The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

Dale77,


Well the way i think of this whole convo. is that, you know how someone said "If we cant see God does that mean he isnt real?" I totally disagree with that because we cant see the wind, but it doesnt mean its not there? Also just because we cant see, feel, or hear God doesnt mean he isnt there. If you are a christian you can see the effects of what God does in others lives. So just because you cant see something, doesnt mean its not there.


Luv,
Mia a christian

no offence to anyone.

Very true. Jesus used the very example of the wind in the trees for those moved by the spirit of God. Also, we can hear God in his word. Although he is not physically with us we have many letters from him. In these letters he lets us know he'll be back soon...

Dale

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Its all greek to me...

On the subject of the image of God, I heard an interesting view from Tom Wright (Bishop of Durham). Images of rulers, he says, in the ancient world as in parts of it today, are put in place to remind the populace of who's in charge. Statues of Queen Victoria, or of Roman, Babylonian or Egyptian emperors/pharaohs/kings, or of Lenin, Saddam Hussein or Kim Jong Il, all serve the same end.

Our purpose, as image-bearers of the one true God, is and always has been to remind the creation of who is ultimately in charge; and more than that, as living image-bearers, it has been to carry the Creator's rule into action. The fall threw something of a spanner into this, of course; but as new creatures in Christ, our image-bearing function is restored, and given new impetus. We are to pray for and to see the Kingdom coming in the world around us.
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The humanist-Darwinian cultus is not particularly susceptible to refutation by facts; but then, neither is it subscribed to by the vast majority of people who work in the sciences. Most scientists are rather impatient of the metaphysical claims made for science by a few of their more eminent colleagues.

If, on the other hand, you're referring to the scientific consensus on the age of the earth and the development of life, perhaps you'd like to start some threads on evidences which refute this.

This makes great theatre, Zapp, but do you have any hard evidence that this is in fact a widespread state of affairs?

If not, this kind of thing is simply whistling in the wind, making up stories to validate a false view of the sociology of science, in lieu of engaging with science's actual conclusions.

I REALLY like NT Wright. I have a few of his books and have a number of his lectures on mp3. I think he is the top theologian alive today.

andy:

Where did you get that bit on NT Wright? I tend to like his work--always engaging and thought-provoking, if a bit on the provocative side sometimes! I'd be interested to read it.

Brad

Ah â€â€

Wow, I can't imagine having such a great speaker and thinker as your local "pastor". There are a number of his talks available online at the NT Wright Page (links to other sites) which I have listened to, so that helps.

Interesting topic even if I am a year late to this discussion.

I read somewhere in the New Testament that Christ (Not Jesus) is the image of God and that Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

So the creation unto the image would then imply Understanding the Power of God so that we can fear it by living in His wisdom so that we can be saved...

Cobra I am sorry to read that you do not like vipers the one you refer to is the most beautiful of them all esp the King Cobra.

It's the Dodge Viper I'm not fond of. The vipers God created are indeed lovely and elegant.

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Cobra (the car, not the poisonous reptile)
all scripture is NRSV unless otherwise noted

Protege wrote:


Where does it say that Christ is not Jesus in the New Testament?

Jesus is the Christ, the Annointed One, the Messiah. Therefore the names "Jesus" and "Christ" refer to the same person. If a passage says something about "Christ", it is saying it about Jesus.

If one wants to know what God is like - look at Jesus - who reveals him perfectly, being himself God.

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Avid Reader

“Lord, in my zeal for love of truth, let me not forget the truth about love.” - Thomas Aquinas
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It's the supercharger -- no turbo lag. Just have to watch out for wheel hop.

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Cobra (the car, not the poisonous reptile)
all scripture is NRSV unless otherwise noted

Regarding Gen 1:27

God created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

My understanding is that the Hebrew word translated "man" is normally used to describe "mankind," a collective of individuals.

Soooo, the plural Godhead, the Trinitarian God, a community of "persons," creates a[nother] collective, mankind -- male and female communities. Perhaps the "image of God" is a community of individuals that function's [best] as it conforms to the practiced unity of the Trinitarian God. Perhaps this explains our instinctive desire for community -- the "tribal instnct," as they say.

This would also explain the biblical emphasis on the children of God, whether a nation or a Christian asembly.


Just a thought.

Nearly another year late into this thread...

I think you're right, jds. Another take on this that's worth adding to the mix is Tom Wright's* point that, in the world of 2000-4000 years ago, images of rulers were put in place to remind populations of who was boss. That's never really changed, in fact, as witness the number of statues of Queen Victoria, Vladimir Lenin or Saddam Hussein the world has recently contained. When you look at those images, they are executed in such a way as to make a point about the kind of person whose authority is being expressed: their grandeur, vision, paternalism, or whatever. Our function as image-bearers of the Living God is to do the same to all the rest of creation — but, of course, in truth, not political or religious spin.

* Bishop of Durham