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NASB | Genesis 1:26 ¶ 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, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth." [Ps 104:30; Heb 1:2; 11:3] |
Subject: image of God |
Bible Note: In the Andes, Romans 7:9 has been hotly by some of the world's best Christian minds for centuries (all of them probably greater and more educated than mine). No doubt it will continue to be. But here are my current personal thoughts on this difficult passage (subject to change as I grow): I believe that in verses 7-13 Paul is building upon his "marriage" thoughts in verses 1-6 and specifically expanding upon how he came to know sin and what is deserves - death (verse 7). He has already drawn an analogy for us in verses 1-6 of how God wanted to joined primarily the Jew (in this passage) to Christ, for he is speaking to those who know the Law (vs 1). In short, he states the the Jew, in Paul's analogy, is married to Mr. Law. How long does this Jewish marriage last? Until death separates them. The Jews loved the Law and thought that life was found in it. Like a marriage partner, it consumed their thoughts and devotion. But under Jewish law, the rule was that marriage was until death (we know that there were exceptions, but I'm speaking of the normal standard). So Paul says that God wanted to join the Jew who was used to being married to Mr. Law to Mr. Grace - Jesus Christ (vs 4). The only legal way for that to happen is for one marriage partner to die (vs 2). Therefore, through union with Christ's death, the Jew, who had died in his relationship to Mr. Law (vs 4) could also be resurrected with Christ and joined to Him in order to bear fruit (vs 4,6). But I believe that starting in vs 9, Paul shares his personal journey in this marriage relationship. He came (in his understanding as a young Jew) as a virgin, alive and pure, to be joined to Mr. Law. He thought that this marriage would be wonderful - joined to the Law (which he knew was holy, righteous, and good). A match made in heaven. :) But during the honeymoon Paul was shocked to discovered that there was someone else in the marriage bed with him and Mr. Law - Mr. Sin! He had believed that he was alive and pure when he married Mr. Law and he KNEW Mr. Law was pure. But their marriage quickly turned into a threesome. Where did Mr. Sin come from? Not from the Law. For the Law was holy, righteous and good. Mr. Sin had, unbeknownst to Paul, been inside Paul and Paul had unwittingly brought Mr. Sin into the marriage with him! Mr. Sin had been fairly quiet in Paul until that time to "sneak" into the marriage. Now that the marriage was finalized, Mr. Sin jumped fully to life in Paul and Mr. Law revealed to Paul that Mr. Sin (who Paul had unknowingly been joined to all along since birth) and therefore Paul needed to die! Mr. Law said, "I am holy, righteous, and good. I cannot stayed married to you, Paul, because you are joined Mr. Sin and the wages of sin are death. You have to die. In fact, you are already dead!" That was how Mr. Sin planned to end Paul's relationship with Mr. Law. What a marriage wrecker! But Paul never would have been fully conscious of Mr. Sin's presence in him and of his spiritual death if he had not met Mr. Law. Why? Because Mr. Sin had deceived him and had laid dormant until the opportune time to rear his ugly head and demonstrate to Paul that he couldn't stay married to Mr. Law. Paul concludes (vs 12,13) by saying that it really wasn't Mr. Law who was to blame for his death in the marriage. It was Mr. Sin's fault. It simply took Mr. Law to point out Paul's problem. Thankfully, God, being a God of ALL THINGS, found a way to turn this whole scenario on it ear. Through Paul's death(caused by Mr. Sin), God united Paul with Christ's death, and raised Paul as a new creature to be joined, not to Mr. Law, but to Christ Himself - Mr. Grace! Well, that's my take on what Paul is saying here. The beauty of God's plan is that He can take what is meant for evil and turn it out for our good. Paul saw this. That is why he knew that it was foolish for a new creation in Christ to try to go back to a marriage to Mr. Law. The marriage was over. The believer is now joined, not to something that reflects God (the Law), but to God Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. Be blessed and enjoy your new marriage, bro. McGracer |