Transcript Session IV Powerpoin..

God’s Created Image
Session IV
Creation
•What are your reactions to this
translation?
•Did any phrase stand out as totally
different?
•What about how it begins?
•Does this indicate clearer the
eternal nature of God?
In the Image of God
•What is the climax of the creation
story?
•How do we know this is the
climax?
•What do you think being created in
the ‘image of God’ means?
In the Image of God
•“In our image” – Christians often
think of the Trinity.
•Many scholars believe this is the
‘royal we.’
Image
•Physical likeness;
•Mental and spiritual faculties;
•Being God’s representative
(vice-regent);
•Capacity to relate to God.
•Early literature in Egypt have
similar wording for Pharaohs to
provide a description of their
function and being.
Image of God
Karl Barth suggests: capacity
to relate to God.
‘The way back to authentic humanity
is through a personal encounter in
which the grace of God is experienced
as an integrative core, opening the
emotional, social and spiritual aspects
of the self to new dimensions of life.’
(Ray Anderson, Fuller)
Male & Female, He created them
•Male and Female created equal by God.
•Our differences give understanding to
our own ‘self.’
•Reveals completeness – God’s divine
order.
•Omission of “after its kind.”
•Common origin of mankind.
Homosexuality
•We’ve learned the implications of
God’s manner of creating humans.
•Lack of completeness in a same sex
relationship – it has a ‘tragic element.’
•Christians need to preach God’s
preference and still offer God’s
presence.
On homosexuality:
‘It is a violation of human personhood
to treat people as less than human on
any grounds, including sexual
orientation and behavior. At the same
time … it is a violation of personhood
and thus the essential humanity of
persons to confuse their essential
sexual differentiation as male and
female, male or female.’
Ray Anderson, Fuller
On homosexuality
•It is not the homosexual orientation.
It is the homosexual behavior.
•What is our reaction to homosexual
persons?
•Our mandate is to invite all into the
body of Christ, having them join the
body of believers and be filled with
the Spirit.
•Once Christian, Christian
accountability applies.
Similar Sins?
•Are other sexual sins equivalent to
homosexuality?
•Adultery also hurts, violating their
humanity and therefore, God.
•What about sex before marriage?
•Dating today is influenced by
‘consumerism.’
•Even engaged couples … still forbidden?
•God’s preference is for permanent union.
Activity
Take 10 minutes to discuss your
scenario and form a Christian
response to counsel individuals
involved in the situation.
Providence
Providence, Providence,
see it laying down the cornerstone,
The hand of Providence – it’s evident,
For we could never make it on our own.
Apportioning the power, weighing all
that it entails,
Giving us the fulcrum and a balance to
the scales.
Providence
Oh, the Hand of Providence
Is guiding us through choices
that we make
Oh, the Hand of Providence
Is reaching out to help us on
our way.
Providence
Providence, ever since any thesis
ever entered man,
The Hand of Providence
has been our best defense.
Tho’ his ways are sometimes hard to
understand,
From the dying of a heartbeat
to another soul reborn,
From in between and circling
our thoughts of love and war.
Providence
Webster’s definition:
1. The foreseeing care and guardianship
of God over His creatures.
2. God directing the universe and affairs
of man with wise benevolence.
3. A manifestation of divine care or
direction.
4. Prudent management of resources.
What is Michael W. Smith trying
to say in this song?
John Calvin
“What is the chief end of human life? To
know God by whom men were created.
What reasons have you for saying so?
Because he created us and placed us in
this world to be glorified by us, and it is
indeed right that our life, of which he
himself is the beginning, should be
devoted to his glory.”
Openness: the Open position
•God is all-powerful and in control.
•God chooses not to control all events.
“God is one whose ways are marked by
flexibility and dynamism, who acts and
reacts on behalf of His people, who
does not exist in splendid isolation
from a world of change, but relates to
His creatures and shares His life with
them.” Clark Pinnock
Suffering: why?
•If God is all-powerful but has not the
will to prevent evil, then he is a cruel
and malicious god.
•If God is loving and good but lacks the
power to prevent evil then he is weak
and an impotent god.
•If God has both the will and the
power to prevent evil, then why is
there evil?
Habakkuk 1:2-4
“How long, O LORD, will I call for help,
And You will not hear? I cry out to You,
"Violence!" Yet You do not save. Why
do You make me see iniquity, And
cause me to look on wickedness? Yes,
destruction and violence are before
me; Strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore the law is ignored And
justice is never upheld. For the wicked
surround the righteous; Therefore
justice comes out perverted.”
Habakkuk 1:13
“Your eyes are too pure to approve
evil, And You can not look on
wickedness with favor. Why do You
look with favor On those who deal
treacherously? Why are You silent
when the wicked swallow up Those
more righteous than they?”
Habakkuk 2:4, 20
"Behold, as for the proud one, His soul
is not right within him; But the
righteous will live by his faith.”
"But the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him."
Questions
Let’s take a few minutes to ponder
some questions…