Let's Talk about your Name, Image and Likeness

I Corinthians 11:3-16

Intro: Have you heard of the following initials? N.I.L. It has changed the culture, integrity and value of the college and now even that amateur status of a High School student. For years in the college scene, many schools would benefit off the name, image and likeness of our student athletes on the college stage. If you watched the media, you would see schools and players receive punishment for accepting money outside their scholarship. while the universities would profit millions. This topic is fitting with the college football season kicked off this past weekend So a few years ago the

NCAA Rule” was created called Name, image and likeness (or NIL) are the three elements that make up “right of publicity”, a legal concept used to prevent or allow the use of an individual to promote a product or service. Name, image, and likeness rights refer to the ability of an individual to control and profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness in various forms of media, including advertising, merchandise, and video games. IT HAS CHANGED they way athletes choose their schools. I read other day about a young man who backed out of his college commitment once his 13 million dollar NIL deal fell through. So today in our passage here the Apostles will speak about our NIL deal with God. The chapter begins. We will hear some words from a young man that wants to help Zachary Dension

1 cor.11.1-3

notice the statement by the Apostle Paul In Verse 1)Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Paul begins by saying this is whose name I want to imitate.

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. Gen. 17:5 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. Genesis 32:27-30 Point 1- Name — a label or designation that sets one person apart from another.

Point 2-Image ( Role)

Verse 3, but I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ and head of the woman is man and the head of Christ is God 4 every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered, dishonors her head and is the same as having her head shaved 6 for if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to have a haircut off or her head shaved, Then she should cover her head.

I want to start off by saying that this is one of the hardest sections of scripture to explain and interpret, so what do we do in sections like this? There’s some truths that we can know with certainty and there are sections like this, which are in a little more confusing, so what are we to do? We allow scripture to interpret scripture whenever possible,

We can define the sufficiency of Scripture as follows: the sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly.

Wayne Grudem

Question: Are we dealing with the issue of submission as the main point of this Passage? at all? Does this passage teach that women are lesser than man or that men are to dominate over women? I don’t think this is the main emphasis of this section. Paul says that the head of the woman is man, but he also says the head of Christ is God. Jesus is equal in essence, glory and ability with God the father, but is subordinate in his role. In the same way women are or not less valuable than men. Not less important than men there in no way, less gifted than men. Let’s turn to scripture again here from my Side kick this morning

(Gen 1:26-28) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

It describes the special status of the human race, male and female, as God’s representatives in the created order. In Ephesians 5, the relationship of a wife submitting to her husband is directly compared to the relationship between the church and Christ.

In Hebrew the terms for “image” and “likeness” seem more or less synonymous, and that is how they are usually understood today. But for many centuries that was not the case. Most theologians interpreted the “image” as the rational faculty of the human soul which makes it possible for us to think in the way God thinks. Augustine (354–430) developed this further and claimed that the image of God is a reflection of the Trinity, the human mind consisting of memory, intellect, and will, all of which are necessary for it to function properly but each of which is distinct from the others. Others have emphasized that the image and likeness of God primarily refers to the rule over the created order that has been entrusted to to the human race and that has not been removed by the fall. Instead, it has been perverted to wrong uses, with dire consequences for the rest of creation.

In verse 11 says, nevertheless in the Lord woman are not independent of men, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God the key value Paul is emphasizing in this passage, is found here in verse 13 judge for yourselves is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if man has long hair, it is a disgrace to them, but that if a woman has long hair it is her glory for long hair is given to her as a covering?

Paul is appealing that it what customary and acceptable. The passage address elements of that time and culture. So it’s dangerous to just read it from our perspective we must first understand what it meant then. Both to the church and to folks outside the issue of head coverings and prayer was a cultural issue, and the church was going out of its way to buck traditions unnecessarily.

much like Paul does here. We must be careful about the message we are giving out here. In Paul’s day gender was marked by differences in clothing, styles and hair. Women wore long hair that is a symbol of being under the authority of protection of their father and later their husband. They would wear a veil more like a scarf, covering the top of their head and veil covering their face. To go about without a head covering was a sign of being free, not being under the protection of any man in the city. So the only women who didn’t wear veils were the temple prostitutes. A woman without a head covering might not mean anything by it, but it did mean something to others. For the men in Corinth the only reason a man would wear head coverings is if they were offering a sacrifice to the gods in the temple.

So we have a major issue in the church. And in Galatians 3:28, Paul has already argued that in Christ there is no distinction between male and female meaning all had equality in God‘s eyes. In Corinth, they had apparently taken this truth to an extreme and were worshiping God with the lack of distinction between men and women. Women it seemed, were throwing off the veil of authority, arguing that they were free in Christ, and that they did not need to be under the authority of any husbands or fathers. Also here we have the custom of asking the father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. When I asked my father in law, he said yes now she can get out of my pocket. Being kind and respective women an ensuring they are protected was the job of the fathers and their husbands. I don’t take my job lightly when it comes to the protection and safety of my wife and my daughter. That was free

Men were wearing the veil outside of the pagan temples. They were in gatherings to worship God, but to the culture, it looks like the men were out to worship pagan gods, or walking around with a veil like a woman. Honestly, we don’t know whether the Corinthians were erasing the differences between men and women or blending them to create a gender neutral role. Either way, Paul brings up the differences between men and women were part of the original creation of humanity and men and women. Earlier Zachary read for us Genesis 1:26-28 and in Chapter 2 God made male and female and set the roles and duties in the marriage, home and even worship. But In Chapter 3 we know that all changed.

Point 3- Likeness

Shaven - Look like a man Deuteronomy 22:5

James 3:9-12 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Bless here means to praise those who walk in the likeness of God. The Bible assumes that the image/likeness of God is retained despite the fall, sin, and corruption.But James also points the other side by cursing those people created in the same image that does not walk in the same likeness. All people are made in the image if even though they marred by sin. Salt is used to express the same thing to not allow blessing and cursing to come from the same person. In this scheme, fallen human beings retain their rational faculties but lose their “likeness” to God, their proper relationship to God, one another, and the rest of the created order.

You ever heard someone say Have you lost your everlasting mind?

we must choose to walk in His likeness or against it. it not about my skin color, my political party, or wether I’m male or female. Husbands and male church leaders bear a certain priority in some way, they also bear a greater responsibility. Men and women are equal in God’s sight but have different roles and positions. Sin may have entered the world through Eve, but it is Adam who received God’s blame for it. Women are told to submit to their husbands and men are required to sacrifice themselves for their wives (Eph 5:22–33).

Closing

The church was not the place where gender roles were to be thrown out. Instead, they were to follow the norms of their culture to the extent that those norms weren’t causing believers to sin. So how does this apply to us today?

We don’t have the same set of circumstances that the Corinthian church dealt with, but anytime someone is out of place and our services it is a hindrance to the work of God. There should be modesty in our dress appearance and action as Christians.

We shouldn’t shock the world with our bizarre behavior or appearances. Instead, we should let our love and compassion be what reveals the difference in our lives. Now if you wrestle over issues of gender roles, gender rights, or gender identity wether personally or publicly. Then you can email the complaint line at [e-mail]. Don’t allow a confusing passage in the Bible to pull you away from Gods love for you and for others.

Looking at who we are and ensuring that we represent the Name, Image and Likeness The pervasive message of the Bible is God‘s love for all of us and are calling to love one another. Equality and justice are key expressions of that love. This passage addresses gender issues related to the culture in time and sets those issues into the perspective of God’s greater design and plan. We must do the same with the mini complex gender issues in our culture and time. Consider what they mean to us and others and how to see them in the perspective of God‘s love for us and it’s consistent call for us to love through justice, equality, compassion, and understanding.

Application: who do we look up too, or want to be like, example; Jordan, Tiger Woods, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Male and female should embrace their truly created selves, honoring God by not pretending to be something else.

Philippians 3:17, 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern

God’s image, His unique representatives on earth. People are thus God’s agents, representing His Name, Image and likeness. come join us as we enjoy one of the greatest deals ever made for mankind.