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Becker Bible Studies Practical TheologyThe Image of God does NOT have the face of ManGenesis 1:20-23 |
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At some point on the sixth day of Creation, the LORD God moved from allowing the evolution of life which began with His initial Creations that is reflected in Genesis 1:20-23, to actively participating in the Creation of Life. (McFarland, Creation 2006) The earth had already brought forth the three types of life, when the LORD God began making the beast of the earth, the cattle and the creepers after the same pattern that was established from their evolution. This pattern established the beast as wild, cattle as tamed beasts that gathered together in groups, and everything that creeps upon the earth, in swarms. The LORD God created these different life forms from the pattern that He first witnessed evolve from the responses of His first creation (Genesis 1:24-25) He saw it was good! (McFarland, Image 2006) Then, He spoke to Jesus Christ. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Holy Bible 1988, Genesis 1:26-27) How did that image differ from the evolutions and creations of life that were first produced through the creations of God? Life that was produced through the earth was good; but it was made perfect in the creation of man in the image of the LORD God and Jesus Christ! Some say that word "image" represents more than the Spirit of God breathed into man, making him a living soul with a living God and Lord directing his actions. Hermann Haring, contributing author to "From Divine Human to Human God" equates our humanness to the identity of God. He suggests one must only look to our human being, to know the being of God. That expression has been repeated in contradictory terms, even to the profane assertion of early Christian theology that humankind's "becoming God" is the aim of God's becoming Man (Kung 1974, 431-434). This new wave of religious energy is sweeping through the western nations, and according to Haring, that wave places the image of man upon the face of God. If the need for God continues to be legitimate to believers, then it must exist through man's personal concerns, and his struggle for human liberation and autonomy, with hopes for a better future (Haring 2001). Haring tries to get glimpse at the Image of God who is completely different, inexpressible, and absolutely transcendent with human eyes made of dust and sin. Human beings must never place themselves on the same level with God; yet, the difficulty in defining the Image of God requires just that. Haring wondered whether it was more important to elevate humankind or run the risk that they will forget their lowliness before God. (Haring 2001, 4) First in the tradition of anti-Babylonian religiosity, Haring mentions the implausibility of all human beings made in God's image as a way of stripping away of legitimate political rule. Were all human beings made in God's image to be ruled only by Him, or did some evolve from the created earth to be ruled by earthly kings, while others were created by the very hands of the LORD God in Their Image? The notion of humankind in God's likeness was an ordering principle, not a descriptive representation that would change when Christ came to earth. Upon his arrival the rights and powers of humankind were once again diminished by the presence of the Lord on earth. It is Jesus Christ alone who is a uniquely perfect image of God, and humanity is implied the exact same qualities that Adam first held. In the years after Jesus' death, once again the rights and powers became the issue. Dangerous dimensions began forming, and exclusion began filtering into the belief of Christians - first the non-Christians, later women, and finally all who are not priests. (Haring 2001, 8) Who holds the Image of God within their being? Do woman, slaves, kings, and the wicked also share the shine of the Image of God placed deeply within their own beginnings? Is the Image of God left for the chosen, while the evolved sort out their orders of authority amongst each other, and the Imaged few practice becoming gods themselves? What is the Image of our LORD God and our Lord Jesus Christ? It is truth and righteousness and the capability of knowing light from darkness, and the ability to discern good from evil. It is the beginning essence of me, and every person who is able to declare the LORD God and Lord Jesus Christ as their masters. Let those that Haring studies seek the face of man within God; they will soon find what they look for in the night of horrors when a pretend god rules them for a while. But one day, in the perfect timing of God, we will see our Lord Jesus Christ's Image full face, and recognize Him to be our Savior and our Creator. What a glorious day that will be!
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MLA Style Citation: About the Author Kathy L. McFarland is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She is Idaho State Coordinator for Huck PAC, Religious Studies student of Liberty University, Hebrew language student attending Israeli taught Ulpan, and a Homeschool parent teaching the things of God. She is also well-known as a child advocate of innocent children tortured and suffering from the abuse of sexual perversion, out-of-control violence, and pathetic neglect by a carnal world gone mad. |
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