The Image of God

Human beings are like God in so many
ways, with our rationality, organisation,
creativity and more. The ‘image of God’
cannot be reduced to one particular
characteristic of man, but reflects
humanity’s very nature. Therefore all
people should be treated with unique dignity and respect. This has profound
implications for the whole of human
ethics. Lecture by Dr Calum
MacKellar.
Watch the other lectures in this series:
Maturity - Revd Rupert
Bentley-Taylor • Maturity
Good Works - Revd Dr Richard Turnbull • Good Works
Holy Trinity - Revd Dan Peters • Holy Trinity
Whole Counsel of God - Revd Dr William
Philip • Whole Counsel of God
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[@andrewrowell1307]

"You cannot prove it you can only believe it" - I feel uncomfortable with this usage of the word believe. It seems to imply that Christian belief works in a different way from Scientific belief and that it is a perfectly valid position not to believe it.

[@grahamneville9002]

Psalm 73.20 KJV 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. God does NOT send His image bearers to Hell.

[@andrewrowell1307]

Hi Graham, In that Gen 9 passage do you see a connection between the provision of the death penalty (and therefore a system for implementing it fairly ie government) and the pre-flood catastrophe that resulted in the flood? Do we need to check whether or not the murdered person was a believer before implementing the death penalty? In Psa 73 When God despises their image is it the case that God is despising the idol that they are seeking to image....their own being declares that that idol is an inadequate object for their worship and imitation. Is there something constitutively IN them (and IN them forever) that declares an eternal incompatibility with that which is less than the true God. What is the 'undying worm' of hell? What is the conscious torment?

[@grahamneville9002]

@@andrewrowell1307 - God creating man with knowledge of Himself - which I believe is stated in John 1.9 - does not equate to being in the image of God. All men know they are sinners before their Maker, their conscience baring testimony to this truth, accusing others whilst excusing themselves. "In that Gen 9 passage do you see a connection between the provision of the death penalty (and therefore a system for implementing it fairly ie government) and the pre-flood catastrophe that resulted in the flood?" God's flooding of the earth was due to man's wickedness and that included his murderous heart. Does God drown and send to Hell those who are 'still in His image'? If so, God must hate and reject Himself. "Do we need to check whether or not the murdered person was a believer before implementing the death penalty?" No, as previously stated, a knowledge of right/wrong does not equal 'still in the image of God.' "In Psa 73 When God despises their image is it the case that God is despising the idol that they are seeking to image....their own being declares that that idol is an inadequate object for their worship and imitation." God despises the wicked BECAUSE they are idolaters. God hates the wicked for the very fact they are not in His image, for everything outside of God is unclean, corrupt, and dark. Psalm 73 literally says the wicked receive good things from God for the very PURPOSE of their destruction (see Psa 73.17-20). The elect are created with the seed of Christ in them and, at the appointed time, they are quickened, thus knowledge of their sonship is revealed to them and the image of Christ renewed in them (see Col 3.10). "Is there something constitutively IN them (and IN them forever) that declares an eternal incompatibility with that which is less than the true God. What is the 'undying worm' of hell? What is the conscious torment?" Their knowledge as sinners before an infinitely Holy God will be the eternal state of the wicked, those 'fitted to destruction' by Almighty God ; they die as Satan's servants, in his likeness and to perish in this state, without SPIRITUAL union to Christ, is Hell. Andrew, does God despise His own image ? If the wicked be still in the image of God, they must have Christ like qualities as the Lord Jesus Christ is "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1.15). If all mankind is in the image of God, why would God need to predestine some to 'be conformed to His image' ?

[@AtamMardes]

The Bible is the goat herder's guide to the galaxy.

[@grahamneville9002]

Unbelievers are NOT in the image of God and there is not one biblical text to evidence it ; that is of course if you believe God is wicked, evil, and full of iniquity.

[@andrewrowell1307]

I disagree Graham. In the Noahic covenant there is no sense that the image of God is restricted to believers.