|
The true God who actually made man in his image, certainly has personal
qualities since they are reflected in his image, man. Furthermore, the
Bible has God describing himself in personal terms. However, there are
eternal realitie which man has no ability to comprehend except in
the form of analogy using human language.
Surely pagans throughout history have created their gods completely as
a reflection of their ignorance of God but certainty of his existence,
their fear of God's judgement and wrath which is evident to everyone,
and then finally the creation of one which more or less reflects their
carnal desires, joys, and sorrows.
jeff
|
| The so-dubbed J or Yahvist tradition in the hexateuch portrays God
in quite human terms. God strolls on the planet in the garden in the
cool of the evening, talks aloud to humans, etc.. The P or Priestly
tradition portrays God as more transcendental, more cosmic.
Richard
|
| RE .1 (Jeff)
Where does the image begin and where does it end? If we are a subset
of God, then God has a human body and a human psyche plus more?
RE .2 (Richard)
Teresa of Avila. A profound statement from a true mystic. I hadn't
seen that one before, but it sounds like something she'd have said.
Thanks for sharing that quote.
-dave
|
| > RE .1 (Jeff)
> Where does the image begin and where does it end? If we are a subset
> of God, then God has a human body and a human psyche plus more?
According to the Bible, God the Father does not have a body. Christ has
a body like ours, except glorified now, of course. And the Holy Spirit
is a spirit. Adam's body and psyche reflected God in some significant
way, prior to his sin, which was different than ours, due to our
sinfulness. We still reflect our Creator's image but we are so
affected by Adam's sin and our own actual sin that the image is greatly
diminished, resulting in the evil, disease, false religions, and decay
in our world. Regenerated believers display again a truer image of
God. And at death they will be transformed into God's image again as
He intended.
The distinction between God and man must forever remain since man is,
after all, a creation and will always be and God is the Creator, always
being. In all God's communication with man He is condescending to us
so that we might know Him and do His will and glorify Him. We are
eternally dependent upon Him which will be evident to everyone,
finally. So we must not make God in our image for to do so is to break
His command against doing so and is an incredibly rebellious and
ridiculously pretentious action.
jeff
|