jhaynes@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu (05/05/91)
In God image it is my believe that we as humans tend to think in the physical realm and do not see the whole picture. This is in response to Does God have a penis. First we need to understand what in His image means. You all or I hope you have heard of the doctrine of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Well I am no biblical scholar or have I attended any bible college I just read and pray and ask Jesus for understanding. This is what I have come up with. Being that there are three parts to God so in his image God made us with three parts: 1 Thess 5:23 "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your WHOLE SPIRIT, SOUL AMD BODY be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."(NIV) Here are the three parts of the man in God's image and what I have concluded from reading the bible. Defined: Soul- one's conscience awareness of one's existances. Spirit- how we identify with others. Body- is animated by the Spirit and Soul. Simply defined here because we all know that the body came with a program to procreate, have authority, and to shell the spirit and soul. I equal this to the Soul of God as the Father and His eternal existance, The Spirit of God how He identifys with both the spiritual world and the physical. Rom 8:16 "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."(NIV) The body of Jesus or the image or form He choose to reveal Himself. i.e. O.T. the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the cloud, the four man in the blazing furnace, etc. If we see the Spirit of God we se the body and soul as well. This is true for the other two you can not seperate them. As with us when we die our spirit goes to be with the Lord and at his second coming we will receive a new body to animate. 2 Cor 5:1-10, Phil 1:19-26 Rev 6:9-11 "When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, intil you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was complete."(NIV) Here we see that the souls of the saints who have died before us have gone to be with the Lord and bear the marks they received while in the body. Again if you see the spirit, soul or body you see the whole being. I believe that is why the letter to the Hebrews 1:3 says "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."(NIV) "As the heavens are higher than the earth so are His way and thoughts above ours" Isa 55 this includes God's body, soul and spirit. I don't try to think I completely understand this yet put this make more sincse to me than what any pastor or any religious book speaks about the triune God. I think God is of three parts and I think when the text says in his image I believe he made us in three parts. In His Hands, Joel Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."(NIV) 1 Thess 5:21 "Test everything and hold on to the good"(NIV)