GOD IS DIFFERENT THAN US

GOD IS DIFFERENT THAN US

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

 

Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 

  One of the hindrances to maturation is always thinking of God in human terms. It’s not that He has our attributes and characteristics. He is not made in our image. We are made in His image; endowed with His traits body, soul, and spirit.

  This not to say we are gods as some religions and/or individuals believe and teach. Though we very much resemble God, we are not Omnipotent, Omnipresent, or Omniscience. Indeed we are like Him by His design, but we are not as He is for there are enormous differences in magnitude. The first example that came to mind: Though having the capacity to love, we are not love embodied; though with capacity to forgive, we are not forgiveness personified.

 

1John 4:1-11 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world. You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love. In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation concerning our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. [Gal.5:26]

 

  How does imaging God as being like us rather than see we as like Him effect maturation in this life and preparation for eternity? I see the bias being about self; thereby seriously effecting my affection for Him and others, chiefly so in the area of forgiveness; thereby seriously contaminating fellowship with Him, family, coworkers, community et al.

  Let us beware thinking of God inadequately, for doing so exalts self over and against the true knowledge of God. (Ps.77:13; 99:9; Jn.4:24; 2Cor.10:5; Heb.12:29)  EBB4