A Stream in the Desert:: What is the "Image of God"?

Sojourning at an Oasis Paradise

My purpose for living this life, and for writing this blog, is to understand the faith that links us to God. I wish to explore and discuss the reality at the heart of all of the world's religions. This is an immense task, but I know that God also has faith in us, trusting that we do desire the truth, as well as freedom, love and wisdom. Thus, as always, He meets us halfway. Even as God has given us individual souls, so we must each of us trace out an individual pathway to God. Whether we reside in the cities of orthodox religion, or wend our solitary ways through the barren wastelands, God watches over us and offers us guidance and sustenance for the journey.

Most of what you will see here is the result of extensive personal study, combined with some careful speculation. Occasionally, I may simply offer some Scripture or an inspirational text. I am a wide reader, and the connection of some topics and ideas to matters of faith and religion may not seem immediately obvious, but perhaps I may spell it out in the end... or maybe, you will decide that it was just a tangent. Anyway, I hope that you will find my meanderings to be spiritually enlightening, intellectually stimulating, or at least somewhat entertaining.

Friday, May 30, 2025

What is the "Image of God"?

Humanity is God's vessel to be filled with his Spirit. We were made from clay and animated by God filling us with his breath. In ancient times, an idol was supposed to be a residence for a god and a contact point for divine communication. But they didn't imagine that the crude material the idol was made from was divine. Neither is any characteristic of humanity a part of what God is like. It is the infilling of God's Spirit that creates the image.

Thus, we were created to be given a sacred status, as God's representatives in the Garden of Eden, to demonstrate His character and do His will. He walked with us, so that we could learn how to hear and obey his Voice, and become His trusted agents to carry out His plans for the Earth. We were made to be His hands and feet, working to tend and expand the Garden, and populate it with our children. Soon, He would reveal to us more of his plans, to develop our own character and our world for inclusion into the Kingdom of Heaven.

That makes the definition of "faith" as allegiance, trust, loyalty, and service make sense. If we listen to any other power or interest and allow that to supersede God's will for us, we have broken faith with Him. We made that mistake early, even before we were civilized. We were tempted by a rebel to question our faith in God. From our perspective, everything was broken, but God already had a larger plan. He's not going to let the rebels win.

So then, how shall we live? The Bible contains His standing instructions on morality. If we don't follow those basic rules, that's sin. He can and does forgive, but we have to confess and repent, and agree to obey as we ought. The Bible also contains God's promises to fix the damages and confusion caused by the rebels. He promised to come down as Himself to be our King and lead us through the chaos and out of the darkness. He would give us his personal guidance. But we would have to trust Him to do it his way.

That's why, when Jesus rephrased the rules, He apparently made them harder. He was giving us the main principles those rules come from. The point was simple. We can't do it the hard way. We have to decide to turn away from the world's darkness, and follow Him, declaring a new allegiance through baptism. Then, we have to listen closely if we're going to know what He wants us to do. Indeed, we need to be listening all of the time.

Now, when He gives us the Holy Spirit, we are truly the vessels of God, and can be His representatives, with the status of ambassadors and stewards for the Kingdom on this Earth. Later, we shall be citizens of God's cities and stewards of the renewed Earth spreading the Garden of Eden across the globe. Then, we shall owe our allegiance to King Jesus and go up to the New Jerusalem every year to praise and worship.

Whatever God plans for us and our world in the eternal forever, He has yet to reveal in detail, but it apparently includes us ascending to live in the Heavenly Jerusalem and participating in the divine council to replace the rebels who caused our troubles on Earth.