Created or creating in the image of God? Gen. 1:27

[eaglesway]

In a way, it seems to me like only two things were created in the beginning. Darkness and Light. Chaos and Creation. Death and Life.

The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world(Let There Be Light)

As the Spirit hovered over the waters of chaos(without form and void) and the voice of God spoke(today if you hear His voice) we see the womb of chaos receiving the seed of creation(all things were created through Him and for Him). Separation of waters(discernment) and the emergence of dry land(understanding) and plants and creatures(fruitfulness).

"For it is God who has said, "Light shall shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

We see Mary(womb/waters) receiving the seed of Messiah/Logos.

"And the light was the the life of men...The  light that lights every person who comes into the world....and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcme it."


I see this like wheels within wheels, the core being the same within and without through time and the entire cosmos, or in the generation of a single life. I think the nature of the eternal word is that it is always speaking(by faith we know the worlds were framed by the word of God) and always creating(faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God/behold I am making all things new)

I personally think that when the last enemy(death) is swallowed by immortality(life) and God has become all in all that we will dwell in some kind of a state of infinite creativity, not some endless neutral status quo.

[micah7:9]

Gen_1:1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Gen_1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen_1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.


.......and darkness was upon the face of the deep....

[anna274]

In 2000 I began a very intense study of the Scriptures... one word at a time...
my study procedure was/is based on

Isaiah 46:10 AMP)
Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My will and purpose.

Three words and the Scriptures that I continue to pray, ponder, praise

BEGINNING, DARKNESS, LIGHT

Gen 1:2 ... DARKNESS  face of the deep

Gen 1:3 ... LIGHT    4 ...God divided the LIGHT from the DARKNESS



John 1:1 in the BEGINNING  vv 4-5 In Him was Life, and the Life was the LIGHT of men.  And the LIGHT shines on in the DARKNESS, for the DARKNESS has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it.]

Col 1:13  The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of DARKNESS and has transferred us into the kingdom (of LIGHT) of the Son of His love.


Rev 21:23
And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give LIGHT to it, for the splendor and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its LIGHT.

Rev 22:5
And there shall be no more night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will illuminate them and be their LIGHT, and they shall reign [as kings] forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).

==========
I've never had the desire to prove or to reject any of man's doctrines. 

[micah7:9]

" I also believe that he is not done with his work, while at the same time I do believe his work was finished all the way back then."

"...he is not done with his work......".....his work was finished all the way back then." 
I maybe out of place but what you said seems like an oxymoron.

For me, with my small understanding, if someone is not done, then that someone is not finished, so for me to understand that his work was finished way back then......still his work work was not done leaves me wondering.

I, me, personally, that's my opinion, believe that the creating spoken in Genesis was and is not finished, it began, and as His Name
I Am ...be or become, come to pass ....to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen
is still a work in process. :dsunny:  and i am very happy knowing that.

You are not at all out of place. It is definitely an oxymoron. And we both are happy with and rest in what we know, for we, like Paul, 'run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for [us].' (Php 3:12) Which I see as another oxymoron. I would like to read more of how you understand image and likeness, if you are so inclined, so that I may understand your heart more completely in this.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Yes Jesus won for us, but still we have not finished the race. I do not see an oxymoron.

As for image and likeness, my only answer to my self that I always end up with is God is Spirit. And there for me is the rub..... Spirit, and if I may use the word substance, I believe in my heart/mind that Spirit is of more substance more denseness than anything I have ever encountered in my life to date as I walk on the earth. So for me image and likeness to use another definition is [a] shadow better yet phantom. Again, image and likeness is a shadow a phantom.....Spirit...so there you have my understanding to date of image and likeness....God is Spirit. :dsunny:
I hope you got something out of my input.  :Peace2:

[gregoryfl]

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Yes Jesus won for us, but still we have not finished the race. I do not see an oxymoron.

As for image and likeness, my only answer to my self that I always end up with is God is Spirit. And there for me is the rub..... Spirit, and if I may use the word substance, I believe in my heart/mind that Spirit is of more substance more denseness than anything I have ever encountered in my life to date as I walk on the earth. So for me image and likeness to use another definition is [a] shadow better yet phantom. Again, image and likeness is a shadow a phantom.....Spirit...so there you have my understanding to date of image and likeness....God is Spirit. :dsunny:
I hope you got something out of my input.  :Peace2:

Thank you. And I definitely got something out of it. I appreciate greatly what you share. Regarding what you shared, my prayer is that we, those who's eyes have been opened to see His reality, a reality more real than ours (as you aptly put it, of more substance), be ever increasingly aware of that same reality in each of us, that we truly are, as James said, made in his likeness. For, to put what he said in my own words, to curse a man made in God's image is to curse God himself. As John put it i a different way, we cannot say we love God if we do not love our brother. This is something I see as far from finished in man, and still something God is working every day in conforming us in the image of his Son (Rom 8:29) who is the image of God.

[micah7:9]

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Yes Jesus won for us, but still we have not finished the race. I do not see an oxymoron.

As for image and likeness, my only answer to my self that I always end up with is God is Spirit. And there for me is the rub..... Spirit, and if I may use the word substance, I believe in my heart/mind that Spirit is of more substance more denseness than anything I have ever encountered in my life to date as I walk on the earth. So for me image and likeness to use another definition is [a] shadow better yet phantom. Again, image and likeness is a shadow a phantom.....Spirit...so there you have my understanding to date of image and likeness....God is Spirit. :dsunny:
I hope you got something out of my input.  :Peace2:

Thank you. And I definitely got something out of it. I appreciate greatly what you share. Regarding what you shared, my prayer is that we, those who's eyes have been opened to see His reality, a reality more real than ours (as you aptly put it, of more substance), be ever increasingly aware of that same reality in each of us, that we truly are, as James said, made in his likeness. For, to put what he said in my own words, to curse a man made in God's image is to curse God himself. As John put it i a different way, we cannot say we love God if we do not love our brother. This is something I see as far from finished in man, and still something God is working every day in conforming us in the image of his Son (Rom 8:29) who is the image of God.

Thank you  :dsunny: :HeartThrob:

[rosered]

Eph 1:1   Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus [fn]by the will of God, To the [fn]saints who are [fn]at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:2   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Eph 1:4   just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [fn]Him. In love
Eph 1:5   [fn]He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the [fn]kind intention of His will,

Eph 1:6   to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeConcordance and Hebrew/Greek LexiconList Audio, Study Tools, Commentaries
Eph 1:7   In [fn]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Eph 1:8   which He [fn]lavished on [fn]us. In all wisdom and insight
Eph 1:9   He [fn]made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His [fn]kind intention which He purposed in Him
Eph 1:10   with a view to an administration [fn]suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things [fn]in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

Eph 1:11   [fn]also we [fn]have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
Eph 1:12   to the end that we who were the first to hope in [fn]Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Eph 1:13   In [fn]Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [fn]believed, you were sealed in [fn]Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14   who is [fn]given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Eph 1:15   For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and [fn]your love for all the [fn]saints,
Eph 1:16   do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17   that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the [fn]knowledge of Him.
Eph 1:18   I pray that the eyes of your heart [fn]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the [fn]saints,
Eph 1:19   and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
Eph 1:20   which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21   far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Eph 1:22   And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23   which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

I love how Eph 1 explains       how Christ was   the Light in the beginning     and was  created and creating       for me , both apply  even now ...
    This concept       because  living on a farm has helped   I will try to  share

  when you plant a seed [Seed is Christ ]  in the earth [our hearts ]   and the elements are  all of God the Father 
you  get a tender shoot     and than it forms   a   husk   with the grain[seeds of new life ]   in the heads [our minds ?]
 
as long as the husk and  grains are attached  you have life in both , but when the husk is taken away   , it dies and begins to dry up  , sort of like our mortal bodies   do , but what was   saved is the grain with  head   and it also serves a purpose    ,to be harvested
  when used   for food or new seed and new  life  ,it repeats a cycle of death and life   , its dormant till its planted in the earth again to spring forth  again  in its  new season .
  This helps with a concept of    on going cycle     , making the Word of God eternal [or lasting in an over and over again  , making all things in Christ   that come out from Him   to me ,  I can  grasp this better knowing how it  repeats

I am not sure if this will help anyone  here , but thought to share it just the same

  God bless  you all  in Christ  :icon_flower:
  so a head has  multi purposes  and it is used accordingly to Gods will [purpose]

[Farlsborough]

What a great thread!

I think you might be right Ronen... Just because we are not perfected does not mean we do not have the image of God within us, and I can think of no other explanation to James' implication that to curse another is to curse God in some way, than that we have some likeness of God in us. But is this being grown, perfected, refined continually? Until God is all in all, yes, praise God :dsunny:

[joeteekay]

Without a doubt, what God has created (made) is perfect because He is perfect and everything He does is perfect for its intended purpose.  Adam and Eve were created perfect for His intended purpose of ultimately bringing all humanity into His spiritual family.  All human beings, need to go through a conversion process in order to be born as spirit beings into the Kingdom of God.  Conversion is a process.

God's plan of salvation of all can be seen by understanding the meaning of God's Holy Days (passover thru to the Last Great Day) and from the physical arrangement of the temple in ancient Israel.

Outer court = vast number of humanity, gentiles, etc.

Holy place  = those who are called. They recognize Christ as the one who died for their sins.  Proclaimed by very many orthodox Christian preachers.

Holy of Holies = those who are chosen out of the called. They are the elect. They go on to perfection.

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him (KJV)

Gen. 1:27  And creating is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.(CLV)

And so the word  "is creating" bara (H1254) is in the imperfect tense thus meaning is creating man in his image". It is a process.

Many are called, few are chosen, but the vast sea of humanity have not a clue of what Jesus Christ is all about and they do not care.

For those of us who are the Elect, God is working directly with us. We are first called and receive the milk of the Word, and then we go on to maturity digesting strong meat. The entire counsel of God.

God works with us as a potter works with clay, moulding it (chastisement)

Isa_64:8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (KJV)

Isa_64:8 And now, Yahweh, You are our Father. And we are the clay. You are our Former, and the doing of Your hand are we all." (CLV)

Psa_8:5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Heb 2:6  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Heb 2:7  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Heb 2:8  Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Transformation is a process. Like the larva into a beautiful butterfly.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Once He is in us and we in Him we are complete. Yes we still sin but as Paul said

Rom_7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom_7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom_7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom_7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom_7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

We are complete in Him but not yet manifested as Sons and Daughters of God.

Col_2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

[WhiteWings]

WhiteWings and Ronen... again thank you so much for your very helpful  posts.  I'm still learning and continue to be very interested in learning; and so appreciate any word studies that people share on this forum.

I especially appreciate Lexicon on "make" and smiled when I read WW's opinion on "representative"... in my notebook I wrote:

representative=spreader of God's word
                       ruler in God's name
============================================
Although I do have a different opinion of what "representative" means, WW's opinion has given me a different way to consider "representative", image, likeness.
My opinion is still too sketchy to share publicly.  Sometimes, I feel very much a parasite (Greek parasitos=somebody who eats from another's table  (sitos transliteration   grain, food)... it seems that the type of food that Father wants me to bring to this particular "table" are devotionals, meditations, reflections...

You forgot a very important part of the definition of a parasite... A parasite does nothing in return.

Regarding representative, don't be to strict applying an official definition to it. Another word that can be used is ambassador. I think the overcomers who rule the Kingdom with Christ are the image that Adam and Eve once were. While I'm quite sure what  wrote is correct, I'm also sure it also has other (total 4) meanings at the same time.

[gregoryfl]

One very easy way to test whether or not the imperfect (what I call incomplete) state of a verb means that the action is still in progress is to look at the thousands of other instances of that verbal state and ask if those actions are also still in progress. That will very quickly provide the answer.

Ronen

[WhiteWings]

I don't see how that should work Ronen. In another thread (?) you wrote that the imperfect/incomplete is used to place the reader in the middle of the event. But how should be know the event ended when it's not said so in the Bible? In most cases, it's clear the action  must have ended. We can logically assume that a person preparing a meal in Genesis has finished the task long ago..

I'm sure we can all find many examples of incompletes that logically must have ended. One of the reasons an action ends is because of the short human lifespan. But God doesn't have that limitation. So where is the proof that God isn't still creating?

If an incomplete verb in Genesis tells us a boy left the girl he just betrothed to prepare a room for her, we can be sure he stopped preparing because likely he finished the task in1-2 years. If not, he stopped preparation because he's dead for millenia.
But what about Jesus? He's not bound by a lifespan. Surely God Himself knows the incomplete did or didn't finish. But for us humans it just boils down to doctrine. Some think Jesus is still preparing while others think preparation stopped in 70 AD. Yet others believe during the Pentecost that followed His resurrection. And likely there are many other views.

To summarize: We can figure out with high certainty that many incompletes are now completed when they involve actions of man. But, personally I'm not so sure we can when God is doing the incomplete verb.

PS None of the above are doctrinal statements. Just examples.

[Seth]

I would also add that many physical things in the Old Testament have spiritual application in the New Testament. So if Adam represents Christ, but the shadow is not the "very thing" I think it's entirely appropriate to reach the conclusion that Adam being made in God's image and likeness is still occurring today in a much different level in Christ.

[Seth]

While I also disagree with a few things L. Ray said, and I agree that on the simple grammatical level, it's true that such an analysis of language falls short, I do agree with his conclusion that "let us be making man in our image" is essentially the gospel, and the focus of the Bible boiled down two one sentence, indicating a work not yet completed.

[gregoryfl]

Shalom Whitewings,

We can know for certain in Genesis 1:26 because of what is commonly called 'waw conversive', but an explanation of this is probably outside of the scope of this discussion, as I do not disagree in principle with the idea of the image and likeness in some sense still being worked out in us.

Ronen

[micah7:9]

WW, Seth, Ronen  :dsunny: :thumbsup:

[WhiteWings]

Shalom Whitewings,

We can know for certain in Genesis 1:26 because of what is commonly called 'waw conversive', but an explanation of this is probably outside of the scope of this discussion, as I do not disagree in principle with the idea of the image and likeness in some sense still being worked out in us.

Ronen

I would like to know about the 'waw conversive' but I agree this is not the place for it.

Thanks for the enlightenment Ronen  :thumbsup:

[eaglesway]

Fortunately, we do not only hav detailed translation analysis(a very important part but not all) in order to understand what God is doing in us and in the entire creation. We have the Holy Spirit and we have context. For me, it is pretty easy to know and understand that the creation is ongoing in terms of our transformation into the image of Christ and the whole creation eagerly awaiting it's emancipation from the bonds of futility..... just from the comprehensive context of verses on the topic viewed in a good parallel bible and an interlinear. These insights are great confirmation for what we know by the Spirit and the Logos and useful for persuasion of seekers and answering naysayers.

I believe the gospel cannot be bound by chains of antiquity or education. It was meant to be a simple message embraceable by all regardless of educational breadth. "And the Lord worked with them confirming the Word with signs and wonders following". "And the gathering was all as on soul and signs and wonders took place at the hands of the apostles....."

An equally important part of the creating is the corporate new man that is being prepared in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus to function as a priesthood of restoration and reconciliation in the next age. ( :2c:)

[WhiteWings]

Context is built on verses. Verses are built on words. Words are built on proper translation. And to close the circle words are based on context.
A few mistranslations will be filtered out by the overall message. But if the number of errors increases the main message fades away. ET is a good example of that. For that reason I think detailed word studies are a good thing.

The Gospel is simple but not only simple. For many the message on the surface all they need/want. Great. But that doesn't mean digging for a deeper level is to be avoided.

:2c:

[Seth]

Fortunately, we do not only hav detailed translation analysis(a very important part but not all) in order to understand what God is doing in us and in the entire creation. We have the Holy Spirit and we have context. For me, it is pretty easy to know and understand that the creation is ongoing in terms of our transformation into the image of Christ and the whole creation eagerly awaiting it's emancipation from the bonds of futility..... just from the comprehensive context of verses on the topic viewed in a good parallel bible and an interlinear. These insights are great confirmation for what we know by the Spirit and the Logos and useful for persuasion of seekers and answering naysayers.

I believe the gospel cannot be bound by chains of antiquity or education. It was meant to be a simple message embraceable by all regardless of educational breadth. "And the Lord worked with them confirming the Word with signs and wonders following". "And the gathering was all as on soul and signs and wonders took place at the hands of the apostles....."

An equally important part of the creating is the corporate new man that is being prepared in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus to function as a priesthood of restoration and reconciliation in the next age. ( :2c:)

:thumbsup:

1Cor 15:49
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

[gregoryfl]

Fortunately, we do not only hav detailed translation analysis(a very important part but not all) in order to understand what God is doing in us and in the entire creation. We have the Holy Spirit and we have context. For me, it is pretty easy to know and understand that the creation is ongoing in terms of our transformation into the image of Christ and the whole creation eagerly awaiting it's emancipation from the bonds of futility..... just from the comprehensive context of verses on the topic viewed in a good parallel bible and an interlinear. These insights are great confirmation for what we know by the Spirit and the Logos and useful for persuasion of seekers and answering naysayers.

I believe the gospel cannot be bound by chains of antiquity or education. It was meant to be a simple message embraceable by all regardless of educational breadth. "And the Lord worked with them confirming the Word with signs and wonders following". "And the gathering was all as on soul and signs and wonders took place at the hands of the apostles....."

An equally important part of the creating is the corporate new man that is being prepared in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus to function as a priesthood of restoration and reconciliation in the next age. ( :2c:)

:thumbsup:

1Cor 15:49
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Most definitely. Just as the seed is complete (everything it will be seen to be is already inside it's dna) yet it will bear the image of the tree it came from over time. Nature also bears such beautiful witness to teach us of spiritual things.

[Seth]

 :iagree: though I see the seed as the prophetic word in this case where all the DNA is promised to the world through the seed of Abraham who is Christ (if that makes sense). A statue may be seen as an image if its creator but contains no heart.

[eaglesway]

born again by the incoruptible seed of the word of God, that we might become partakers of the divine nature.

This is why we fight this fight and maintain this testimony, that Jesus died to save all and by His resurrection all are saved.

As in Adam all men must die so also in Christ shall all men be made alive.

If any man believe not our gospel it is because the god of this world has veiled the eyes of the unbelieving that they might not see the light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ the image of God.

What greater veil than a gospel the declares from the cross, "Let them burn forerver", rather than, "Father forgive them they don't kno what they are doing".

....in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son through whom also He created the worlds. For He is the radiance of the Father's glory and the exact representation of His nature(Heb 1)

How are they to see God in the face of Jesus Christ if their Jesus says, "Let them burn forever" from that cross.

We have received power so that we might tear down every stronghold that exalts itself against the true knowledge of God.

The true knowledge of God is seeing who the I AM is in the character and being of Jesus the Lamb. If the light that is in you is darkness how great is that darkness.

Those who see God only as the avenger of evil do not see Him in Jesus crying out "Father forgive them", yet , God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.

There is no other God and never has been nor ever will be :o)

And there is no other gospel!

[joeteekay]

 :thumbsup:

[micah7:9]

In Gen. 1 we read that God said "it was good." 1:4, 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25, and lastly 1:31.
Yet when He created man He does not say "it was good."
In my opinion, perhaps it was not good, because He was not finished with man yet. Not yet finished with the "likeness and image."
Jesus does not even allow Himself to be called good in His walk, it's my opinion Jesus was not finished yet, to be called good. 
Mat 19:17  And he said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one is good except One--God; but if thou dost will to enter into the life, keep the commands.'
Mar 10:18  And Jesus said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one is good except One--God;
Luk 18:19  And Jesus said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one is good, except One--God;

Any thoughts? :HeartThrob: