The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Calvin and the image of God

Yeh, yeh... I've heard this silliness before. The 'image of God' consists of the ability to think rationally, logically, to appreciate beauty, to create things from that which was created, and also to love God, love and desire to do all that is good, etc. This set man apart from all other creatures. At the Fall those marvelous attributes which involved the spiritual graces were lost, but the rest remained albeit seriously damaged. The inclination of man was radically changed from loving God and the law to one of hating God and the law. Genesis 9:6 is all that is needed to refute the fallacious notion that the 'imago dei' in man was totally destroyed, which I am going to assume the detractor meant when the word 'obliterated' was used. Genesis 9:6 (ASV) 6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: For in the image of God made he man.

IF man is nothing more than a brute beast then the reason demanded the death penalty for taking the unwarranted life of man would be moot or even false for capital punishment rests upon the fact that man still possesses God's image in himself to some degree. After the Fall, all mankind knew that murder was a grievous sin and worthy of death to the guilty one. We see this in the life of Cain after he murdered his brother Abel. [i[]Genesis 4:14 (ASV) 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.[/i]. Even before he murdered Abel, God spoke to Cain and chastised him for bring an unauthorized offering. There was guilt in Cain for doing so which God pointed out to him, Genesis 4:4-7 (ASV) 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it.. God never required an offering from an animal; only a human being. Animals are not required to be obedient to God, nor to worship Him. Fallen man is totally depraved but not utterly depraved and thus he is responsible to do all the law perfectly and held accountable for failing to do so.

My advice, which is typical to such individual of which you seem to have a propensity to run into..... .