Its an inverse of the saying that man created god in his own image. It has no real meaning other than to reinforce a delusion. This is substantiated when you consider people with profound disabilities, retardation, or psychopathic disorders.
There is "simplicity in Christ" (II Corinthians 11:3) it only takes man to complicate matters.
That's why they can't explain a trinity using a "3 in 1" god analogy!
In the beginning, Adam and Eve had no idea of right from wrong. They were as children.
After their disobdience, God said in Genesis 3:22
"...Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever."
Mankind suffered consequences after their disobedience. Now every person born into the world is born dead spiritually (Romans 5:12-14; I Corinthians 15:21-22) and is why Jesus said "You must be born again of the spirit" (John 3:5-7).
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3) which was impossible until Jesus suffered and died.
Before the cross, Jesus said in Luke 17:21 "... the Kingdom of God is within you" meaning the "dead spirit" of a man to connect to the Holy Spirit is within you
"But first must He suffer many things..." (Luke 17:25)!
Afterwards Jesus provided "The Way" (John 14:6) for His Holy Spirit to "dwell within us" (Romans 8:9) if we believe in His "POWER that comes upon us" (Acts 1:8) with Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5) can "QUICKEN" our dead spirits back to life" (Ephesians 2:1) as we become as children and He "causes us to walk in His statutes" (Ezekiel 36:27).
Reconcilation (II Corinthians 5:18-20)!!!
Reconciling back from whence we fell to His Holy Spirit which can't be accomplished with a water baptism because "His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16) via Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5;8)!
That's what Christianity is all about and not all these "commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9) that they've "burdened people down with" (Matthew 23:2-7)!
Christianity is not divided on this issue; it's just that there are so many aspects to this miracle, some will focus on one aspect, while others major on other points. In this answer, I lift a talk at our church but stop the quote before the speaker delved into the trinitarian aspects. Here's part of the explanation of Genesis 1:26 "prior to which God has used the phrase 'Let there be'. Such a phrase shows He alone has the authority and is in command. But now, in verse 26, the pronouncement changes to 'Let us make'. This shows the measure of the importance of humanity. You and I are the outcome of divine reflection and consultation, issuing in a prescription mandated by the three Persons in the Godhead.
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, then you must begin with this, and with God. We are here for His purpose and according to His plan and our identity is found in this Trinitarian mandate.
How does God describe us? We are made in His image and likeness. This is the mould that sets us and determines how our life should be lived. This image is derived. It is not just a copy of something else but is an image that bears the properties of that from which it was made, and Likeness qualifies the term, Image. We are not of the substance of God but of His likeness. Hence man is the created analogy of God Himself. In such a role, man is an image bearer, to give visibility to the invisible God. Those who are sanctified by God are required and enabled to give visible expression to the divine.
It is not the case that the image of God is in man. It is, rather, that man is made in the image of God. Man is not a container that has had some of God’s attributes deposited into him. Image is not about psychological or physiological traits. Essential elements of the nature of God, love, responsibility, freedom, rationality, creativity, spirituality – important though those qualities are – do not define what image of God means in Genesis 1:26. Those qualities are tools that serve humans in their image bearing role. Imagio dei, however, is what a person does - not what a person is. Imagio dei is functional. Image of God is not about what makes us human. It is about humanity’s unique role in being God’s representative in creation.
Adam was made to think as a prophet, feel as a priest, and act as a king. In understanding this, we understand the redemptive work of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, as prophet, priest and king. Partial recovery of this role was seen in Old Testament Israel. Full recovery is in Christ. He is the perfect prophet who most fully declared God’s words to us. He is the perfect high priest who offered the supreme sacrifice and brought His people near to God. He is the true and perfect king of the universe, who reigns righteously.
Those who belong to Christ are to bear His image in each of those roles. We have a prophetic role in proclaiming the gospel to the world and so bring God’s saving word to people. We are ‘a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). We are built into a spiritual temple to be a holy priesthood as well as ‘to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And we will, in subjection to God, reign with Christ over all creation. We are Kingdom builders too.
As bearer of the divine image, how do we respond to the needy? As God bearers, how do we speak to our friends, and how do we deal with our enemies? It is in this regard that Trinitarian theology has interpreted the image of God – as the imagio Christi – the image of Christ. What does the image of God look like? It looks like Christ. The image of Him is the image we must reflect: the last Adam as true prophet, priest and king. Christ is the fullest expression of what God intends humanity to be. He is the template which God has placed over the life of those who would be complete in Him. We do not want Jesus plus… anything. God will bend us, shape us and mould us on the anvil of life until we reflect and become, as Paul puts it, ‘conformed to the image of His own Son’ (1 Cor 11:1, 2 Cor 3:18, Eph 5:1-2).
This is our present goal in life. This conforming to His image is called holiness. It is not a con-created holiness, but a progressive holiness. God would have you to be Christ-shaped. Not a single hurt will be wasted. Not a single tear will be wasted, for God gathers all our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8)."
Answers & Comments
The reference is about "spiritual image", not a temporal one, John 4:24.
We are the ones with the brains. You do not see monkeys on computers or cows making washing machine.
Actually it's Man who created God in his own image .. which is why he's a white grey haired old man on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Its an inverse of the saying that man created god in his own image. It has no real meaning other than to reinforce a delusion. This is substantiated when you consider people with profound disabilities, retardation, or psychopathic disorders.
"GOD is Spirit" (John 4:24)!
What other "image" can spirit have but Spirit?
There is "simplicity in Christ" (II Corinthians 11:3) it only takes man to complicate matters.
That's why they can't explain a trinity using a "3 in 1" god analogy!
In the beginning, Adam and Eve had no idea of right from wrong. They were as children.
After their disobdience, God said in Genesis 3:22
"...Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever."
Mankind suffered consequences after their disobedience. Now every person born into the world is born dead spiritually (Romans 5:12-14; I Corinthians 15:21-22) and is why Jesus said "You must be born again of the spirit" (John 3:5-7).
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3) which was impossible until Jesus suffered and died.
Before the cross, Jesus said in Luke 17:21 "... the Kingdom of God is within you" meaning the "dead spirit" of a man to connect to the Holy Spirit is within you
"But first must He suffer many things..." (Luke 17:25)!
Afterwards Jesus provided "The Way" (John 14:6) for His Holy Spirit to "dwell within us" (Romans 8:9) if we believe in His "POWER that comes upon us" (Acts 1:8) with Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5) can "QUICKEN" our dead spirits back to life" (Ephesians 2:1) as we become as children and He "causes us to walk in His statutes" (Ezekiel 36:27).
Reconcilation (II Corinthians 5:18-20)!!!
Reconciling back from whence we fell to His Holy Spirit which can't be accomplished with a water baptism because "His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16) via Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5;8)!
That's what Christianity is all about and not all these "commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9) that they've "burdened people down with" (Matthew 23:2-7)!
Basically, it means with the capacity to communicate with God.
Full understanding of God is beyond human understanding
Since all gods are myths its meaningless, its just ancient superstition.
Did not God give us beards and mustaches do we agree yes!
Christianity is not divided on this issue; it's just that there are so many aspects to this miracle, some will focus on one aspect, while others major on other points. In this answer, I lift a talk at our church but stop the quote before the speaker delved into the trinitarian aspects. Here's part of the explanation of Genesis 1:26 "prior to which God has used the phrase 'Let there be'. Such a phrase shows He alone has the authority and is in command. But now, in verse 26, the pronouncement changes to 'Let us make'. This shows the measure of the importance of humanity. You and I are the outcome of divine reflection and consultation, issuing in a prescription mandated by the three Persons in the Godhead.
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, then you must begin with this, and with God. We are here for His purpose and according to His plan and our identity is found in this Trinitarian mandate.
How does God describe us? We are made in His image and likeness. This is the mould that sets us and determines how our life should be lived. This image is derived. It is not just a copy of something else but is an image that bears the properties of that from which it was made, and Likeness qualifies the term, Image. We are not of the substance of God but of His likeness. Hence man is the created analogy of God Himself. In such a role, man is an image bearer, to give visibility to the invisible God. Those who are sanctified by God are required and enabled to give visible expression to the divine.
It is not the case that the image of God is in man. It is, rather, that man is made in the image of God. Man is not a container that has had some of God’s attributes deposited into him. Image is not about psychological or physiological traits. Essential elements of the nature of God, love, responsibility, freedom, rationality, creativity, spirituality – important though those qualities are – do not define what image of God means in Genesis 1:26. Those qualities are tools that serve humans in their image bearing role. Imagio dei, however, is what a person does - not what a person is. Imagio dei is functional. Image of God is not about what makes us human. It is about humanity’s unique role in being God’s representative in creation.
Adam was made to think as a prophet, feel as a priest, and act as a king. In understanding this, we understand the redemptive work of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, as prophet, priest and king. Partial recovery of this role was seen in Old Testament Israel. Full recovery is in Christ. He is the perfect prophet who most fully declared God’s words to us. He is the perfect high priest who offered the supreme sacrifice and brought His people near to God. He is the true and perfect king of the universe, who reigns righteously.
Those who belong to Christ are to bear His image in each of those roles. We have a prophetic role in proclaiming the gospel to the world and so bring God’s saving word to people. We are ‘a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). We are built into a spiritual temple to be a holy priesthood as well as ‘to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And we will, in subjection to God, reign with Christ over all creation. We are Kingdom builders too.
As bearer of the divine image, how do we respond to the needy? As God bearers, how do we speak to our friends, and how do we deal with our enemies? It is in this regard that Trinitarian theology has interpreted the image of God – as the imagio Christi – the image of Christ. What does the image of God look like? It looks like Christ. The image of Him is the image we must reflect: the last Adam as true prophet, priest and king. Christ is the fullest expression of what God intends humanity to be. He is the template which God has placed over the life of those who would be complete in Him. We do not want Jesus plus… anything. God will bend us, shape us and mould us on the anvil of life until we reflect and become, as Paul puts it, ‘conformed to the image of His own Son’ (1 Cor 11:1, 2 Cor 3:18, Eph 5:1-2).
This is our present goal in life. This conforming to His image is called holiness. It is not a con-created holiness, but a progressive holiness. God would have you to be Christ-shaped. Not a single hurt will be wasted. Not a single tear will be wasted, for God gathers all our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8)."
Because there is no meaning.