Imago Dei
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I am going to answer several of the questions that you guys asked a couple weeks ago.
And I am going to tie several of them together and speak on the Imago Dei — which means the Image of God
Humanity, you and I, were created in God’s image
We want to be real.
We want to answer questions honestly and accurately
MEME
There has almost been this idea in the church that we have to remain as inoffensive as possible.
“Just be kind and just be nice”
“Just love people and God will do the rest. We don’t need to talk about hard issues.”
Well, no actually. We need to be direct and to CLEAR about what God actually wants from His people.
Can we define what love is then? Because what I mean by Love - is a Biblical definition of Love, which is to say that I am going to choose the best for you - regardless of how it may make you feel.
I’m actually okay with offending you if it means saving you
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Meaning - if you are truly a child of God then you have heard God tell you “no”
A real friend is someone who is honest with you
Because I care about that relationship
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
You cant live however you like and then call yourself a Christian.
You cant support abortion, curse people with your words, don’t believe what God said about marriage, don’t believe what God said about gender, dont live by the teachings of the Bible… and then call yourself a Christian.
Yeah that’s not how it works
So we have to be willing — to have some spicy, hard convos if we are going to grow.
And I would rather you ask questions now to us, who are people that you can trust and people that love you.
Then your gay liberal arts professor in a few years
And so … The question was asked — how are people valued?
26 Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
This is the Imago Dei, which means the Image of God
We see right away - that you and I were made in the image of God
We are different and distinct from all other parts of creation
We are not animals
We are not plants
There is nothing else like us on this planet
What makes us different?
Like - so what is the image of God?
What are some of the characteristics or qualities that we have that prove we have the Imago Dei?
•Intelligence
•Reasoning ability
•Emotions
•The ability to commune with God
•Self-awareness (sentience)
•Language/communication ability
•The presence of a soul or spirit (or both)
•The conscience
•Free will
You just made a great case for Abortion. Because a fetus has none of those things.
The image of God means none of those things.
To think of the image of God as any characteristic is a flawed approach.
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
The image of God is something that we gradually obtain, its not something that we can achieve or lose.
It is simply from the fact that God created us as His image.
We are God’s image bearers in the earth.
We carry the image of God. Period.
Every person has this. Regardless of their stage in life.
This is why euthanasia is evil
This is why racism is evil
This is why abortion is evil
I know some of you asked about abortion.
And let me just tell you — it is not your body so it is not your choice.
That is a separate individual growing inside the womb and that person, who has the Imago Dei, deserves the same right to life as you and me.
Some also asked the question about Premarital Sex
There are several reasons for why Sex outside of marriage is wrong - but the one I will mention tonight is that - it is made to create children
It is for making children — Making people — that are made with the Imago Dei
I know you may want to fool around with your girlfriend or your boyfriend — but what you don’t realize is you are being careless with the image of God
Fire is a wonderful tool and it can kill you
Fire in the fireplace is awesome! But if you let that fire loose all over your house… it can kill you and destroy everything you have.
This is why sex is for a married man and woman.
You see, if you view humanity as animals, it makes it really easy to create a food chain
You know - mice eat the bugs
cats eat the mice
bears eat the cats
and sharks eat the bears
So if you view humanity as just another animal on this planet — then it becomes really easy to say - okay black people aren’t as smart as white people - women aren’t as smart as men - unborn babies aren’t actually people yet
You see this is EVIL.
BAND
There have been millions of people murdered because they did not understand the Imago Dei
Some of you asked questions about - Self harm / Body image
Let me tell you, it matters how you view yourself.
You are not just a clump of cells. You are not just some animal trying to figure out life.
No! You should take care of your body!
This body that you have — it was designed - ON PURPOSE - BY GOD
We are God’s image bearers!
Don’t let the devil or culture come and whisper in your ear that you are not worth anything
That you couldnt be loved
That you dont matter
You are not an accident
The Imago Dei proves that you are not an accident
The fact that you exist right now - is proof that God made you on purpose
Hear me - you didnt come from your parents. You came through your parents but you came from God
And He loves you - and He wants the best for you - He wants to teach you His Word and His Law and the Right Way to live!
PRAY