What Does it Mean to be the Image of God?

In this video, we look at the ancient near eastern context to understand what it means to be called the image of God.

Sources:
Science and Religion - Joshua Moritz

Natures, Human Nature, Genes, and Souls - Joshua Moritz

Old Testament Theology - Horst Preuss

The Liberating Image - J. Richard Middleton

The Lost World of Genesis - John Walton

The Lost World of Adam and Eve - John Walton

Dictionary of the Old Testament - T. Desmond Alexander, David W. Baker

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[Soviet]

I actually learned all this during my conversion to Orthodox Christianity!

[tecsonics]

It's easy to come to a wrong conclusion when you take scripture out of context. Genesis is not a book on its own, but is supported by the entire scriptures. Keeping things in perspective brings one to an entirely different understanding.

[gleasonparker]

I've learned more from this channel in a couple of months than I have in years of Bible study and reading and I can only thank Michael Jones for his thorough yet empathetic approach to the Bible. Meeting of the minds can bring Salvation to many people who testified to that on this channel.

[XLeihX]

Not a Christian but IP I really enjoy your vids. Religion has always been interesting to me and love learning about them

[tetelestai]

Human is the only being GOD made with his hands and breathed life on according to the Bible (Genesis 2:7), everything else was spoken into existence

[Jamie-Russell-CME]

Spirit and soul are defining living properties. Imago Dei is a matter of kingship and judgement, dominion, responsibility.
Choice in moral application.

[Protestant_Paladin]

I believe that being the image of God refers to the roles we play in the world. God is king of the universe, and He made us to have dominion over the earth. He is the lawgiver, and He calls us to know right from wrong. We parallel God in many ways, so I think it's a bit of a mix of the second two.

[OfficialKennyRivers]

I am mind-blown!!! The best video on The Imago Dei I've ever seen 🔥🔥🔥 Great teaching

[oliverjohnson]

I myself would probably consider myself an old earth creationist but I find it very hard from scripture to say that adam and eve weren’t the first humans. throughout the bible it seems to me that they are constantly referred to as the first humans. why wouldn’t the author of genesis just say they weren’t the first humans? i’m not hating and actually love your videos

[cpage]

God very clearly "called" Abram. God very clearly "created" Adam. We are clearly taught the call of Abraham, as well as the call of servants in the NT. Why wouldn't a call of Adam be as clear?

[duckymomo]

this is my favorite topic; I specialize in christian anthropology

[Tukk]

There’s a difference between image and likeness.... what he’s explaining is the likeness of God. God has features. He created us in his image AND his likeness.

[FreeRadical]

Thank you so much, IP! This made the concept of our being in God's image so much clearer to me.

[garygrant]

Brilliant. Thank you.
“All heroes are shadows of Christ” – John Piper

[tyler-qrjn]

This video was going good until he said Adam was not the first man...

[rokarlroberto]

"And God saith, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth, ’" (Gen. 1:26).

Some people think that being made in the image of God deals with the physical likeness as if God has a body of flesh and blood. This is not the case. Jesus tells us that God, in reference to the Father, is spirit (John 4:24) and the spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). Therefore, it cannot be true that we are made in the image of God the Father in the sense that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones.

So then, what does it mean to be made in the image of God? It means that we are made in His likeness in that we have some of the same attributes that God has. For example, God is rational (Isaiah 1:18) and so are we. God can love (John 3:16) and so can we. God can hate (Psalm 5:5; 11:5) and so can we. Because we are made in God's image, we are able to have compassion, mercy, grace, fellowship, friendship, etc. However, as God is all-knowing, we are not. God is ever present, but we are not.

So, the image of God in us means that we are like Him in some, not all, of His attributes.

[ctbrinn]

I do not hold the theistic evolution interpretation of biblical origins. Mainly because I cannot reconcile it with the historicity of Adam and Eve, the image of God, and the comparison of Adam and Jesus in the book of Romans. However, this video is the best presentation of how a theologian who supports theistic evolution could also uphold the doctrine historicity, image bearers, and first and second Adam that are obviously taught by revealed knowledge.

[Sunsetdriver]

One issue I have is in Gensis 1, day and night (light and darkness) are separated twice. On day one and day four. What was the purpose of this? Why was it separated twice? This leads me to believe Genesis 1 is more poetic than literal

[johndiaz]

This channel solidified my belief in God so much more where now it’s not even a belief it’s knowledge of his existence. Thank you, I hope I meet you in Paradise someday.

[silouan]

This is what we call in Eastern Orthodox Christianity as Theosis.

God became man so that we can partake of his divine nature. As our beloved saint Peter said:

2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.


And also taught by the Eastern Orthodox Church for 2000 years;
That man is sick and the sickness are our passions,

The Seven deadly sins 
Lust.
Gluttony.
Greed.
Sloth.
Wrath.
Envy.
Pride.
Tha passions of the flesh are Keeping us from partaking of the nature of God.
The Church is a hospital that helps and cure the passions so that we can be as God created as to be His image and eternal companion.

So If you to church and you don't get cured there something wrong with your church.

The lives of the saints are the testimonies that Theosis is possible with God grace .

May God have mercy on us all. May the love and grace of our Savior Jesus Christ be with us always. God bless.

Other scriptures:

Ephesians 4:13
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

Ephesians 4:24
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Hebrews 12:10
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

2 Peter 2:18
With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice the ones who are just escaping from those who live in error. 

2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corruption. For a man is a slave to whatever has overcome him.

2 Peter 2:20
If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through their knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:13
But in keeping with God's promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.