Returning to the Image of God - 119 Ministries

[Music] [Music] hello and welcome to another teaching from 119 ministries our ministry believes that the whole Bible is still true and directly related to our lives today if you would like to know more about what we believe in teach please visit us and test everything net we hope that you enjoy studying and testing the following teaching [Music] in the beginning we are told that mankind was made in the image of God Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 through 27 then Elohim said let us make man in our image after our likeness so Elohim created man in his own image and the image of Elohim he created him male and female he created them his all mankind still in the image of God what is the image of God in the effort to find an explicit definition of what constitutes the image of God in the scriptures one can be left rather frustrated realizing that we are created in God's image is both profound and awesome despite the fact that we're not really told explicitly what that means so what does it mean to be created in the image of God to answer that we need to examine the Hebrew words for image and likeness we also need to examine instances in Scripture that references us being in the image of God the Hebrew word for image is salem some proposed roots of this word stem from the idea of being cut out or carved this understanding makes sense as the word is also used in scripture for images as carved idols another likely connection is to become black or dark like a shadow this route also makes sense and the idea that an image is an approximation of an original it is a likeness this of course leads us to our next Hebrew word used in Genesis 1:26 in the creation of man the Hebrew word for likeness is DeMuth and it is used rather consistently in scripture in this way it means that something resembles an original Genesis 1:26 offers us the first usage of both of these words image and likeness relating the creation of man back to our Creator just before this verse we see the creation of animals which are not mentioned having been created in the image of God so in that way we already begin to see how man is distinguished from the rest of creation including animals because mankind was created in the image of God there is one massive difference between animals and mankind and that difference is rooted in our created purpose that created purpose is rooted in what it means to be the image of God the proper Hebrew understanding of the word image is critical to arriving to a sound definition of the image of God the word Salem translated as image is literally a shadow which is the outline or representation of the original the image of God is not about appearance but function the remainder of this teaching will focus on this we see the creation of mankind account mentioned again in Genesis chapter 5 this is the book of the generations of Adam when God created man he made him in the likeness of God male and female he created them and he blessed them and named them man when they were created after we are reminded how we were created in God's image we are then told that those who came after Adam starting with Seth are created in Adam's image in a certain way we departed from our original creation of being in the image of God and then became the image of Adam Genesis chapter 5 verse 3 when Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness after his image and named him Seth but Adam was created in the image of God right yes so why does Yahweh seem to denote Adam having been created in God's image but then subsequent generations are referred to being created in the image of Adam it as though there is now a difference between the image of God and the image following Adam remember in Hebrew thought image is more about function not appearance mankind began to function differently at some point with Adam how so simply put Adam sinned does God sin no there is no sin in the true image of God there is no sin in the phone of God there is no sin in the character of God likewise there was no sin in Adam and Eve when they were created in God's image so at one time mankind was without sin being in the perfect image of God Adam was created perfect in goal purpose and function Genesis chapter 1 and God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good but something happened with Adam following the problematic event of sin in sin mankind as an image of God was corrupted things went from very good to very bad in the context of describing the reality and importance of the future resurrection Paul begins to distinguish how he became like sat in the image of Adam which leads to death first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 22 for as an Adam all die so also in Christ shall all be made alive God also does not die there is no death in the image of God God is eternal life at one time we had eternal life through the Tree of Life but following sin we now die and return to dust Paul contrasts the image of Adam which he calls the image of the man of dust against the image of Messiah Yeshua Paul II lab rates further in just a few verses 1st Corinthians 15 47 through 49 the first man was from the earth a man of dust the second man is from heaven as was the man of dust so also are those who are of the dust and as is the man of heaven so also are those who are of heaven just as we have borne the image of the man of dust we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven Paul is referring to their resurrection the sin that started with Adam results in death a return to dust at the resurrection we will be restored back to the image of God just as Yeshua in the image of God 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 in their case that god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God Hebrews chapter 1 he Yeshua is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature and he upholds the universe by the word of his power after making purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high at the resurrection we will no longer be corrupted we will be restored to how Adam was created in the image of God the only difference is that we will not have the capacity to sin in our resurrected bodies Romans chapter 8 for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers prior to the resurrection when we enter into the faith we begin the process of conforming back to the image of God we are being renewed back into the image of God renewed back into the image of our creator Colossians chapter 3 and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator we become a new creation that we might become the righteousness of God 2nd Corinthians 5 for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God remember how we defined the Hebrew word for image the word Salem translated as image is literally a shadow which is the outline or representation of the original so if it was sin that caused us to depart from the image of God then it is the lack of sin that actually defines the image of God let us say that again if it was sin that caused us to depart from the image of God and it is the lack of sin that actually defines the image god but we can do better than this we can define the image of God even further than just the lack of sin what is sin first John chapter 3 verse 4 everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness sin is lawlessness so if sin is breaking the law of God then the image of God is the opposite of sin are you following so far what must be the opposite of sin if breaking the law of God is sin obviously the answer is following the law of God if breaking the law of God is sin then the opposite of sin is following the law of God where do we find the law of God we find the law of God in the Torah and the Word of God so the image of God mentioned in the beginning is the Word of God that sounds like something John said John chapter 1 verse 1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John begins with this profound statement to set up the importance of Messiah Yeshua and the process of restoring us back to the image of God John chapter 1 verse 14 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth yeshua is the image of God he is the word made flesh the Torah the word is the character of Yahweh it is his essence his image adam was also created as a walking word of God in the image of God but he failed he sent Yeshua as the last Adam did not fail at walking the Word of God first Corinthians 15 thus it is written the first man Adam became a living being the last Adam Yeshua became a life-giving spirit but it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural and in the spiritual the first man was from the earth a man of dust the second man is from heaven as was the man of dust so also are those who were of the dust and as is the man of heaven so also are those who are of heaven just as we have borne the image of the man of dust we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven so the purpose of our existence is to come back to return back to the image of God the Torah our purpose is to obey the commandments of Yahweh Ecclesiastes chapter 12 the end of the matter all has been heard here God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man as we obey the Torah the commandments of God we are returning back to the image of God we were originally made in that image to glorify God and sin corrupted that image again the word salem translated as image is literally a shadow which is the outline or representation of the original to become representations of Yahweh ambassadors of Yahweh when we walk the word of Yahweh we are to conform back to the image of God by becoming a new man and abandoning the old it is our responsibility to live our lives as representatives of God acting in the same manner as he would our example on how to do this is through Messiah Yeshua who walked the image of God perfectly through his death and resurrection we likewise will also be resurrected that is a man of dust and Adam but resurrected fully back to the image of God we were purposed to become in his authority in effect glorifying Yahweh for all of eternity in our obedience to the Torah today we are returning back to the image of God which is solidified eternally at our resurrection first John chapter 3 beloved we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared but we know when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as is we pray that you've been blessed by this teaching and remember continue to test everything shallow [Music] it is because of you our generous supporters who make it possible to offer these high-quality teachings completely free of charge if you feel led to support 119 ministries so that we can continue this effort please visit test everything dotnet and click on the support 119 tab learn how you could partner with us to take the whole Word of God to the nation's [Music] you [Music]

Channel: 119Ministries

Views: 20,766

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Keywords: Returning to the image of God, in the beginning, what does it mean to be in the image of god?, how are we created in god’s image? How are we in the image of Adam? Likeness of god, Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 5:1-3

Id: 2f6Kj2JTsoI

Length: 15min 8sec (908 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 25 2019