Imago Dei
Isaiah 53:6 (New International Version)
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
A bunch of us are tackling the twelve week challenge of Focus on the Family's, The Truth Project at the moment. We are having some interesting discussions and wrestling with some counter-culture concepts. Sometimes it feels as if we are wrestling with each other; but it's all good! Our brains are being stretched, that's for sure.
So yesterday we were immersed in a discussion about the nature of man; is it basically good, or bent towards sin?
We talked about the difference between secular culture's premise that man is basically good and needs to "self actualize," and what Jesus taught; that it is actually in emptying ourselves of self that we are free:
Matthew 10:39 (New International Version)
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Genesis 1:26 (New International Version)
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image,
That image took a beating when mankind bought the lie that God was holding back something good in the forbidden fruit. That fateful decision is one that we duplicate over and over as individuals daily.
But I thought of another verse that speaks of God's image being restored in those who love God. We are shaped by each event that comes into our lives if only we are yeilded and supple in his hands--may we be so; may we become like Jesus; may his image be restored!
Romans 8:28-29 (New International Version)
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
A bunch of us are tackling the twelve week challenge of Focus on the Family's, The Truth Project at the moment. We are having some interesting discussions and wrestling with some counter-culture concepts. Sometimes it feels as if we are wrestling with each other; but it's all good! Our brains are being stretched, that's for sure.
So yesterday we were immersed in a discussion about the nature of man; is it basically good, or bent towards sin?
We talked about the difference between secular culture's premise that man is basically good and needs to "self actualize," and what Jesus taught; that it is actually in emptying ourselves of self that we are free:
Matthew 10:39 (New International Version)
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Genesis 1:26 (New International Version)
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image,
That image took a beating when mankind bought the lie that God was holding back something good in the forbidden fruit. That fateful decision is one that we duplicate over and over as individuals daily.
But I thought of another verse that speaks of God's image being restored in those who love God. We are shaped by each event that comes into our lives if only we are yeilded and supple in his hands--may we be so; may we become like Jesus; may his image be restored!
Romans 8:28-29 (New International Version)
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
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