- NEW!
by Robanero on February 11th, 2010
Because man made god in his image, not the other way around. Nothing could be more obvious.
The Bible is full of such clear contradictions
by cloudman on February 11th, 2010
Perhaps the Bible is talking about the subatomic level along with various energy levels rather than the external form that you and I see when we look at another human. Frankly, I think the Bible has errors in it due to the fact that it was written, edited, and assembled by a committee. Those of you who have worked in committees know how easily things can get screwed up.
So - mind you - I believe in a "Great Guy In the Sky" or "Great Spirit" but I don't think that any living human has the slightest notion as to his/her/or its form.
If you are truly serious about your question I recommend you read Gary Zukav's book, The Dancing Wu Li Masters. It's an "exciting intellectual adventure" especially if you would like to know more about particle physics.
by Parepidemos on March 3rd, 2010
On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He finished His work with a “personal touch.” God formed man from the dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Accordingly, man is unique among all God’s creations, having both a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit.
Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of God’s having flesh and blood. Scripture says that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a body. However, Adam’s body did mirror the life of God insofar as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It sets man apart from the animal world, fits him for the dominion God intended him to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables him to commune with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
Resource....http://www.gotquestions.org/image-of-God.html
by laie_techie on February 13th, 2010
Hebrews 1 says that Jesus is in the express image of his Father's person.
Jesus has form, so if we accept Paul's testimony to the Hebrews, so does God.
by LarryH54 on March 8th, 2010
God is Spirit. Images don't need to be physical, you know. Love, frustration, hate, jealousy, actually all emotions, are reflections of His qualities. We also reflect His Intelligence, His knowledgeably, His rationality, and His sentience in general. Like it or not, we do reflect these qualities of His. God was well able to make us in that Imagery.
by laser on March 14th, 2010
He has a mental mirror.
by iwnit on February 12th, 2010
1) Apart from the "man created in God's image" thing, the Bible makes various statements about God's form.
It looks like God has no proper form, but God can take any form.
Also, God does not want his followers to represent him as a particular form.
On the other side, that man is made in the image of God does not necessary mean that man and God have the same form.
2) Form of God in the Bible:
- Genesis 1:
"27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201&version=NIV
(this brings the issue of the Gender of God, by the way)
- Numbers 12:
"4 At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, 6 he said, "Listen to my words:
"When a prophet of the LORD is among you,
I reveal myself to him in visions,
I speak to him in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I speak face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the LORD.
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?""
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2012&version=NIV
- Deuteronomy 4:
"11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. 13 He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. 14 And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
[Idolatry Forbidden]
15 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. 19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. 20 But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%204&version=NIV
3) "When speaking of the image of God one must include the likeness of God in order to get a better understanding and a distinction between the two. For the past 2,000 years, theologians have examined this difference in human nature. Origen viewed the image of God as something given at creation, while the likeness of God as something bestowed upon a person at a later time. The theologian Irenaeus made a distinction between God’s image and his likeness by pointing to Adam’s supernatural endowment bestowed upon him by the Spirit. As Irenaeus’ view progressed, what eventually arose was:
The image was the human’s natural resemblance to God, the power of reason and will. The likeness was a donum superadditum—a divine gift added to basic human nature. This likeness consisted of the moral qualities of God, whereas the image involved the natural attributes of God. When Adam fell, he lost the likeness, but the image remained fully intact. Humanity as humanity was still complete, but the good and holy being was spoiled.
The image of God and the likeness are similar, but at the same time they are different. The image is just that, mankind is made in the image of God, whereas the likeness is a spiritual attribute of the moral qualities of God.
Man was created in both the image and likeness of God. As humans, we are in the image of God, but that does not necessarily mean that we are exact replicas of God. Being made in the image of God simply means that we resemble God and are similar to His image. In His likeness is a comparison to the likeness of God (moral attributes). Before the fall of man, the image of God and the likeness were intact and, so to speak, all was well."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_of_God
by Terance McKenna on March 6th, 2010
Image is short for imagination,we are just spiritual being trapped in earth bound bodies in true essence our sole is what god created not the form we get trapped in at any time we spend until judgment day.
by Twisted Taco on February 12th, 2010
What else can you possibly expect? It was a rush job after all
by The Anonymous Witch on February 11th, 2010
and did adam / eve have a navel ? ... did god ? ... then why do we ??
this is the problem with fairytales ;-)
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on February 11th, 2010
If you want an exact answer to your question, its always a good idea to give chapter and verse. The Bible is a very long book.
I think the simple answer to that is that the Bible doesn't mean that we look photographically like God. If you look up the word image, you'll find that like many words, it was more than one meaning. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/image
One of those definitions is "having the character of." And if you look at the verse that I believe you are quoting here, Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
I think you will see that it is the couple, male and female, that is in the image of God. It takes both male and female to create an image of God. Why is that? Because God has two parts to His nature. God is love personified. He is kind and gentle and nurturing and caring. But God is also justice personified. God cannot look on someone's suffering brought on by the sin of another person and not want justice. He cannot see a child abused at the hands of a parent and not want justice for that child. He cannot see a woman raped and not want to protect her.
He made us different as males and females. Women are made for love and nurture. This is not to say that men don't have those traits, but they aren't foremost in men. Men are made for justice and protection. This in not to say that women don't want justice or to protect, but it isn't foremost in their nature. Together, we create an image of God's character, that is, the full dichotomy of love and justice that caused God to have to satisfy His need for justice by sacrificing Himself, because the loving side of his nature could not bear to destroy what he had created.
by Ringo on February 11th, 2010
Where does the Bible say that God is without form?
by Moongrim on February 12th, 2010
Or for that matter, require men to be circumscised?
by Strength on February 11th, 2010
Great question! Not sure myself but I wondered this.
by Ringo on February 12th, 2010
Exodus 24:9-11 talks about Moses and several others seeing God. It's a little difficult seeing someone who is invisible. This passage says nothing about God being invisible or without form.
1 Timothy 1:17 does state that God is invisible, but it does not say that He is without form.
Is there a study guide along with"Know the Bible in 30 Days"?
by Answerbag Staff on July 11th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
What year did ronald knox publish the new testament?
by Answerbag Staff on July 6th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Who publishes the new King James Bible?
by Answerbag Staff on June 14th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Christians, does the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) still apply and still matter today? This is a follow up of my first question.
by Parepidemos on January 14th, 2012
| 2 people like this
Is there anywhere I can get audio of the King James Bible with an Australian narrator?
by AussieMe on January 12th, 2012
| 1 person likes this
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Comments
Only because you don't understand the Bible.
by Randoley on March 11th, 2010
And you do right?
Why don't you explain the contradiction above then?
by Robanero on March 11th, 2010
What contradiction? The Bible doesn't say God is without form. The question is based on a false understanding.
by Randoley on March 11th, 2010
What about it Fingapie? Where's your bible verse?
by Robanero on March 12th, 2010
It's not just one verse. That is the problem. If you just look at a verse, then flip several books over and read another then you are going to see contradictions, but if you read the Bible as one long story from beginning to end then you don't see contradictions.
In Genesis God had a form because he walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. In the fiery furnace the king looked inside and saw a fourth man standing inside and that was God in a form. Moses asked to see God and God only showed Moses himself from behind. There he had a form too. When Jesus was on the Earth, that was God in Human form. Jacob physically wrestled with God. You need a form to do that.
God has a form, so the question was based on an misunderstanding of the Bible.
by Randoley on March 12th, 2010
Sounds like God has many forms. Burning Bush and many others too. Man has but one. How is that in god's image?
If you think Genesis is a literal depiction of anything than you have less imagination than Moses is all. Creationists who see the bible as 100% literal are missing the depth and complexity and real beauty of the bible. It's sad really, but since it's all merely the mythology of the dominant culture, I don't give a crap.
I just think it's fun to watch all the sheep debate over the nonexistent like it was real intelligence.
by Robanero on March 12th, 2010
God wasn't in the form of the burning bush. The bush was just His way to get Moses' attention. Moses heard God's voice come from the sky. Every time God appeared in the Bible he was in human form. Revelations describes God's throne in Heaven. Why would a biomorphic mass of energy need a chair?
I don't know anyone who believes the Bible is 100% literal. I believe all of the stories are historically true including all of Genesis. Then there is the book of Revelations where most of it is written in metaphor and most of Jesus' teachings were taught in parables. It depends on which part of the Bible you are reading. I do believe the Bible was written by God through men. That I will not bend on.
by Randoley on March 12th, 2010