Thinking about images
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
Sometimes when we think about images in religious terms we call to mind idolatrous religions. For example the history of Israel in the Old Testament seems like a running battle through the generations with the temptation to adopt pagan images as a part of the nation’s religious devotion. Such images were but human imaginations.
The results were always lifeless gods who could not hear or help just as the psalmist said about Israel’s idolatrous neighbors: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak; eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear; noses but do not smell. They have hands but do not feel; feet but do not walk; and they do not make sound in their throat,” concluding with the indictment about the idolaters themselves, “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them” (Ps. 115:4–8).
Godlike abilities
By contrast God created human beings in His own image so like Him we can speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk and talk. Sadly these godlike abilities become employed in ungodly ways.
Sin, in the form of disobedience to God, resulted in the distorting and degrading of godlike abilities. We often call this the fall. Sadly the result of this turn of events has meant all generations have come short of the glory of God.
Christians often speak of the result of the fall in terms of total depravity. This phrase can be easily misunderstood and misstated.
By it we do not mean that every human being is as totally depraved or as totally wicked as is humanly possible.
Most sinful persons have some admirable traits and often demonstrate morally acceptable actions and attitudes.
Redeeming love
Rather the phrase means the totality of our humanity has been affected by sin and disobedience. Across the board all aspects of our being and behavior have been tainted in some way by a sinful nature.
Thus God’s image has been seriously affected in all of us. No part of our human nature has escaped being defaced or diminished in some way.
In His redeeming love God has provided a way His image and likeness can be restored in sinners. His creative dream that humans reflect His own image can be recaptured. We speak of this as the way of salvation. In following weeks Theology 101 will explore further the hope that God’s image and likeness can be restored.
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