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Topic subjectRE: Are We Created in God's Image?
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=22&topic_id=14964&mesg_id=15003
15003, RE: Are We Created in God's Image?
Posted by guest, Wed May-16-01 11:14 AM
If, nappiness' perception of these bible passages is correct and God did literally reveal his visible form to Daniel and Ezekiel, his skin colour, if it is of importance, would have been one that would not seem out of the ordinary in Ezekiel or Daniel's time and place, i.e. Ezekiel and Daniel lived in the middle east, the predominant skin colour of which would have been mediterranean, (true, black skin would have been common in the area but not among the jews) if God had revealed Himself any other colour it would have seemed strange to a jew. If God revealed Himself with black skin it would have been recorded by the authors.
It is not, however, consistent with the teachings of the bible that God revealed His physical form: He said to Moses that no one can look on him and live. In the past when God came to people it was as the 'angel of the Lord', it is widely accepted that this was Jesus Himself before he was born into this world as its saviour: Jesus was the Word and, 'in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God' (john 1).

In the passages nappiness quotes, it does not state that God revealed his face; rather his glory. In the context of John's revelation the vision he saw must be taken from a different perspective as it was after the incarnation of Jesus. Seeing God's face it would have been Jesus' face - as Jesus is God. However, it again does not state that John saw the features of God's face: 'His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance' - No man can look directly at the sun without being blinded.

Concerning the question of whether we are created in God's image; as there are many races and different features in the physical characteristics of people, the statement cannot refer to God's skin colour, or any hair style, or number of teeth, or whether he wears Nike or Adidas. He created all men equally, so no visual characteristics are preferable in his sight.
God said let us create man in our image refering to the trinity. We are tri-part beings, created with spirit, soul and body. This does not mean you can compare any of our parts to that of the deity. It also refered to our ability for free will, love, etc. Being created in God's image we are set apart from other beings.

The trouble with trying to fully understand questions such as these is that our limited human understanding is nothing compared to God's. His plan could not possibly be understood by us because our capacity for thought is held within the confines of ourselves, our world and what God has given us. To understand everything in the Bible would leave no room for faith, the basis for our salvation.