Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | So what is God's vs. Adam's image? | Gen 5:3 | Bill Mc | 16214 | ||
Hi Tim, Please permit me to jump in here: Therein lies my question. We know that Adam and Eve were created perfect. But scripture also makes it clear that they fell and passed sin and death to all their offspring (accept Christ). So, as you have so aptly asked, what is this image that Seth was created in? If it was truly God's image in the sense of moral purity, then it would seem to violate what we understand scripture to say about mankind being born in trespasses and sin. If it was simply an outward physical image, then it doesn't quite seem to fit with Adam being the outward image of God, for God is Spirit. If it was a personality image (mind, emotions, will - what one would call a soul), does this interpretation carry the most weight? Or should we not even interpret 'image' to be a reasonably exact representation but merely a 'form'? Thanks for your input. It is interesting that Moses did not write that Seth was born ALSO in God's image. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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2 | So what is God's vs. Adam's image? | Gen 5:3 | Lionstrong | 16239 | ||
Dear Bill, I'm pasting this from an earlier post. Peace, Lionstrong what is his image? Answer Gen 1:26 Lionstrong Mon 06/18/01, 5:15pm "...the first verse to be quoted, and for the purpose of showing that Scripture defines the image as knowledge and righteousness, is Colossians 3:10. The definition is derived by noting that the new man is such because God has renewed him after the image in which he was originally created. Ephesians 4:24 mentions righteousness, but Colossians has knowledge only. Its previous context speaks of "the old man with deeds." Then comes a contrast with "the new man." In what consists the renewal that makes the old man the new man? The verse says, He is renewed "to knowledge." He is renewed to knowledge according to the image of the Creator. That is to say, the image of God, in which image man was created, is knowledge. Of course this does not mean that Adam was omniscient: yet he had some knowledge, and this is not said of the animals. Since this knowledge comes by the act of breathing into Adam the spirit of life, the knowledge must be considered, not as the result of observation, since Adam had not yet observed anything at all, but as the apriori or the innate equipment for learning.... "The image must be reason because God is truth, and fellowship with him--a most important purpose in creation--requires thinking and understanding. Without reason man would doubtless glorify God as do the stars, stones and animals; but he could not enjoy him forever. Even if in God's providence animals survive death and adorn the heavenly realm, they cannot have what the Scripture calls eternal life because eternal life consists in knowing the only true God, and knowledge is an exercise of the mind or reason. Without reason there can be no morality or righteousness: These too require thought. Lacking these, animals are neither righteous nor sinful. Gordon Clark. "The Biblical Doctrine of Man." pages 14 and following. |
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3 | So what is God's vs. Adam's image? | Gen 5:3 | Bill Mc | 16243 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, thanks again for your comments. In fact, I believe that you have hit upon what I think is the 'central truth' of the matter: You said, "breathing into Adam the spirit of life" and I believe that this is what Adam and Eve lost, the Divine life in them. God said, 'The day that you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will die.' They did not die physically that die. But they did die spiritually. What exactly that means, is probably open for interpretation, but I view it as follows. (I am not going to wax 'theological' here because I don't believe that it is that complicated of a concept). The Divine life of God departed Adam and Eve. Not their physical life (at least not for 900 years or so), not their soul life, they still had knowledge, will and emotion. But rather the very life of God, spiritual life. They became dead to God, alive to sin. Christ said that He came to restore that life. "I come that they might have life and life abundant." He is not referring to physical life here. He said that He was the life. He told the Pharisees, 'You search the scriptures (OT) because you think that you'll find life there. These scriptures talk of Me, but you won't come to Me and get it.' 1 John 5:11,12 - "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." God, through Jesus Christ's resurrection has returned His Divine life to us. If the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us (and He does), He will give LIFE to your mortal bodies. This is not more physical or soul life. This is eternal, spiritual life. We are joined to His Spirit and His very life now indwells us. We, as believers, are now alive to God and dead to sin. Though I think I understand your viewpoint, Jesus came not to give us knowledge primarily, but to give us life, eternal life. I believe scripture bears this out. "Truly, truly, I say to you; he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into LIFE." Thanks for your input, Lionstrong. I appreciate the time and consideration you add to this forum. Abide in His love, Bill Mc |
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4 | So what is God's vs. Adam's image? | Gen 5:3 | Lionstrong | 16338 | ||
What Man lost in the Fall Dear Bill, I think what you've hit upon is pyrite not gold. The issue of what man is and what he lost at the Fall is crucial to how one understands salvation in Christ. I think the Roman Catholics hold a similar view to what you just espoused which logically has resulted in an evisceration of the Gospel of Christ. But from you other comments, I think you haven't gone that far. Gen. 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The point of the author I quoted is that this is how man came to be the image of God. The author identifies knowledge with the image of God. Clark writes, "...Scripture defines the image as knowledge..." He further says, "...this knowledge comes by the act of breathing into Adam the spirit of life..." So the author is not talking about "the Divine life of God." By the breath of God, man was created as the image of God. The death fallen man experiences is the separation from God caused by sin and its curse, not the loss of the life God gave him. The life that man has is still spiritual, but it is no longer toward God. As the image of God, man did not cease to be a spiritual being. Man's spiritual death is not a loss of life, but a loss of a relationship. Life and death are indeed central themes of the Bible. "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive." 1 Cor. 15:22 But the Divine life is not what was lost in the Fall. What was lost in Adam what is what is restored in Christ, that is, knowledge, righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Col 3:10,11; Ehp 4:24) We have eternal life in Christ because in Him is "renewed" what was lost in the fall, knowledge. "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3 Peace, Lionstrong |
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5 | What is the breath of life? | Gen 5:3 | Bill Mc | 16614 | ||
Hi Lionstrong, Thanks for your reply. You stated: "The death fallen man experiences is the separation from God caused by sin and its curse, not the loss of the life God gave him." Then why did Jesus say that He came to bring us LIFE? Why does the NT make it clear that we are born DEAD in trespasses and sins? Why do these verses all say that we were made ALIVE in Christ? - See Rom 6:11; Rom 8:10; 1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13 Lionstrong, you seem to imply that the death that God said would happen to Adam and Eve the day that they are from the forbidden tree was merely physical death. Yet they did not die immediately. Adam lived some 900 years after the fall. But God says, "The day you eat, you WILL die." If I understand your definition, the spirit of life (merely physical life, breath) is also possessed by the animal kingdom. But we know that they are not made in the image of God. "The life that man has is still spiritual, but it is no longer toward God." - Agreed. "By the breath of God, man was created as the image of God." True, but what is this breath of God. God is primarily spirit and as such, He had no human breath until Christ was born. A spirit, in the physilogical sense, does not breathe. So, if this 'breath of life' that God imparted to Adam is merely physical life, isn't that same thing evident in the animal world? In Christ, Bill Mc |
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6 | What is the breath of life? | Gen 5:3 | Searcher56 | 16619 | ||
Bill Mc, -Christ brought spiritual life, since we already had phyiscal life. -"He had no human breath until Christ was born" is not true. Genesis 18 is one of several OT passges where the Lord appeared. -Read the first three chapters of the Bible to see that when Elohim created man, it was in a different fashion. Steve |
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