True or False?
That God created ALL men in His Image?
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Oooh I love T/F questions you got a 50% chance of being right.
ummm, , , true?
EDIT: Except for Danny Devito he was having an off day.
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Man may have been given eternal life at creation, but he lost it when he sinned.
Gen_2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
I believe the Hebrew is actually “dying you shall die”
Also,
Eze_18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
We have eternal life in Jesus as a gift which is not given to those who reject Christ.
Rom_6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This does lead one to question the eternal conscious torment view of hell.
Of course. We are made in the image of God. Our mind, will motions, fastioned after God the Father. Our flesh, the shell in which we operate in the physical realm after the Word became flesh, Jesus, and our Spirit that will move on after we leave this earth, to either paradise or not, after the Holy Spirit. We are three beings, yet we are one.
Every life is foreknown by God, created, predestined, and called. This is where we come in. We answer the call. Romans 8:29-30
Ever hear someone say, “I found Jesus.” Or, “They found Jesus.”? That is a lie. Perhaps a misunderstanding, or misspeak, but a lie nonetheless. You cannot find Jesus. You do not know where to look. Unless God calls you out, you are part of the world. You belong to the world. There is nothing you can do. The truth is, most have no desire to change anything. They do not even know there is a better way. It is only when God calls you out or leads you away that you can “find Jesus.” It is only when God leads you that you can be saved. Yeshua, or Jesus as translated, even plainly told us this.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” John 6:44-47
If you say “No,” the ground is not going to open up and suck you down to the pits of Hell. You will not get struck by lightning. At least I do not think you will. {Pause} You will feel no different than you did before. You may even live the rest of your life in peace and comfort, with lots of money in the bank.
However, when the time comes, and the time will come, that you pass on from here, you will stand before Jesus, and He will say to you.
“I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
If you say “Yes,” THAT is when the Spirit of adoption comes. That is when your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. That is when you become a child of God. As a child, you have a role to play in the Kingdom. Then God justifies you, then God glorifies you.
Yes, we are all made in the image of God. We are all God’s creation; however, we are not all God’s children. That comes with a conscious decision to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for yourself, and say yes to the call of God.
Peter
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My question to you is, WHEN did we “answer the call” @PeterC ?
(+) the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all (+) things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to (+) his purpose,
Rom 8:29 because (+) those whom he foreknew, he also predestined (+) to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.
Rom 8:30 And (+) those whom he predestined, these (+) he also called, and (+) those whom he called, these (+) he also justified, and (+) those whom he justified, these (+) he also glorified.
(ESV) though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
(NET2full) even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling) —
Rom 11:28
(ESV) As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
(NET2full) In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.
2Pet 1:10
(ESV) Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
(NET2full) Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.
Reason why I ask you is because…
For whom he did foreknow - The word used here προέγνω proegnō has been the subject of almost endless disputes in regard to its meaning in this place. The literal meaning of the word cannot be a matter of dispute. It denotes properly to “know beforehand;” to be acquainted with future events. But whether it means here simply to know that certain persons would become Christians; or to ordain, and constitute them to be Christians, and to be saved, has been a subject of almost endless discussion. Without entering at large into an investigation of the word, perhaps the following remarks may throw light on it.
(1) It does not here have reference to all the human family; for all are not, and have not, been conformed to the image of his Son. It has reference therefore only to those who would become Christians, and be saved.
This here from Utley.
We must be careful of our western (American) individualism or our evangelical zeal coloring this wonderful truth. We must also guard against being polarized into the historical, theological conflicts between Augustine versus Pelegius or Calvinism versus Arminianism.
Predestination is not a doctrine meant to limit God’s love, grace, and mercy nor to exclude some from the gospel. It is meant to strengthen believers by molding their worldview. God is for all mankind (cf. Joh_3:16; 1Ti_2:4; 2Pe_3:9). God is in control of all things. Who or what can separate us from Him (cf. Rom_8:31-39)? Predestination forms one of two ways to view life. God views all history as present; humans are time bound. Our perspective and mental abilities are limited. There is no contradiction between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will. It is a covenantal structure. This is another example of biblical truth given in dialectical tension (see SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE at Rom_3:27. Biblical doctrines are usually presented from different perspectives. They often appear paradoxical.
The truth is a balance between the seemingly opposite pairs. We must not remove the tension by picking one of the truths.
We must not isolate any biblical truth into a theological system unrelated to a specific context.
It is also important to add that the goal of election is not only heaven when we die, but Christlikeness now (cf. Eph_1:4; Eph_2:10)! We were chosen to be “holy and blameless.” God chooses to change us so that others may see the change and respond by faith to Him in Christ. Predestination is not a personal privilege but a covenantal responsibility!
Thanks.
J.
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I have four kids, and several that came into my life and became like my children. I know all of them intimately. I’m not God; I am not in the future as He is; however, I do know my kids. If I were like God, I had unlimited resources and abilities, I could set up a plan and a future for all of them. My oldest has to rescue people. She does. I would set up a future in the medical field for her. Would I do that for my oldest Son? Nope. Why? I understand that there is no way he would go that way, even with propting. My second boy? Perhaps sports. My baby girl? Acting, or something along those lines.
Now my oldest daughter, now 33, has two Master’s Degrees in Psychology. Was I right? Of course. Would I “call” her to that? Of course. Could she have gone any other way? Yup. Free will. My oldest boy? He will never do this; therefore, I would set up something else for him.
Sadly, I am pretty sure which of my children, no matter how much I want them to or how much I pray, no matter how much God loves them and wants to save them, and no matter how sad I will be— with all the love I have, even to the point of laying down my life for them— I am fairly certain I know who will and who won’t accept Christ. God is the same, yet far more knowledgeable than I am. Obviously.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
“Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love.” Ephesians 1:4
“This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” Acts 2:23
Just because God foreknows you, it does not mean, as some believe, that we do not have free will. God is outside of time. It would be like me being able to see my Daughter get her second master’s while she was still ten and having no idea what she wants to do.
I believe that it is after He predestines us that is when He calls us. He called Noah to build an Ark. David to be King. He called Rahab to save Joshua. He called me to teach, and will He call me to be a King? No. Build an Ark? Unless you want it to sink, no. We cannot put God in a human mindset as to His calling. He is God.
Peter
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One or two things in this thread go further than what the Bible teaches.
Firstly, the image of God is not described in Scripture as “mind, emotions, and flesh patterned after the Trinity.” The Bible only says, “Let Us make man in Our image” ~Genesis 1:26, and, “God created man in His own image” ~Genesis 1:27. The NT describes that image in terms of righteousness, holiness, and knowledge ~Ephesians 4:24, ~Colossians 3:10. Anything else is eisegesis, adding to the text.
Secondly, Romans 8: 29-30 does not teach that all human beings are foreknown, predestined and called. That passage refers only to those who are eventually justified and glorified. Scripture keeps that chain unbroken, and it is only for believers.
Thirdly, God’s choice is not based on His foresight of human decisions. Romans 9:11-16 explicitly rules that out. God’s purpose stands “not of works,” not according to what He sees in us, but according to His own will and mercy.
Now to the original question. True or False? That God created ALL men in His Image?
True — God created all men in His image.
“God created man in His own image … male and female He created them” ~Genesis 1:27. This is with regard to creation itself. All human beings bear that created image. The fall has marred it, but has not destroyed it. This is why murder is condemned, because man is made in God’s image ~Genesis 9:6.
Only those who are in Christ are being renewed back into that image in a spiritual sense ~Colossians 3:10.