Begin To Understand God
The meaning of being created in the image of God
Let us begin to understand God by defining what it means to be created in the image of God.There are three characteristics we share with God that define us in His image and make us different from all other living creatures.
1) We are eternal, we will never die
2) We have an intellect, and consequently can be creative
3) We have a unique personality; there is no one else quite like you or I
Created in His image does not mean God looks like us or like the old gray bearded man in the picture above.
Created in His image does not mean God looks like us or like the old gray bearded man in the picture above.
God is spirit, not physical
- Humankind is both spiritual and physical in their the current earthly form
- God has emotions – love, compassion, hate, anger and So Do We
- But, God is perfect in attributes …… God cannot lie and God is perfectly just.
To truly understand God we will need to humbly seek wisdom and it will be easy if we have a “good heart.” When we understand God we will know why He has done certain things. We only know such things because God has revealed them and it not something we can correctly figure out on our own. So seeking the wisdom from God means seeking knowledge about God from the scriptures.
The greatest of all mysteries is not how God created all things but why He did it and what it means for you.
One thing you will understand about God is that everything is working according to His plan. Despite all the ways man criticizes God for not being clear about existence and purpose; it turns out He is perfectly clear from the view of HIS PURPOSE. You can figure out life’s purpose, but standing in your way are selfishness, pride and a variety of things that God has defined as unacceptable behavior. It is God’s way of sorting out good from evil. His way of sorting out those worthy of heaven. He knows the things He has defined as sin will result in a very poor ending for all mankind (all have sinned) but He has provided a way of escape. Amazingly most people will choose the desirable things of this short life over God’s solution. Behind that poor decision is simply being too proud to submit to God. The book, “What Is Life All About?” was written specifically to point out why all those things, all those reasons, all those excuses, which provide you comfort in rejecting God as the God of the bible are really unwise. On one side God has done all that is possible to help you succeed but you listen to the wisdom of men often enticingly crafted to reject the most important thing in your life. Take the time, make the time to discover the truth!
The Source of Your Belief
Very few people understand the true source of their beliefs. If you can admit that to yourself then you are going in the right direction. For example, a “born again Christian” may say the source of what he/she believes is the bible. More than likely it is not the bible but a combination of the bible and the teachings of Martin Luther and John Calvin, which are very destructive. So usually it is “good men” maybe parents or friends who have convinced you of what you believe. Or you believe they are good men or women. Sometimes you believe a person because the things being taught align with what you already believe or the teaching brings you new freedoms, or justifications for what you want. We are influenced but you need to be influenced by God and God in His wisdom provided His word. God, in His simplicity makes this subject very clear in differentiating the wisdom from above compared to the wisdom of men in relation to spiritual things. The verses below are GOD’S WAY of making this point very understandable.
1 Corinthians 1.18-25
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God explains Himself and points out how men will not like how God does things but will want more explanation or a different type of presentation of evidence. As you begin to understand God and His purpose you begin to see the consistency of all that God has done – always aligned perfectly with HIS PURPOSE. The wisdom in relation to your soul is to accept God’s way over what men teach about God and over what YOU WANT God to be. It is by these very means that God is conducting the test and you have choices. Heaven can be yours if you love the truth, find it and live it. The confidence that you are doing the right thing will grow day by day as will your understanding of God and God’s hope for you going back to Genesis 3.15 will be fulfilled.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God explains Himself and points out how men will not like how God does things but will want more explanation or a different type of presentation of evidence. As you begin to understand God and His purpose you begin to see the consistency of all that God has done – always aligned perfectly with HIS PURPOSE. The wisdom in relation to your soul is to accept God’s way over what men teach about God and over what YOU WANT God to be. It is by these very means that God is conducting the test and you have choices. Heaven can be yours if you love the truth, find it and live it. The confidence that you are doing the right thing will grow day by day as will your understanding of God and God’s hope for you going back to Genesis 3.15 will be fulfilled.
19 For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God explains Himself and points out how men will not like how God does things but will want more explanation or a different type of presentation of evidence. As you begin to understand God and His purpose you begin to see the consistency of all that God has done – always aligned perfectly with HIS PURPOSE. The wisdom in relation to your soul is to accept God’s way over what men teach about God and over what YOU WANT God to be. It is by these very means that God is conducting the test and you have choices. Heaven can be yours if you love the truth, find it and live it. The confidence that you are doing the right thing will grow day by day as will your understanding of God and God’s hope for you going back to Genesis 3.15 will be fulfilled.
