“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 1:26 The words “our and us” are interconnected with other words and are distinctly separate phrases in this reference. The words “image and likeness” are also attached to the plural pronouns “our and us”, which means more than one, there are other places in scripture that continue to make reference to this aspect of the Spirit of God.

1. What does the Holy Bible mean that
God created man in his own image?
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Genesis 1:26
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2. The words “our and us” are interconnected with other words and are
distinctly separate phrases in this reference. The words “image and
likeness” are also attached to the plural pronouns “our and us”, which
means more than one, there are other places in scripture that continue
to make reference to this aspect of the Spirit of God.
However, in this verse the writer, Moses is referring to those who are
involved in the act of creating, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, the
Trinity itself. It is of this same image that man will be made after, not
the Angels as some suggest.
If God had been speaking to Angels when He said “let us make man in
our image”, it would imply that Angels have the power to create as
God does, and that man was made in their image also, which is not
true.
In Genesis 11:7 - God says “Let us go down, and there confound their
language.”
In Isaiah 6:8 - God is speaking to Isaiah: “Who shall I send, who will go
for “us.” Both the singular and the plural form are used in this same
verse.
In Isaiah 40:12-15 - God was speaking to Isaiah with respect to
creation, the larger context is that God the Father is alone in His
sovereignty saying.
“With whom did he take counsel.”
A creation is never equal to its creator!
“No man has seen God at any time“ (John 1: 18; John 5: 37; 6: 46; Matthew
11: 27; 1 John 4: 12)
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3. !
There is one encounter in the scriptures where Moses sees God’s glory
pass before him, as God placed Moses in the cleft of a mountain and
put his hand over Moses eyes, then God allowed Moses to see his
backside as He passed by him (Exodus 33: 18-23).
There is no contradiction to the statement by Jesus that no man has
ever seen God. God states to Moses that no man can see His face and
live, which is to say, that Moses saw an aspect of God’s person, but not
God Himself.
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4. At best, to see my hand, is not to say you have seen me, even though
my hand is part of my body, my hand, in and of itself is not
representative of me as the whole person.
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My hand is an aspect of me, like other parts of my body individually
or collectively, but my body and all its parts are not me without my
Spirit and Soul to animate them. Therefore, my hand is an aspect of
me without being me. Such is the case here with Moses and an aspect
of Gods glory that was revealed to him.
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5. God is a Spirit (John 4:24) he is invisible to the naked eye on earth.
When Genesis states we were created in Gods image, it does not mean
that God is an earthly physical tangible being and that we are like him
in that manner.
In the Hebrew language the word “Image” is “tselem”- meaning related
to nature, the immaterial part of man. It means we have a spiritual
nature like God in a “finite” way.
The word “likeness” - Hebrew – “Demuth” which does not mean in a
physical sense, it means we have a spiritual nature like God, God is
Spirit – (John 4:24) the similarity is that we have ”finite” qualities like
God.
God IS His attributes, we can only share them in an effort to relate to
God, however, we have these attributes with sin in us making these
attributes manifest with a sinful nature. Virtually all of our sins are a
distortion of Gods nature that is in us.
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6. !
When we are impatient, its because we are not being patient, the
opposite of this attribute, the same as showing anger rather than
kindness, slothfulness rather than being productive, vengeful rather
than forgiving, hateful rather than loving, murderous rather than
nurturing and so on.
This is a direct result of the sinful nature of man, where with God, He
has no sin, so these aspects of Gods character are perfect, manifesting
without sin.
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7. When God is angry it is righteous indignation rather than evil
retribution.
What makes us like God are the characteristics God has
communicated to man specifically, but many of his attributes He does
not share with us, as in His goodness.
“There is one that is good” (Matthew 19:17 – Jeremiah 31:14, Numbers
10:32, 1 Kings 8:66, Psalm 31:19, 143:10)
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God does not share with us His Omniscience - Infinite knowledge.
(Knowing all things)
He is Omniscient - Having complete or unlimited awareness, or
understanding; perceiving all things. (Understands all)
His Omnipotence – Having all power, unlimited power (All power)
He is Omnificent - Creating all things; (having unlimited powers of
creation.)
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8. The attributes God has shared with man are characterized in the Fruit
of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22
Love, (1 John 4:8-9, 16, Romans 8:35-39)
Joy – (Ezra 6:22, Romans 5:11)
Peace – (Romans 15:33, 1 Corinthians 14:33)
Long Suffering – (Numbers 14:18, Exodus 34:6) Enduring injury,
trouble, or provocation long and patiently
Gentleness – (2 Samuels 22:33-36, 2 Corinthians 10:1)
Kindness – (Psalm 117:2)
Faithfulness – (1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Integrity – your yea be yea and your nay be nay (Matthew 5:37, James
5:12, Genesis 26:3, 1 Kings 8:20)
Merciful – (Deuteronomy 4:31, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Joel 2:13, Psalm 116:5)
Gracious – (Nehemiah 9:17, 31, Psalm 103: 8, Joel 2:13 Merciful)
Gracious, anger,
Kindness – (Ruth 2:20, Psalm 31:21, Isaiah 54:8)
Peace – I make peace (Isaiah 45:7) Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 1:3, (1
Corinthians 14:33) – for God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace, (2 Timothy 1:7) God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of
power and of love and a sound mind.
Holy – (Leviticus 19:2, Joshua 24:19, Romans 21:1, 1 Peter 1:15-16)
Forgiving – if you don’t forgive neither will your father forgive you,
remembering your sin no more. (Matthew 6:15, Daniel 9:9)
In contrast to these virtues, God also gives us the attributes of..
Anger – (Psalm 103:8, Exodus 4:14, Deuteronomy 7:4, 2 Samuel 6:7, 2
Chronicles 28:25)
Jealousy – I am a jealous God (Exodus 20:5) Deuteronomy 4:24, 5:9,
Nahum 1:2
Vengefulness - Vengeance is mine I will repay (Nahum 1:2, Romans
12:19, Ezekiel 25:14)
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9. !
And finally he gives us Eternal Life, as God is an eternal being, either
way, in life or in judgment, we are eternal beings.
The word “Image” means a personal likeness. God is a personal being
as is man, evidenced in the personal relationship Christians share with
Him. There is also a moral likeness in our creation.
God is holy even as we are called to be holy. (Peter 1:15-16, Exodus
22:31, Leviticus 20:26).
Adam was holy in his original state in the garden. If Adam had not
sinned this nature would have been passed on to his offspring. After
Adam sinned the same nature of sin was passed on to everyone as
depicted in Galatians 5:19-21.
19 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
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10. 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I
tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”.
These are the specific definitions of these words, according to the law
(Hebrew) whereby they are derived.
Adultery – being Conjugal infidelity, illicit intercourse with a married
or a betrothed woman.
Fornication - Intercourse between a married man or woman and an
unmarried man or woman.
Uncleanness – to be morally impure; evil; vile, having unclean
thoughts. Having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure
according to biblical laws, especially the dietary or ceremonial laws.
Lasciviousness - Unbridled sensuality in excess, sexual interest or
expressive of lust or lewdness.
Idolatry - Image-worship or divine honor paid to any created object,
strictly speaking denotes the worship of deity in a visible form.
Witchcraft - The art or practices of a witch, sorcery, magic.
Hatred - Intense dislike or extreme aversion or hostility.
Variance - Greek “Eris”- Strife, contention or discord.
Emulations – Greek “Zelos” Jealousy, envy.
Wrath – Greek “Thumos” Anger, rage, indignation.
Strife - Vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism, conflict,
rivalry or contention especially of a bitter kind.
Seditions – Greek “Dichostasia” Division, to incite dissension against
Government, revolt, mutiny.
Heresies – Greek “Hairesis” This word is widely used to denote the
teaching of false doctrine, but the literal translation is more complex.
It technically means an unintentional mistake. It is typically associated
with biblical doctrine nonetheless.
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11. Envy - Jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, a
feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's
advantages, success, possessions, etc. the desire to have for oneself
something possessed by another; covetousness.
Murder - The killing of another human being committed with malice
aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or
occurring during the commission of another serious crime, the
unjustified killing of one person by another.
Drunkenness - Meaning "Inebriated "meaning habitually intoxicated"
frequently or habitually drunk.
Reveling - To make merry; indulge in boisterous festivities, riotous
merry-making, disorderly.
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12. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to operate in the attributes of
God, which includes the gifts of the Spirit, which in part is how we
share another attribute of God in finite measure, his power, which
manifest in us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians
12:1-11)
These gifts are given in part to equip man in spiritual warfare and to
operate in the office of ministry. (Romans 12:6-8)
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