The Meaning of "God made man in His Image"

Short and Sweet.

So we can all make sense of how men, because of this quote, believed and or believe God to look like a man. Natural assumption.

But if we look just a little deeper, always search for that deeper meaning,
then we can understand further.

Look at a human being. You have what appears to be a singular entity, walking talking, pooping and generally doing the human thing. But if we look closer we realize that this is not the case. The human body is composed of over 7 trillion semi independent cells, each fulfilling a function in relation to the whole.
If you were to pluck one out and put it in a petri dish with an adequate environment, it would survive although it cant reproduce. Each one is very much alive in its own right. Each one perpetually balancing and rebalancing in harmony to maintain the equilibrium of the whole.

Likewise, God or the One is singular, composed of what appear to be many independent aspects working together to maintain the perpetual balance of the whole. And on up the chain to humanity as a whole, and the ecosystems that surround us.
Reflections of a reflection of a reflection ad infinitum.


What appears to be many are actually One. Undivided.

We are indeed made in His image.

[seeker2011]

One idea that has occurred to me is this:
"image" might have been mis-translated from "imagination"
Which would mean God "thought" us into being, which seems to make sense if you look at it just right.
Also, creationism vs. evolution: They're both obviously what happened. The animal evolved to the point where God thought it a good thing to put us into it.

[Xan]

I'm with you, seeker. Who knows what the original word was, translated many degrees. As I see it, this means "God created man in his imaging."

Another thought I have is that "God" is pure love and in essence so are we.


Xan

[Perspective]

Unus Supra,
It does give new meaning to "made in his image"!
Our bodies are miraculous creations containing creations & within creations!
Sometimes I wonder... now this may be way out there... if our universe was part of a HUGE body.

[Westleigh]

The imagining that God looks like a human being (or indeed looks like anything) is one that I find very odd - a more ego-centric, short-sighted and physically rooted idea could not be applied to the most spiritual concept there is. I have read that another possible translation of this phrase is "God made man in his essence" or, "from his essence". Though I am sure there are many possible translations, this makes far more sense to me - I am in full agreement that we are all part of God, all God-essence. It is alarming that a text with such a rainbow of possible meanings is taken so literally by so many. It is hard enough to describe anything spirit with words, let alone adding another row of chinese whispers into the mix.

I liked the cell analogy - I am now imagining all living, thinking beings as the cells of God...

[athribiristan]

This concept is what really led me down the path of asking what God was, and by association, who we are.

God is Love
God is the creator
God is perfection
God is the highest vibration
and so on....

and then realizing that we are also all of those things.

I like to think of it as we are made from what God is made up of, what God is we are. Not so much an image but an essence.

[Xan]

Originally Posted by Westleigh

The imagining that God looks like a human being (or indeed looks like anything) is one that I find very odd - a more ego-centric, short-sighted and physically rooted idea could not be applied to the most spiritual concept there is.

Well said, Westleigh.

This notion that God looks human comes from our mistaken identification with the physical body as "me".

When we experientially discover our true nature, as pure consciousness and love with a body of light, then only does "created in his image" make sense.


Xan

The community of humanity is meant to be an image of the community that is the Holy Trinity.

[Perspective]

In Genesis 1:26 it reads, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created them male & female..."
"Us" stood out to me. It may be that God is a collaborative effort! It makes sense doesn't it? Think of all of the elements of creation, all of the spiritual energies.
Also female stood out... We tend to think of God as a "he" but if we are created like God, then God is male & female.

I keep thinking that maybe "dark (or invisible) energy/matter" is the way God's influence is everywhere, since it permeates everything... it's both within us & outside of us. When magnified enough times, our bodies, or almost anything is shown to be made up of lots of space. We & everything are made up of God-stuff.