Author Archives: Dave

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July 9, 2024

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God, Humanity

What does it mean to be created in the image of God?

A surprisingly difficult concept in the Bible is the nature of the image of God in man. In Genesis 1 God said, “Let us make man in our own image.” (Genesis 1:26) The Bible then says “So God created man in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27) In what way is man created in God’s image?

A common presumption is that because man was created in God’s image, God looks like people. God is imagined as having two legs, two arms, forward facing eyes, a nose in the center of His face, an ear on each side of His head, opposable thumbs, and an upright stance. However, the Bible does not say the physical shape of man is a scale replica of God’s form.

The Bible does not define the image of God in man. The possibility exists that man’s general shape is like that of God’s but this is unlikely. The Bible never describes the actual appearance of God. The Bible describes the glory of God and the forms God took when He appeared to men. However, God appeared in various ways throughout Scripture. The most familiar forms God took are the forms of a man, a pillar of fire, and a great cloud of glory. The diversity of forms and the Biblical declaration that no one can see God show us God’s appearances in the Old Testament were always accommodated to the limitations of man.

Because the image of God in man is not clearly defined in the Bible, a wide range of opinions are held on this subject. Some believe man bears God’s image by being a three-part being with a body, soul, and spirit like God is one God in the three Persons of Father, Son, and Spirit. Others believe the image of God in man is the authority man has been given over creation. Others have suggested the image of God in man is humanity’s ability to distinguish between right and wrong. These beliefs may all be true. However, another explanation is preferred. The image of God in man is the moral ability God has created within every human being.

That the image of God in man is not to be found in a person’s physical appearance is evident from the Bible’s assertions about the incarnation of Jesus. Jesus is God the Son who became fully human while also remaining fully God. He is declared to be the perfect and complete representation of God to mankind. (Colossians 1:15; 2:9; Hebrews 1:3) This manifestation of God in the flesh did not include the visible glory of God. (Isaiah 53:2) The revelation of God in Jesus is declared to be one of grace and truth, not form and majesty. (John 1:14)

When a person is saved he is made a new creature who is to become more like Jesus. The imitation of Jesus is described in Colossians 3 as putting on the likeness of God. In Ephesians 4:24 the Christian is commanded to “put on the new man which is created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4 describes this imitation of God entirely in terms of the character of the person, not in their appearance.

“The new man” is the phrase used by the Apostle Paul to describe the new spiritual life given to a person at salvation. The saved are not immediately delivered from their tendency to sin. Instead, the sin nature remains in the person and fights against the things of God. (Galatians 5:17) The Christian is commanded to resist his sinful desires and pursue holy things. This pursuit of holiness is the same as putting on the new man. The new man is created, “according to God.” In other words, the new man looks like God. Colossians 3:10 makes this more clear. The new man is being remade, “according to the image of Him who created him.” The new man is the re-creation of the sinner into the image of God. This new man is characterized by selfless love, peace, joy, honesty, patience, goodness, kindness, humility and forgiveness. (Ephesians 4:25-32; Colossians 3:12-16) If the saved man is made a new creature whose expression of Godly character is the image and imitation of God, then the first man was created in the image of God by virtue of his being given a righteous character like God’s. Though the fall of man corrupts all the person does, yet a sense of kindness, goodness, and compassion still pervades humanity. This moral character, though tarnished, still reflects the character of God. The image of God in man is the ability in mankind to do good, to be selfless and to be kind to others.

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June 21, 2024

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Death, Heaven, Hell, Resurrection

Do the dead have bodies before the resurrection?

A previous article compared spiritual beings with physical creatures, like humans. Many imagine the disembodied spirit of a person is in a worse state than someone who has a body. That a bodiless spirit is not necessarily in a worse state than those who possess is a body is evident from the superiority of God and the angels. God is a spirit without a body. (John 4:24) The angels are spirits without bodies. (Hebrews 1:14) God and the angels are greater than humans. (Psalm 8:4-5) Therefore, being bodiless is not necessarily to be in a worse state.

The hope of the Christian includes the promise of a glorified body. This promise will be fulfilled at the resurrection day. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) The Bible does not teach the Christian to look forward to being without a body, but to anticipate the resurrection when he will receive a perfected body free from sin, sickness and death. (2 Corinthians 5:2) What about the time between death and the resurrection? The Bible teaches that the dead have a conscious existence in Heaven or Hell. Do Christians have intermediate bodies in Heaven while they wait for their glorified bodies?

God made man with a body and a soul. (Genesis 2:7) Some have concluded from this truth that a person must have a body. The Bible clearly teaches man is comprised of body and soul. The Bible declares the body without the spirit is dead. (James 2:26) Scripture never says the spirit without the body is dead, incomplete, or inferior. One can logically conclude from God’s creation of man as a body and spirit that the person must possess a body to be complete, However, that logical conclusion is not necessarily correct.

The Bible does not teach directly about the existence of a intermediate body after death. Twice Scripture says the deceased in Heaven are spirits. Revelation 6:9 mentions the souls of the martyrs stationed at the foot of the Heavenly altar. Hebrews 12:22-23 describes the Heavenly hope of the believer. The Christian’s hope includes being united with, “the spirits of just men made perfect.” These passages appear to indicate that at death the body is left behind and the spirit, or soul, of the saved person enters Heaven. The deceased believer exists in Heaven without a body until the day of resurrection. Nothing in the Bible suggests this disembodied condition is in any way less than ideal.

However, in Luke 16 Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This story is not a parable but a true account of two actual men. Lazarus died and was taken to Heaven. The rich man died and went to Hades, or Hell. In Hell the rich man desired water to cool his tongue. This is compelling evidence the rich man possessed a body in Hell. If the rich man had a body in Hell, then it is likely all the dead have physical bodies in Heaven or Hell.

The problem with this is argument is the complexity of Luke 16:19-31. Some of the challenges in this account include: serious debate about the historical nature of the account, the nature and location of Hades, and the relationship of Hades to Abraham’s Bosom. These uncertainties make Luke 16 a unstable foundation on which to build a body of doctrine. Without strong support from other Scriptures, Luke 16 is not able to uphold belief in an intermediate body.

The New Testament makes at least two specific references to the spirits of believers in Heaven and no clear references to the bodies of believers in Heaven. These references do not necessarily preclude the presence of an intermediate body. Without stronger Biblical evidence the dead are given an intermediate body, the better choice is to conclude that at death the spirits of the redeemed enter Heaven where they await the resurrection when they will once again be embodied.

Most importantly, the Bible does not speak directly to this matter. Clues are found in Scripture which lead to certain conclusions. The lack of direct Biblical teaching requires believers who have an opinion on this subject to hold that opinion with gentleness, without dogmatism, and without debate.

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June 12, 2024

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Death, Heaven, Resurrection

Do people have bodies in Heaven?

Some Christian leaders teach that after death everyone is given a temporary body which will be theirs until the resurrection. At the resurrection all the saved will be given a glorified body which they will have for eternity. Other Christian leaders teach that at death the spirit of the person enters Heaven or Hell where it remains without a body until the resurrection. Which is correct? Are the deceased given intermediate bodies? A handful of passages in the Bible are crucial to this discussion. A later article will answer the question directly, but first the relative values of the spirit and the body need to be discussed.

Many people instinctively imagine being without a body is worse than having a body. Many seem to believe that if a person is a disembodied spirit then he is without a true form. For some, being a bodiless spirit in Heaven is akin to being a lonely ghost who haunts the halls of Heaven and longs for the day when it can finally be whole again.

Being a spirit without a body is not a worse state than having a body. The spiritual does not have mass and matter as understood in the physical universe, but the spiritual universe is quite real. The spiritual universe is in on way inferior to the physical. The Bible declares, “God is Spirit.” (John 4:24) He is entirely spiritual and without any physical substance (except in the person of Jesus, but that is a different issue for a different time). None can say God has no real substance. None can say God’s lack of a physical body is an inferior condition. God is the author of all matter. His spiritual existence is more significant and more real than the physical matter which comprises the material universe.

Additionally, angels are spiritual beings who do not possess physical substance. (Hebrews 1:14) At times they are given tangible forms, but their usual state of existence is non-physical. This does not mean angels are less real or less substantial than people. Humans are declared to be, “a little lower than the angels.” (Psalm 8:5) In Ephesians 6 the Bible indicates that the spiritual enemies of the Christian are more forceful than the physical enemies people are tempted to fixate on. Nothing in the Bible suggests that being a spirit is to have a lesser form of existence. Those beings who are greater than humans are purely spiritual beings.

Humans were created as physical and spiritual beings, but the Bible does not teach that being a spirit without a body is to be in a worse state. Human experience is limited to the present physical world. This limitation prevents a proper understanding the nature of the spiritual. Though no living person can understand what it is like to exist as a spirit alone, existing as a spirit without a body is not necessarily a worse state of being.

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May 24, 2024

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Jesus, The Bible

What was the purpose of the transfiguration?

The first three books of the New Testament tell of Jesus being transfigured in the presence of three of His disciples, Peter, James and John. (Matthew 17:1-10; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36) The transfiguration was a moment in which Jesus’ appearance was changed (transfigured). His glory as God was briefly and partially revealed. While Jesus prayed Moses and Elijah descended from Heaven to speak with Him about His coming crucifixion. The transfiguration was the only time in Jesus’ life when His appearance was anything other than that of a normal man. The gospels tell of this event in Jesus’ life to show that He is the promised King of Israel, the Son of God and the Savior of the World.

The disciples were dumbfounded when the glory of Jesus. They had no idea what to say or do. God responded to their confusion and spoke to them from Heaven. “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.” God’s words to the disciples suggest one reason for the transfiguration was to confirm to them that Jesus is truly God. God allowed the disciples a brief glimpse of the power and glory of the King of kings to assure them He is all He said He is. However, Jesus’ glory could not be revealed to the entire world at that time. Jesus came to die on the cross for the sin of men, not to establish an earthly kingdom. (John 18:36) Consequently, He forbade the disciples from talking about His transfiguration until after His resurrection from the dead.

The transfiguration was so significant that Peter mentioned it in his second letter to the Jewish believers in Asia Minor. After Peter tells of being an “eyewitness of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16) he says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” The transfiguration was a breathtaking event which gave additional assurance that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, but people today have something even more significant. The transfiguration was a dramatic evidence of the truth of Jesus’ claims, but Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:19 show that Scripture is more important than the disciples’ brief glimpse of Jesus’ glory. Because the Bible is truly the Word of God, each person must pay close attention to its truth and follow its direction in their lives.

The transfiguration is a remarkable event which allowed the disciples to see for a short time the radiance of Jesus’ glory. However, the event Peter witnessed was not as important as Scripture. The transfiguration is one of many testimonies to the Divine majesty of Jesus, but it is not the light to guide our lives. The Bible is.

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May 7, 2024

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Bible Overview, Genesis, Old Testament

Who was Isaac?

Little is known about the promised son of Abraham. One would expect the Bible to focus on the child for whom Abraham and Sarah waited twenty-five years to receive. One would expect Scripture to say much about the life of the man who was willing to lay down on an altar and be killed as a sacrifice to God. The Bible says little about Isaac. The argument can be made that only one chapter in Genesis focuses on Isaac, compared with ten chapters that focus on Abraham, seven that focus on Jacob and ten that focus on Joseph. Isaac has a background role in the book of Genesis.

Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, born when Abraham was one-hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. He was the son promised to Abraham as the first of countless descendants and the beginning of a great nation. Isaac was proof God would keep all His promises to Abraham.

The little known about Isaac suggests he was a man of faith who trusted his father and, more importantly, trusted God. Isaac’s faith is first seen in Genesis 22 on the way to make sacrifice at Mt. Moriah. Isaac’s age at that time is not known, but he was old enough to carry the bundle of wood required for the sacrifice. Many pounds of wood would have been needed to consume any animal sacrifice. Isaac’s ability to carry the heavy load of wood suggests he was no younger than his early teen years.

When it came time to make the sacrifice, Isaac was placed on the altar. The Bible says only Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain to make sacrifice to God. Abraham had no servants to help him restrain his son. Isaac was old enough that it would have been impossible for Abraham to put him on the altar without resorting to violence. The Bible is silent about what transpired between Abraham and his son before Abraham reached for the knife to kill Isaac, but Isaac was almost certainly a willing participant. He lay on the altar of his own accord. This readiness to be offered showed a great trust in Abraham and an even greater trust in God.

Hebrews 11:20 says, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Isaac transferred to Jacob the promises God had first given to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant was handed down to Isaac who then passed it to Jacob. Isaac said to Jacob, “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you.” (Genesis 27:29) Isaac’s words are nearly identical with the promise God gave to Abraham. (Genesis 12:3) Isaac later said to Jacob, “May God Almighty bless you . . . and give you the blessings of Abraham.” (Genesis 28:3-4) Isaac had not seen any particular evidence his descendants would be a great nation or would multiply to become as numerous as the stars, but he obviously believed God would keep all His promises to Abraham. Isaac believed he was the beneficiary of those promises. By faith he gave the promise of God to Jacob in confidence God would keep His Word.

Otherwise, the life of Isaac is somewhat unremarkable. He lived in Canaan as a nomad. The Bible records a time when his faith wavered and shows that he acted foolishly in his dealings with his sons. Isaac did not commit any remarkable sins or perform any remarkable deeds. He appears to have a lived an ordinary, faithful life in which he simply trusted God to keep His Word.

Isaac is the overlooked patriarch of Israel whose unremarkable life ought to encourage people today. Isaac is praised in Scripture as an example of faith, but not because he did any incredible deeds. He is praised because he believed God. So it is today. God is seeking those who will trust Him in their daily lives. The faith of some people will be shown in a remarkable trust in God which leaves home to venture far away in service to the Lord. The faith of some will be an unshakeable trust which gives all in sacrifice to God. For the majority of people, trust in God will be exercised in the mundane events of daily life. Most are called to live a life of faith which works a job, raises a family, serves in a church and walks with God. This faith is unremarkable because it is the faith required of the majority of Christian. Isaac shows that God is pleased with the unremarkable faith which simply obeys Him, trusts His promises and is faithful to Him in the boring routines of life.