despair, love, hate.
Heart Acting The Free Will of man to act on reason and understanding, tempered by emotion, even at times controlled by motion. (14)
Soul Animal Life, Breath of Life and the instinct to preserve it.
Man is free to act within his own Choice to serve God or not.
The image of God in man is a self-aware Choice. Only Man, in all creation, has the Glory of God in the ability to Think, Feel, and Act; that is with awareness of results, make a choice.
Man was created in the image of God’s Glory with the ability to and right to Choose to Fellowship with God or not.
All Too Often, this point is skipped or not known to those studying man and salvation. Here is a major point to remember.
The original glory of the image of God in Man is the base for the study of man. The relationship between God and Man is Fellowship, not grace. Grace must come into the picture to correct a problem and restore us to God.
I want to start by saying I know that this has been a point of discussion for a long time and we still try to make it clear. I will only add my ideas, we will not solve this point any time soon. Everyone has a right to their opinion. If only one point is correct I may be in good company with the majority.
There are almost as many opinions on the meaning of this as there are people. Still, I will venture to offer one more.
First God is The Self-existent Spirit Essence, the Majesty of Holiness. God has no corporeal form, He is SPIRIT.
Second It only stands to reason if GOD as a Spirit is to talk with man, He must appear in a form man can see and understand.
Given: God made man for fellowship.
Given: God and man are Persons. Person means thinking, feeling, and acting NOT THE PHYSICAL FORM.
Given: God and man have reason (knowledge), feelings (emotion), and the ability to act (free will).
I feel the best definition of the Image of God in man is,
The ability to, “With knowledge of result”, MAKE A CHOICE.
No other creature in all creation has such an ability. I will further state that for God to truly and personally fellowship with man, man must have reason, emotion, and free will, (that is to say the Image of GOD);
“AT LEAST TO A LEVEL TO TRULY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
Think about this the Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite sovereign man with a Free Will to FELLOWSHIP. They had to have enough in common TO FELLOWSHIP!
What we need in worship is to return to that fellowship!
The teaching on this subject; apart from “everyone” having their own description of “The Image”, the teaching has been very poor and fails to show how wonderful God is. The Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite man with a sovereign free will and moral responsibility. But, more than just free will “The Image” includes the moral attributes of God, holy, wise, good, merciful, loving, and sovereign. Man was made to fellowship with God.
When “the fool” said in his heart, using the free choice God gave him we get to result listed in Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Hebrew word נבל nabal, which we render fool, signifies an empty fellow, a contemptible person, a villain. One who has a muddy head and an unclean heart; and, in his darkness and folly, says in his heart, “There is no God.” Saying There is no God is his sin, the actions and corrupt behavior is only the symptoms of a disobedience.
This Fool does not represent or include the entire race of man.
There are two groups“Natural Man” who made a CHOICE to say there is no God, the Fool and
“Spiritual Man” who made a choice to Hear God’s word and keep His commandments, a change of mind from ME to GOD, saved by Grace.
Gen 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.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
The Hebrew word ֶצֶלם ṣelem: A masculine noun meaning an image, a likeness, a statue, a model, a drawing, a shadow. The word means image or likeness; its most celebrated theological and anthropological use was to depict human beings as made in God's own image (Gen_1:26-27; Gen_5:3).
The Hebrew word ָרָדה rāḏāh: A verb meaning to rule, to have dominion, to subjugate. This Hebrew word conveys the notion of exercising domain, whether legitimate or not, over those who are powerless or otherwise under one's control.
(Just for Fun, John Wycliffe translated it Sovereign, and William Tyndale translated it Rule.)
In our image, after our likeness - What is here said refers to his spirit. This was made in the image and likeness of God. Now, as the Divine Being is infinite, he is neither limited by parts, nor definable by passions; therefore he can have no corporeal image after which he made the body of man. The image and likeness must necessarily be intellectual; his mind, his soul, must have been formed after the nature and perfections of his God. The human mind is still endowed with most extraordinary capacities; it was more so when issuing out of the hands of its Creator. God was now producing a spirit, and a spirit, too, formed after the perfections of his own nature. God is the fountain whence this spirit issued, hence the stream must resemble the spring which produced it. God is holy, just, wise, good, and perfect; so must the spirit be that sprang from him: there could be in it nothing impure, unjust, ignorant, evil, low, base, mean, or vile. It was created after the image of God; and that image, St. Paul tells us, consisted in righteousness, true holiness, and knowledge, Eph_4:24 Col_3:10. Hence man was wise in his mind, holy in his heart, and righteous in his actions. Were even the word of God silent on this subject, we could not infer less from the lights held out to us by reason and common sense. . (Adam Clark)
And let them have dominion - Hence we see that the dominion was not the image. God created man capable of governing the world, and when fitted for the office, he fixed him in it. We see God’s tender care and parental solicitude for the comfort and well-being of this masterpiece of his workmanship, in creating the world previously to the creation of man. He prepared everything for his subsistence, convenience, and pleasure before he brought him into being.(Adam Clark)
In His own Image means, That part of God in man that makes man similar or like God. That which allows a person to fellowship with and know God.
In the Old Testament Deu 6:4 there is a prayer called the Shem:
Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD: And you shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and (the word for heart the action of will.)
with all your soul, and (the word for Soul is “ Breath of life” and the instinct to preserve it.)
with all your might. (the word for Might is exceedingly, all ability,
the mind and reason and the seat of emotion)
Jesus interpreted this Hebrew word Might as the Greek word MIND.
Mat_22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Mar_12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
Based on the content of this famous prayer, many have used these ideas to express the way a person’s mind works, the way we relate to God by His command.
Mind, Thinking, The ability to reason, know, and understand; Feeling, emotion, hope, despair, love, hate.
Heart Acting The Free Will of man to act on reason and understanding, tempered by emotion, even at times controlled by motion. (14)
Soul Animal Life, Breath of Life and the instinct to preserve it.
Man is free to act within his own Choice to serve God or not.
The image of God in man is a self-aware Choice. Only Man, in all creation, has the Glory of God in the ability to Think, Feel, and Act; that is with awareness of results, make a choice.
Man was created in the image of God’s Glory with the ability to and right to Choose to Fellowship with God or not.
All Too Often, this point is skipped or not known to those studying man and salvation. Here is a major point to remember.
The original glory of the image of God in Man is the base for the study of man. The relationship between God and Man is Fellowship, not grace. Grace must come into the picture to correct a problem and restore us to God.
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While it seems that the use of "soul" refers most often to "life" in a general sense, there are some uses which suggest something more particular, like what Jesus says:
Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (ESV)
Jesus makes a clear distinction which suggests that the soul is something immaterial and distinct from the body.
I think I really agree.
Man was made an image of what was and what was to come.
Adam was made first then Eve Came out of his side.
On the cross the spear in the side of Jesus started something new.
On the day of Pentecost the Daughters became involved in the presentation of the Gospel. Not only men alone, but a helper was given.
Symbolism goes across context areas. At the marriage supper the bride will be presented to the bridegroom (Jesus). Not as we once were but changed.
We tend to be simplistic in not seeing types, shadows, images.
Mankind is still not what he will be.
Then what could a redneck see
eddif
No, I’m not going to dismiss what Moses and Paul agreed on as false.
What was formed from the ground was in the image and likeness of God. That image and likeness is called man.
Then God breathed into that man the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.
A living soul is a living, breathing creature. That is the definition of a soul.
When “soul” is translated “life” the meaning is the same.
When Jesus says not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul, he is saying that they cannot kill what makes you a living breathing creature.
Moses and Paul say that what made the man a living soul was by having the breath of life breathed into him.
Therefore, a man can kill another man who is made in God’s image by defacing that image, but he cannot destroy what makes the man a living soul, because God can raise the body and restore the breath of life to the man by resurrection from the dead.
But God can both kill the body(man) and the soul(living breathing creature) by raising the man(body) and take away his breath of life forever. The man would experience a second death from which there is no more restoration of the soul( the living breathing creature)
How does it make sense to say that "God can both kill the body(man) and the soul(living breathing creature)," when death of the body is death of the "living breathing creature," which is the only meaning of soul according to you? Your explanation doesn't make sense at all.
If the body is dead then there can be no living, breathing creature. Your definition requires the soul to be a "living breathing creature" that can exist apart from the body, which more or less does seem to be implied by Jesus and is what I am getting at.
The idea is that God can restore the life to the man even if man kill the body.
It is only God who can kill the body and not restore life to the man.
If a man loses his LIFE or SOUL for Jesus sake, he will save or find it.
If a man desires to save his LIFE or SOUL for his own sake, he will lose it.
It’s the same idea. If a man loses his life or soul at the hand of another man for Jesus’ sake, the man will find his life or soul again because God will give it back to him.
But only God can give it back and take it again forever.
Carry_Your_Name
Member
Soul is not a third entity distinct from body and spirit, but a living being animated by the spirit. Therefore, death of soul means death of both body and spirit, hence the second death (Rev. 20:14-15). This concept is concluded with a simple motto - believers die once, live twice; unbelievers live once, die twice.
deepfaithpraise
Member
When we consider the notion that man was made in the image of God, we need to recognize that this doesn't mean we possess all of God's attributes, such as omnipotence or omniscience. Instead, being created in God's image refers to our outward resemblance and character, which encompasses our capacity for moral discernment, self-awareness, and the ability to choose between good and evil.
Being made in God's image means we have the capacity to reflect God's character, values, and love. We were created to be in relationship with Him and to mirror His goodness, compassion, and wisdom. This understanding has powerful implications for our identity, purpose, and sense of belonging.
As psychologist and theologian, Dr. Dallas Willard, once said, "The image of God is not just a static characteristic, but a dynamic relationship." Our creation in God's image invites us to participate in an ongoing, transformative relationship with our Creator, where we can grow in our understanding of His character and reflect His love to the world around us.
So, what attributes did we receive when we were created? We received the capacity to love, to choose, to create, and to relate to God and others in meaningful ways. We received the gift of life, with all its complexities and joys, and the invitation to live it to the fullest in partnership with our loving Creator.
I'm a bit confused by your statement, "but it is the man which was first formed." You are saying "first formed" before what?
Yes, man was physically formed into a body and then had life breathed into him. But the man did not exist as a man before he had life breathed into him.
Gen 2.7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
It is suggested that the word for "man" even means "ground," indicating that before the man actually became a "man" he was merely "ground." Even ground fashioned into the form of a man is not yet a "man."
I'm not sure this has anything to do with the differentiation between the body and the soul. My understanding is that the breath God breathed into man was the impartation of a spiritual life through spiritual means, ie through the breathing of God's breath. I think "spirit" and "breath" are similar, though I'd have to check this out.
The man, though made a spiritual being, was intended to be encased in a body. The man, thus being a spiritual being, brought life to the body of man so that he became an actual living man.
He is called man before he is given the breath of life.
It is man who returns to dust. It is his breath of life that returns to God who gave it.
neither his breath or his being a living soul is the man. Because animals are also living souls.
The breath is what he breathes, and alive is what he became.
When he stops breathing, he dies. And the man returns to dust.
That is the end of him.
However, God can raise the man and restore his life.
“It is appointed for all man once to die, after that judgment “
Every man has an appointment with death. The man dies, his breath returns to God, and he is no longer a living soul, but a dead soul.
I was told by a Catholic scholar that the man does not die. That it is only his body that dies, that the man is a living immortal soul inside the body.
That the living soul inside the body is the real man.
Nonsense.
Carry_Your_Name
Member
Yeah, typical "spirit over matter" gnostic philosophy. By biblical definiton, soul is NOT an independent entity trapped in a body, we don't have souls, we ARE souls.