“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27
What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
The question has been debated since almost the day God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils. And I can’t pretend to have the definitive answer. But chew on this for a while……..
If you take your clues just from Scripture, it’s clear that “image of God” does not mean man has an eternal soul. Or, I should say, the fact that man will live eternally is not the reason he’s said to be created in the “image of God.” The Hebrew term in the verse about God breathing life into Adam, Genesis 2:7, is “nepesh.” And it just means “life.” Period. It has nothing to do with a soul or a spirit. It just means man is able to breathe air. Just like the animals. No difference. In fact, Adam is formed from the dust by the hands of God, exactly like all the birds and animals. It seems that the way Adam is created and the physical or spiritual qualities he possesses have nothing to do with this “image of God.”
What sets man apart from the animals in Genesis is that God has given him dominion over creation and that God has given him a woman to live in community with him. Those two qualities or characteristics make man exactly like God.
God is only described in the Bible by what he does. We’re never told what he looks like or what he’s made of or where he comes from. God is described by what he does, by his activity in and with his creation. He creates. He sustains. He provides. He controls. And he lives in community.
Wrap your brain completely around the doctrine of the Trinity and get back with me. I don’t think it’s possible. But our God lives in community with himself. I can’t explain it. I don’t even understand it. But John makes it clear that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit give life to each other.
And when we participate in that creating, sustaining, providing, controlling, and living in community, we are participating in what it means to be God, to be made in the “image of God.”
Man and woman are brought together by God to live in community with each other, to need each other, to sustain each other, and to create new life together. We can make kids! Generating life through reproduction is the way we participate in creation. And our existence together in community — in fellowship — ministering to one another, sustaining each other, providing for each other, and protecting each other is the obvious way we all participate in the “image of God.” And the more we do those things, the more like God we become.
God is described in Scripture by what he does. And to be “in his image,” we must do the things he does.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***Legacy Construction Update***
The work is all focused right now on the two story youth and benevolence center off to the west side of our fellowship hall. The steel is being lifted into place by a huge crane. And it seems to be progressing very quickly. The new parking spaces should all be available for us this coming Sunday. Lance Parrish took these latest pics, several of them from the roof of the fellowship hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There’s a reason Terrell Owens isn’t talking to reporters this week. And it has nothing to do with Randy Moss. It has everything to do with his numbers. That’s what he doesn’t want to talk about. He knows the questions this week would revolve around the fact that in the past two games he’s had more drops than catches. He has five catches for 58 yards over the past two games and no touchdowns. In fact, he hasn’t scored a TD since week two. He’s also on pace right now for his worst season since 2000. He trapped a catchable ball on that last drive Monday night. He dropped the potential game-tying two-point conversion. We all saw him yelling in frustration and throwing his helmet around on the sidelines against the Bills. He’s not Tony Romo’s go-to guy. That guy seems to be Jason Witten. And that’s what Owens doesn’t want to talk about.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting story by Evan Grant about the Rangers’ interest in the developing A-Fraud situation in New York. Not that 
they’re thinking of bringing him back. Goodness, no! But if Rodriguez opts out of his deal with the Yankees, it would save the Rangers about 21-million dollars over the next three seasons. Again, not that Tom Hicks would spend that money on a proven power hitting free agent or a good starting pitcher. At the same time, if A-Fraud jumps ship in New York, he could easily wind up with the Angels or M’s and playing against Texas 20 times a season.
I’m not worried about that.
But if he leaves NY, won’t that be because he can’t hack it? He can’t handle the pressures of playing with those high expectations in the Big Apple. His playoff numbers the past three years prove it.
And finally, this sobering news. The Rangers are one of only two teams in Major League Baseball history to have never won a playoff series. Tampa Bay is the other.
Great company.
The DevilRays just finished with the worst record in baseball and have placed last in their division nine of the past ten years.
Peace,
Allan
Leave a Reply