"Let Us make man in Our image"

[cardboardpunk]

Gen 1:26 - Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image.

who is "Us"? .....Jesus and the Holy Spirit? or angels? :confused

also....does that mean since we are made in God's image...... he looks like us?
i always thought of God as more of a spirit type being....but i just don't know.

does the Word say anything about what God looks like?

sorry if these questions are stupid.....but i've been wondering about it a lot lately.

can someone help me out?


edited to add: admins.....i wasn't sure where to put this, but if you think it'll get more replies in christian chat, will you put it there? thanks.

[PastorShane]

Genesis 1:26) - "...Let US make man in OUR image..."
(Genesis 3:22) - "...Behold, the man is become as one of US..."
(Isaiah 6:8) - "...Whom shall I send and who will go for US?..."

The reference to US in Genesis 1:26, does NOT refer to God consulting with angels. Isaiah 40:14 says that God takes counsel from no one. Man is not made in the image of angels, but in the image of God.

The God of the Bible, while being one God, is manifested as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though revealed as a trinity, God remains but one in substance.


YBIC

[WisdmInTheWorks]

Originally posted by cardboardpunk
Gen 1:26 - Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image.

who is "Us"? .....Jesus and the Holy Spirit? or angels? :confused

The "Us" is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

also....does that mean since we are made in God's image...... he looks like us?
i always thought of God as more of a spirit type being....but i just don't know.

God is a Spirit
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth


does the Word say anything about what God looks like?

Exo 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

sorry if these questions are stupid.....but i've been wondering about it a lot lately.

There is no such thing as stupid questions when study the Word of God.

[cardboardpunk]

thanks for helping me understand the first question...
i am really slow when trying to learn all this :lol

i kind of understand what God looks like...but i still can't really comprehend it at the same time.

i realize He has eyes, fingers, feet..etc
but yet He is a Spirit at the same time? :confused

[WisdmInTheWorks]

I don’t think anyone can really comprehend it all, for our human minds are so limited. That’s where faith comes in; to trust the Word especially in things we don’t understand.

As far as “i realize He has eyes, fingers, feet..etc
but yet He is a Spirit at the same time?”, this is the best analogy I can come up with for now:

Ghosts are spirits (evil spirits). Yet those who have seen them describe them as having human forms yet transparent like spirits. I imagine the descriptions of God having eyes, fingers, feet, etc. yet being a Spirit are much the same. Only God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

[joyttw]

Regarding man being made in God's image...

I know not everyone agrees with me on this, but I believe scripture teaches humans are made up of body, soul, and spirit (see I Thess 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12), which reflects the trinitarian nature of God. Humans are unique in this way, as animals only have a body and a soul, but no spirit.

I think others disagreed with this several months ago, I can't remember what the topic was, but I think the opposition was the thought that animals have souls. But all I mean by 'soul' is our personality, made up of our mind, will, and emotions. Not that animals have an afterlife, only that they have feelings.

[ButNowIC]

When we are "born again", we are born spiritually. Our first birth was our physical birth. We have spiritual birth from God through the Spirit. Read John 3:3-9

[PastorShane]

also....does that mean since we are made in God's image...... he looks like us?

I dont think Image here is physical..
I think it means we are made in his image in that
God is 3 in one----Father,Son,Holy Spirit,

And likewise man is one----- mind, body, spirit.

hope this helps :)

YBIC

[Sojourner]

I found this interesting observation in a book called "The Genesis Record":

"God knew, of course, that in the fulness of time even He would become a man. In that day, He would prepare a human body for His Son, and it would be "made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7), just as man had been made in the likeness of God.

Both in body and in spirit, Christ was indeed Himself the image of God. It does not seem to much to infer that God made man in the image of that body which He would Himself one day assume. In this sense, at least, it is true that, physically as well as spiritually, man was both made and created in the image and likeness of God the Son."

What is really intriguing is to think about what our heavenly bodies will be like. What will our glorified bodies look like?

[Sparklecat]

Being made in His image is spiritual, not physical... lets not overdo the hands and feet language... its metaphorical...

Psalm 91:4a
He will cover you with his feather, and under his wings you will find refuge


So unless you want to claim that God looks like a bird...

[Spider]

What is really intriguing is to think about what our heavenly bodies will be like. What will our glorified bodies look like?
Well, we are going to shine for sure! Just read this today...

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

And don't forget that Moses' face glowed after talking with God on the mountain...

I just want to bask in the "glow" of my Father. :)

God Bless!
Jan
:)

[joint heir]

I can see the body spirit soul analogy to an extent...but wouldn't that make each part of the Trinity a body spirit soul?....which one is the soul?....

so I not 100% sold on that idea

I have also know that some believe that

God existed as a trinity and that man existed as male and female together ..then woman was taken out of man..

I don't know if I buy this either..but there is some evidence because in verse 5:1-2

He made them in the likeness of God
and when they were created he called them man

the fact that They called them man so woman was called man really does make it seem as if this is true...

and then woman was taken out of man and only then was she called woman.....and it was not even after the Fall that she had a name that was different then Adam's.....only after the Fall did Adam name her Eve...

Can anyone find any reason why this is not true?

[Bluwingolive]

Most accepted view of "us" is that it refers to the heavenly court - this doesn't mean that God took "counsel" with the court.

I had fun once arguing that the "us" here refers to God literally talking to creation. It is a nice way to compliment the creation story of Adam where he is molded out of the earth.

The trinity concept of "us" is confusing - it suggests a type of schizophrenic God talking to his other parts. A leap to Christianize the Jewish text IMO.

[Timothy]

Originally posted by joint heir I can see the body spirit soul analogy to an extent...but wouldn't that make each part of the Trinity a body spirit soul?....which one is the soul?....

I may grossly understand your statement/question, but the body, soul, spirit analogy would equate as follows:

Body = Christ
Soul = Father
Spirit = Holy Spirit

[Timothy]

Originally posted by Sparklecat Being made in His image is spiritual, not physical... lets not overdo the hands and feet language... its metaphorical...

Psalm 91:4a
He will cover you with his feather, and under his wings you will find refuge

So unless you want to claim that God looks like a bird...

Interesting. I never saw picked up on that verse in this light before. It could also be that the passage in Psalms is a metaphor as well.

The physical bodies of the dead will be ressurected, and the physical bodies of those alive at the rapture will be changed. So how will the bodies be changed....

I Corinthians 15:52-53 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

For those save, all three are blameless in Christ.

I Thessalonians 5:23 "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

While scripture is not direct on this, my personal opinion is that our form/look will be similar.

It is interesting to note that any spirit being who came to earth took on the form/look of man. Angelic visitations were always males, even as far as "the angels that sinned" who mated with women had offspring. The Lord Jesus Christ came as man.

I digress further, but did you know that the only angels described as having wings are the cherubim?

[joint heir]

Well I can obviously see Christ as body and Spirit and Spirit..

for some reason I have trouble seeing God as soul...

I don't know why..maybe I am attaching some humanistic quality of a soul to God...which is why I have trouble labeling him that way...

plus although Christ was in bodily form...does this mean that he acts as nothing but blood and skin as our body does? and our bodies right now are death packages..so I have trouble applying that to Jesus...unless thoughts are part of the body...but I attribute them to the soul...

and then I also have trouble seeing Jesus and God not as Spirit..although the Spirit is obviously Spirit....don't the other parts of the Trinity have spiritual qualities?


maybe I am just thinking about it too hard:b

but for me it is just too simplistic to say that the trinity is explainable like our own selves...body soul spirit

because the trinity is 1 +1+1=1....yet also each part of the equation is also fully God



our body alone however is not fully us....
nor our soul
it could be argued that our spirit is fully us though

[cardboardpunk]

ok, i am more confused than ever :lol
especially after reading joint heirs post ;)

it makes some sense that since
God = Father, Son, Holy Spirit
man = soul, body, spirit

....but like joint heir said..... it seems way too simplistic.
but i guess we'll just never know until we meet God Himself and dwell with Him :)

Rev 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. :)
----------
now Sparklecat.........you said:
Being made in His image is spiritual, not physical... lets not overdo the hands and feet language... its metaphorical...

i recall reading a verse speaking of someone looking at God.....and his face and feet were covered with something.........which means IMO that it is not metaphorical...


going to look for that verse now....

[cardboardpunk]

i found the verse, but i misinterpreted it the last time i read it.

i had always assumed that the wings were covering up Gods face and feet.....but reading it again i see that the 'seraphim' is covering up it's own face and feet with it's wings......... right?


Isaiah 6:1-3 - In the year that King Uzziah died, i saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.


either way.....i am really really curious to know what the Lord Himself looks like.



edited for spelling errors

[Nimrod]

cardboardpunk---

This was my very first question here. I've never been satisfied with an answer. Many possibilities exist! Can't wait to ask God about it!

Peace

[ConservPride]

Originally posted by cardboardpunk
ok, i am more confused than ever :lol
especially after reading joint heirs post ;)

it makes some sense that since
God = Father, Son, Holy Spirit
man = soul, body, spirit

....but like joint heir said..... it seems way too simplistic.
but i guess we'll just never know until we meet God Himself and dwell with Him :)


I had typed up a long post in another thread someone posted about being confused about the Trinity and Jesus being God, and I decided not to post it. It's kind of ironic because I was using the same analogy of God creating man in His image.

I'll see if I can explain my interpretation again:

Through various verses in the Bible we read that Jesus is the Word, and the Word was made flesh, and in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 John 5:7 tells us that three bare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. Therefore, if Jesus is the Word, and the Word is God, and the Father is God, then the Holy Ghost is God also.

This is where we get the doctrine of the Trinity.

Jesus is the Word, and a word is something that is said. Something has to be thought before it can be said, and something has to exist to have thought.

In Genesis, God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"
Man is made up of mind, body and spirit. Each part has a distinct purpose. The mind contains our thoughts, our actions are performed through our body, and our spirit is our essence. These three encompass who we are as a whole.

So we could say God has an essence, a mind, and a part through which He performs actions.
Throughout the Bible and specifically in Genesis, we see that God's actions were performed through his Word. When He spoke, it was done. If it was done through His Word, and Jesus is the Word, then it was done through Jesus.

John 1 says:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

All things were made by him.=
All things were made by the Word.=
All things were made by Jesus.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesus said, "the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

These two verses seem to contradict each other because Jesus says His Father does the works, but the second one says Jesus will do it.

If God's power is His Word, and Jesus is the Word, then there must be an authority (mind and being) to speak the Word. Jesus says He will do it to glorify His Father. It is God's will (desire) to be glorified.

Therefore when we pray, we pray that it be God's will (desire), and we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen. (in His power, so be it)

Anyway, that's my interpretation from studying various verses in the Bible. I'm no Bible scholar, but that's what was revealed to me through reading.

I'm still growing spirtually, so if anything seems unbiblical in my interpretation, I'd appreciate some feedback.

Thanks! :)

[Timothy]

Regarding 1+1+1=1, note this passage in Genesis. Both "our" and "his" is used - singular but plural.

Genesis 1:26-27 "And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

So man is created in the "image" of God, and man has a triune nature. Dust = Body, Breath = Spirit, Soul = uh, the Soul.

Genesis 2:7 "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Let me see if I can dig up some other passages tonight.

[joint heir]

Timothy ...man has a triune nature?

man is a trinity?

You don't see that as taking the illustration too far?

why don't we refer to ourselves in the plural and communicate from one part of our triune to the other?

[Sojourner]

Man is made up of two parts, body and spirit. We have a physical body which will die, we have a spiritual body that will either live or die. The Bible describes unbelievers as being physically and spiritually dead.

The word spirit is used interchangably with soul, they are not two distinct things. In Hebrews 5:12 it says: "...piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Spirt and soul are not separate entities, but rather two words which describe the same thing. Just as the following phrases in the Heb. 5:12 use two words to describe the same thing (body and mind). In Romans 8:10 Paul says, "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." In 2 Cor. 7:1 it says, "...let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Man does, however, have intellect, will, and emotion. Man is created in the image of God because God also has intellect, will and emotion. We are not created in the "physical" image of God, because God is Spirit. However, even though God is Spirit, He can see, hear, smell, touch, and speak. Man was created to see, hear, smell, touch and speak also (our five senses). Finally, man was originally created sinless and good, in the image of God.

[Timothy]

Originally posted by joint heir Timothy ...man has a triune nature? man is a trinity? You don't see that as taking the illustration too far? why don't we refer to ourselves in the plural and communicate from one part of our triune to the other?

Yes I agree Joint Heir, that it was a bad choice of the word "triune." I should have said "three fold nature," etc. Shame on me! :(

But does man have a three fold nature? Before the fall, man was made in the image of God. God is a trinity, and has three parts. Man has three parts: body, soul, and spirit. So is the three fold nature of man representative of the three fold nature of God? I would say yes.

Originally posted by Sojourner Man is made up of two parts, body and spirit. We have a physical body which will die, we have a spiritual body that will either live or die. The Bible describes unbelievers as being physically and spiritually dead...The word spirit is used interchangably with soul, they are not two distinct things.

Soul and the spirit are the same? It is interesting that you used Hebrews 4:12, as I would use that passage as proof that the soul and spirt are distinct! :) For example, I would emphasize that the word of God can divide the soul, spirt, and body (joints and marrow) as being distinct.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

This reminded me of something, so I went to my bookcase. This discussion falls into two primary groups on the view of man's nature:

DICHOTOMOUS VIEW
Two parts: body and soul/spirt (soul and spirit are one indivisible essence)

TRICHOTOMOUS VIEW
Three parts: body, soul, spirit

I've always explained the three-fold nature of man this way:

SPIRIT
1 - "God-concious" - Your spirit is your connection to God.
2 - "Mind" - Through the Holdy Spirt and the word of God, Paul says we have "the mind of Christ."
3 - "Thoughts"

SOUL
1 - "Self-concious" - Your soul is the permananet you.
2 - "Heart" - We know that because of sin, the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), etc.
3 - "Feelings"

BODY
1 - "World-concious" - Your body is your house, tabernacle.
2 - "Brain" - Senses, etc.
3 - "Actions"

Not to change the subject, but I've always used the #3's to explain the application of "grace living." Paul's epistles show that we should live under this type of order:

thoughts --> feelings --> actions

Man's corruption and self righteousness goes backwards:

actions --> feelings --> thoughts

[joint heir]

good to know Timothy..:)

[ConservPride]

Funny how people can use the same verse to describe their completely different interpretation.

Guess I'll jump in now :D

I see the same verse as describing the 3 natures of man:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of (soul and spirit,) and of the (joints and marrow,) and is a discerner of the (thoughts and intents of the heart)

Whereas,

soul and spirit=feelings
joints and marrow=actions (of the body)
thoughts and intents of the heart= mind

So, God, by separating man's feelings from his actions, recognizes the intent in the man's mind.

[joyttw]

I agree 100% with Timothy. Hebrews 4:12 shows that the spirit and soul are two separate things.

Also, how much more sense Romans 7 makes when we understand our body/flesh versus spirit/inner being, over our soul! (Romans 7:23).

"For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man (SPIRIT), but I see a different law in the members of my body (FLESH), waging war against the law of my mind (SOUL) and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members."

[Sojourner]

After further study of this, I would have to agree that the spirit and the soul may be two different things. However, I think they are two things that combine together to make up a complete entity (not sure how to label it). An example would be an egg. The egg is made up of the yolk and the white, but together they are the egg. A man is made up of soul and spirit, but together they are the true essence of a man.

Every man is born with a soul, just as animals have souls. The humans soul is different than the animal in that the human soul will live eternally. The soul will either spend eternity in heaven or hell. Every man also has a spirit (which animals do not). Believers are spiritually alive, while unbelievers are spiritually dead. The spirit has qualities and characteristics. The Bible describes the spirit of a man as being humble or vain, deceitful or honest, and many other things. The spirit could almost be described as the person's innermost being, the place where our conscience resides, the part that is truly us, our personalities.

One verse I particularly liked and had never really considered before is Proverbs 20:27, "The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart."

I would have to disagree however with the idea that the spirit is the mind. I think the spirit is much more than that. In Mark 12:30 Jesus says, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." The soul and the mind are listed separately, not as the same thing.

[Timothy]

:lol I was on an unrelated thread and someone says they use the egg to explain the trinity. I agree it could also be used to describe man.

I also agree that the mind is not one and the same as the spirit, and is "more than that," and neither is the heart one and the same as the soul. But I guess these are a part, a subset, a way to describe the function of each?

Romans 8:27 "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

Interesting....I searched on heart and soul (no pun intended!! :lol) and found several instances in the Old Testament, where there are footnotes with literal translation from Hebrew. In some cases were it says heart, the literal is related to the soul, and vice versa.

I'm about to blow a gasket....

[cardboardpunk]

i already blew my gasket ;)
and i'm still trying to soak up all this knowledge....
but i understand the point you all are trying to make.
it seems logical that we are not created in the image of God physically...

so now i'm even more curious......... just what does God look like?
since God is a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)......God probably looks like something that we cannot even begin to comprehend.

hmm..


I'm still growing spirtually, so if anything seems unbiblical in my interpretation, I'd appreciate some feedback.
i am still growing spiritually also....but i find your interpretation to be valid.....and it made a lot of sense....thanks.

thanks to the rest of your guys' input also.....
i love coming here and learning about these types of things.

[Hootmon]

God probably looks like something that we cannot even begin to comprehend.
That is probably a fair assumption. :)

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

[Average Joey]

I am not sure if somebody posted this already.If someone did I am sorry.One plural word:

ELOHIM

[Timothy]

Originally posted by cardboardpunk i already blew my gasket ;) ....just what does God look like?
since God is a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)......God probably looks like something that we cannot even begin to comprehend.

This evening I dug out my Nave's Topical Bible. If you don't have one, I strongly recommend it. Just as a concordance gives you every occurrence of words, Nave's is organized by topic, and lists all of the verses based on a topic.

There was even a sub category called Anthropomorhpisms, verses with "human" descriptive terms (hand, etc.).

This is definitely in the category of something we can not comprehend. I didn't find anything that struck me, yet, to add here as far as to how God looks.

I blew another gasket looking at the throne of God. The three are one. The Lord Jesus Christ is sitting at the right had of God right now. One throne with three seats?

[Timothy]

I dug up some paper based notes from my files. I found some other notes and verses related to body, soul, and spirit.

Some of the verses relate to this summary.

SPIRIT
Unsaved - Dead
Saved - Life

SOUL
Unsaved - Dark
Saved - Light

BODY
Unsaved - Depraved
Saved - Free

As long as we are on this topic, I'm going to compile the verses from this thread, my paper notes, etc. into my computer notes. I'll see if I can get done in the next day or two.

[Knight Errant]

Originally posted by Timothy
I digress further, but did you know that the only angels described as having wings are the cherubim?

In Isiah Chapter 6, the Seraphim are described as having six wings, "with two they covered their heads, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew."

The four living creatures in Ezekiel Chapter 1 have four wings; it's not clear to me if they are intended to be Cherubim or not.

[2bossy]

As God is a three part being, he made man a 3 part being also. Body, soul, and spirit. That's how I interprete it, anyway. :)

[Hootmon]

:bump

[blitzkreig]

This evening I dug out my Nave's Topical Bible. If you don't have one, I strongly recommend it. Just as a concordance gives you every occurrence of words, Nave's is organized by topic, and lists all of the verses based on a topic.

There was even a sub category called Anthropomorhpisms, verses with "human" descriptive terms (hand, etc.).

This is definitely in the category of something we can not comprehend. I didn't find anything that struck me, yet, to add here as far as to how God looks.

I blew another gasket looking at the throne of God. The three are one. The Lord Jesus Christ is sitting at the right had of God right now. One throne with three seats?

Funny you should bump this thread Hootmon. I have a Nave's which I bought in the early '70s if I recall ... anyway I found an on line version the other day :thumb

Nave's Topical Bible (http://www.studylight.org/con/ntb/)

Actually here is a number of excellent concordance ... including "Torrey's New Topical Textbook", "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" and "Thompson Chain Reference" ...
http://www.studylight.org/con/

.

[Hootmon]

Funny you should bump this thread Hootmon. I have a Nave's which I bought in the early '70s if I recall ... anyway I found an on line version the other day :thumb Sounds like that may be useful on the topic of 'image', and how that applies to God and Man.

Im getting the feeling that many people genuinely think that God actually looks like this...

[Jayhawk]

Genesis 1:26) - "...Let US make man in OUR image..."
(Genesis 3:22) - "...Behold, the man is become as one of US..."
(Isaiah 6:8) - "...Whom shall I send and who will go for US?..."

The reference to US in Genesis 1:26, does NOT refer to God consulting with angels. Isaiah 40:14 says that God takes counsel from no one. Man is not made in the image of angels, but in the image of God.

The God of the Bible, while being one God, is manifested as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though revealed as a trinity, God remains but one in substance.


YBIC

Saying God manifests Himself as three persons reeks of modalism.

Sabellianism or Modalism. , speaks of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but is understood all three as no more than three manifestations of one God. This teaching came to be known as modalism because it views one God who variously manifests Himself in three modes of existence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This is what I would consider a good definition of the Trinity:

There is one only and true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.

[Harvey]

1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

[Mike King]

When God said 'Let us make man in our image' it was a 'Royal we' in this case (Elohim, pl.). If you go to Deuteronomy 6: 4 -7, here the 'oneness' of God declared in the Shema 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) is one Lord (Yahweh)

[70thWeek]

1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

I wouldn't use this verse as support for the Trinity. The evidence for the longer reading simply doesn't exist.

[Harvey]

By all means proceed with your Christian pedantry to edify your body of the inane.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

[blitzkreig]

What doth it profit thee to enter into deep discussions concerning the Holy Trinity, if thou lack humility, and be thus displeasing to the Trinity? For verily it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition than be skillful in the definition thereof. If thou knewest the whole Bible, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what should this profit thee without the love and grace of God? --Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ

[Harvey]

What doth it profit thee to enter into deep discussions concerning the Holy Trinity, if thou lack humility, and be thus displeasing to the Trinity? For verily it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition than be skillful in the definition thereof. If thou knewest the whole Bible, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what should this profit thee without the love and grace of God? --Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ


I am with you in Spirit Blitz but the flesh wants war and war it shall get

Isa 65:6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

[Hootmon]

:focus

[Werner]

When God said 'Let us make man in our image' it was a 'Royal we' in this case (Elohim, pl.). If you go to Deuteronomy 6: 4 -7, here the 'oneness' of God declared in the Shema 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) is one Lord (Yahweh)

Hear, O Israel: The Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) is one (echad) Lord (Yahweh)

How many times did Christ say that He and the Father are one? How many acts that God has done have been attributed to all three members of the Trinity? There is a word (eesh) that is often used of the singular person or individual, but it's not used here...

[Abiding in Him]

Harvey, Harvey,.........

"If you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.." Galatians 5:16,17

Yes indeed, Christ did not come to bring peace but a sword - separating believers from unbelievers.....but should there not be peace between brothers in Christ?????

[blitzkreig]

Notes on the Trinity

by "Richard Young"

These notes briefly comment on the idea of Jesus being God in human flesh and the idea of the trinity (the One God consisting of three persons).

The unique thing about Jesus is that he was fully man and fully God. That is, He is God come in the flesh. So, just as the tabernacle was the place where God dwelt among the Israelis so was Jesus. That is why John wrote:

"And the Word [i.e., God - see John 1:1] became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).

In the Old Testament we see God clothe Himself in a cloud, a pillar of fire (see Ex 13:21), and as a man when He appeared to Abraham (see Gen 18). [Jesus was tempted but without sin, His death was because He was punished for our sins which were put upon Him, I'll not dwell on this aspect of the incarnation but go into the main idea of the trinity].

The concept of the "trinity" is that God consists of three persons who are one in being and nature. The concept of the "trinity" is not something that one just reads a verse or two and says "so there it is!" The word itself is not a translation of any word or phrase found in the Bible. The concept is derived and "falls out" of the evidence. Without Jesus' revelation when He was on earth I would say that the idea of the trinity would be difficult to determine from the Hebrew Scriptures, for after all, Deuteronomy 6:4 states "the LORD is one." But, because of Jesus, we are forced to re-examine our first impression understanding of this statement. Here are the pieces:

(1) Jesus speaks to the Father in the second person. Jesus refers to the Father and the Holy Spirit in the third person. Jesus refers to His will being distinct from His Father's "not my will but yours be done."


(2) The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all referred to as God. Each is described as deserving of worship by us something only God Himself is worthy of.


(3) The Scriptures clearly teach that "the LORD is one" and that there are "none besides Him."

From these pieces the idea of God's nature being more complex than we would have imagined emerges. The question then needs to be addressed as to exactly what "one" means in Deuteronomy 6:4. Consider what Jesus said about His relationship to the Father. Jesus said that He and the Father were one (see John 17:22). Jesus wants us to be one as He is one with the Father. Further, when God created man and woman He desired that they be united as "one flesh" (Gen 2:24). This could not simply be a reference to the bearing of children, which are in a sense, a one flesh result of their union. It must refer to the marriage itself, for certainly they were "one flesh" before they bore any children. This concept of "one" then does not then refer to a uniform or homogenous state of being; men and women are very different (despite what some feminists would have you believe) and the members of the body of Christ are also very different. Individuals who are united in marriage do not lose their individual traits, such as their own thoughts, emotions, etc. And a married couple does not have the same blood type after they were married if their blood types were different before they were married. If the members of the body of Christ were to become a "uniform and homogenous" being then we each would lose our identity as "self" and what would emerge would be something akin to an eastern religious "cosmic consciousness." The "oneness" must refer not to a homogenous singularity. The oneness of the marriage and the body of Christ are reflective of the nature of God Himself.

What exactly does "oneness" then mean? The Hebrew word used for God as one "echad." Echad can mean one as in "one goat," "one day," "one stone," etc. However, it can also refer to a plural unity such as in a composite whole. For example, in Num 13:23 echad refers to a cluster of grapes. And in Gen 11:6 those who built the tower of Babel are referred to as "one people." When we refer to a person we know that the "one" person consists of several distinct components (emotions, thoughts, hands, heart, liver, etc.). Yet we all understand all of these parts constitute "one person." Echad was the word to describe the "one flesh" of marriage (Gen 2:24). Since God is referred to as "echad" in the same way as man and woman are referred to as "echad" this heavily implies that the oneness of marriage reflects the oneness of God. We also see echad used very intensely in Ezekiel 37:15-28 in the prophecy of the "two sticks" of Israel and Judah becoming one. In that prophecy we have a representative picture and the actuality. Examine the passage carefully and you will see that the intent of the two sticks is to be a picture that Ezekiel first shows to the captive Jews in Babylon. The idea is that they would remember this message as they go about their daily activities and would pick up sticks (for building cooking fires, for example) and be reminded of this promise of God and have hope. In Ezek 37:17 the sticks don't fuse together into a single stick. It appears that this was representative of the reality of what happens in God's hand in Ezek 37:19. Even then, Judah and Israel contain distinct tribes (after all, one must know who the Levites are for priests and who the tribe of Judah is from which the Messiah will come). So the oneness of the two sticks in Ezekiel's hand obviously is a representative oneness and echad in Ezek 37:17 could be easily translated as "united." But, nevertheless, the oneness of Israel and Judah still consists of many individuals from twelve distinct tribes. The individuals do not become a homogenous consciousness or a physical singularity of any sort. We are dealing on a spiritual level of oneness, which is reflective of God's nature. The "oneness: we obseve in marriage and the other examples are shadows of the reality of the oneness within God.

Now the true nature of God's oneness we can only describe by how it appears to us from what Jesus said and did. The best words we have to describe the members of the trinity seem to be as "persons."

[Mike King]

Hear, O Israel: The Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) is one (echad) Lord (Yahweh)

How many times did Christ say that He and the Father are one? How many acts that God has done have been attributed to all three members of the Trinity? There is a word (eesh) that is often used of the singular person or individual, but it's not used here...

Hi Werner,
Firstly, I was not trying to discount the trinity or anything like that. There is overwhelming evidence in the bible for it. A lot of Christian refer to the Gen 1 V 26, gen 3:22 and Isiah 6:8 as 'proof texts' for the Trinity; this one is not one of them. All the way through the Hebrew scriptures, 'Elohim' appears, but the Jewish community would have no other understanding than it refering to the greatness and majesty of God. These are understood to be 'honorific' in context.
But clearly, you have more of an unfolding revelation of the Godhead as one sees the Messiah being ascribed with divinity:

Isiah 7:14, Isiah 9:6

Furthermore, there are the well known "I am" statements from Jesus linking himself directly with Yahweh especially in the gospel of John. So clearly, a doctrine on Trinity, the nature of the Godhead came into being.