Restore The Imago Dei In Mankind Religion Essay

The bible constitute that world is made in the Image of God, known as the Imago Dei. ( Gen 1:26 ) Let us do world in our image… In Gods relational design there is the perpendicular relationship ( Structural ) which implies fear for Him and the sidelong relationships between fellowmen ( Dr. Choong: 2000:28 ) . This relationship has been broken since the autumn of adult male in and adult male has been separated from God.

After the autumn, Gods bosom is to reconstruct back the Imago Dei in Mankind. This lost image of adult male can merely reconstruct in and through Jesus Christ.

Is to demo from the beginning that the Imago Dei is to seek and salvage the doomed ( Luke 19:10 ) . His intent is to reconstruct the imago Dei in world. The accent will hence be on the Imago Dei in Mission based on His plants and motion in the New Testament. He besides commanded trusters to make like wise.

Moreau ( 2000: 636 ) Derived from the Latin mitto, which in bend is a interlingual rendition of the Grecian apostello ( to direct ) , the term mission, it has a wide scope of acceptable significances. The modern-day definition of mission is merely average directing person Forth with a specific purpose.With this term, our construct of the mission of the church will to a big degree depend on our theological orientation instead than an etymological analysis. Dyrness ( 2000:636 ) notes: mission lies at the nucleus of divinity within the character and action of God himself. There is an impulse to give and portion that springs from the very nature of God and that hence characterized all his plants.

In the Old Testament

Humanity was created in the image of God, known as the Imago Dei. This image was corrupted by wickedness. Evidence shows that humanity was lost and God was looking for the doomed. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden as they were non suppose to eat fruit from the tree that is in the center of the garden, and they must non touch it, or they will decease. They ate and rebelled against God. When they realized they were naked ; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. When they heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden, and they hid from the Lord God called to the adult male, Where are you? ( Genesis 3:2-9, NIV ) . From Old Testament God is already seeking for the doomed because He wants to hold relationship with His people because adult male is created in His image. Hoekema ( 1986: 85 ) asserted that since the image of God has been perverted through adult males fall into wickedness, it needs to be renewed. This reclamation or Restoration of the image is what takes topographic point in the redemptional process.Hence/Thus, This Restoration of the image is indistinguishable with the gift of God in Jesus Christ received by religion. The Restoration of the image is, in fact, the bosom of the philosophy of rapprochement: The whole work of Jesus Christ in rapprochement and salvation may be summed up in this cardinal construct of the reclamation and consummation of the Divine Image in man.Hoekema ( 1986:55 ) quoted from Brunner E. Man in Revolt, p.501 ) .

2.3 Christ in New Testament – Wedding in Cana ( John 2:1-12 )

The state of affairs is described in ( 5 2:1-3a ) ; the demand for an intercession is made known in ( 3b-5 ) , implying a duologue between the female parent of Jesus and Jesus himself ; in ( 5 6-8 ) as the retainers yieldingly carry out the bids of Jesus, miracle occurs ; in ( 9-10 ) the maestro of ceremonials compliments the bridegroom on the excellence of the vino. A remark is added in John ( v 11 ) , stressing that it was the first of the marks of Jesus, and clear uping its map as a disclosure of the glorification of Jesus in Cana and this revealed Jesus glorification and helped to bring forth religion ( Blomberg, 1997:225 ) .

Murray ( 1987:35-36 ) remark that this miracle non merely revealed the glorification of Jesus but is besides a mark is the coming of the land of God in and through Jesus. The glorification of Jesus, manifested in Cana was a mark of his interceding the grace of the land of God in his entire ministry. It can be seen exactly in Gods bestowment of life in his land, and this He gives through the Son.

2.4 Jesus in the Gospels

In the same manner, the Imago Dei was besides revealed in the New Testament. From the get downing it show that Jesus came to seek and salvage the doomed ( Luke 19:10, NIV ) . Harmonizing to Hoekema, The New Testament message is on how this lost image of God in adult male is being restored in and through Jesus Christ entirely. Since Jesus is the true image of God, the Restoration of the image means being in Christ, the Word made flesh ( Hoekema, 1986:55 ) .

It is besides seen here in the Gospels that Jesus is the Son of God. The early Christians were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God. But what about you? he asked, Who do you state I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the life God ( Matthew 16:15, 16 ) . They all asked, Are you so the Son of God? He replied, You are right in stating I am. Jesus gave them this reply: I tell you the truth, the Son can make nil by himself, he can make merely what he sees his Father making, because whatever the Father does the Son besides does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does… ( John 5:19-20a ) . It has proved that Jesus the Son of God is alone and it will impact our attack non merely to his learning but to all that he did. Jesus is besides witting of his Godhead sonship ( Matthew 11:27 ; Luke 10:22 ) .

The Imago Dei in Mission

Jesus Christ properties and features were manifested during His earthly ministry. He went about instruction, sermon, mending and performs miracles of nature. Jesus went throughout Galilee, learning in their temples, prophesying the good intelligence of the land, and mending every disease and illness among the people. Newss about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with assorted diseases, those enduring terrible hurting, the demon-possessed, those holding ictuss and the paralytic, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the part across the Jordan followed him. ( Matthew 4:23-25 ) .

Jesus is shown here to possess Godhead every bit good as human properties, features that qualify Him for a alone mission. ( page 46 the missions of Jesus ) .

Christ motion

Hence, the properties and features of God was reflected in Jesus were analyzed in assorted ways. Erickson ( 1995:299 ) asserts There is a critical connexion between what Jesus is and what He does, between His properties and His Acts of the Apostless. Jesus attributes are frequently revealed in his actions, so that what he does is a hint to what he is. Furthermore, his properties revealed are an indicant of how he will move ; they are escapes of his nature.

One of Jesus attributes is love. In John 3: 16, loved ( agape ; Strongs # 25 fondness or benevolence ) , love by pick and by an act of the will. This unselfish love is seen in what God has done. This Godhead love non merely took the enterprise in making the footing of redemption by directing Jesus Christ, but it besides continuously seeks us out. ( Erickson, 1985:293 ) ( I am traveling off from my old presentation on the fables of the lost sheep and the lost coin ) . Erickson ( 1985:294 ) says that the Imago Dei is presented in us because of the unselfish, giving nature of God. God loves us for what he can give to us, or what he can do of us. This is manifested both in the fact and the nature of the original act, and in his continued relationship with us. So, God will non seek anything but the highest good for fellow world.

Jesus went through all the towns and small towns, learning in their temples, prophesying the good intelligence of the land and mending every disease and illness. It is his tenderness of bosom toward the needy. It is besides seen in the compassion which Jesus felt when people enduring from physical complaints came to him ( Mark 1:41 ) . Their religious status besides moved him ( Matthew. 9:36 ) . Sometimes both sorts of demands are involved. Therefore, in depicting the same incident, Matthew speaks of Jesus holding compassion and mending the ill ( Matthew. 14:14 ) , Jesus was compassionate ; Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his manus and touched the adult male. He said I am willing. Be clean! ( Mark 1:41 ) . Jesus has compassion for the crowds ; as they have been with Him three yearss without nutrient ( Mark 8:2 ) . While Mark speaks of Jesus holding compassion and learning many things ( Mark 6:34 ) . Matthew elsewhere combines the two thoughts. When Jesus saw the crowds were incapacitated like sheep without a shepherd, he had compassion on them. So he went about learning in their temples and prophesying the Gospel of the land, and mending every disease and every frailty ( Matthew. 9:35-36 ) .

2.2.3 In relation to Bhutan ministry

In fact, salvaging the doomed was in Gods bosom. Jesus has given us the commandment to Travel into the universe and preach the Gospel to every animal. He who believes and is baptized will be saved ; but he who does non believe will be condemned ( Mark 16:15-16 ) and I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will make what I have been making. He will make even greater things than these, because I am traveling to the Father. ( John 14: 12 ) . I have personally held on to these two Bibles.

As Jesuss ambassador to the Bhutanese in Bhutan, we are at that place to reflect Gods love and concern for them ( to seek and salvage the doomed ) . Therefore, Gods Lordship and provident attention transcends human boundaries. In order to reflect Gods love, we have acted with kindness and altruistic devotedness to the Bhutanese people we are supposed to make out. We non merely portion Gods redemptive program to the people we live with but our end is to besides see personal and societal transmutation.

In our ministry, we exemplified Jesus by praying for the ill, prophesying and learning the Good News. In add-on, we besides teach English and run uping to illiterate adult females. As how Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the battalions that were scattered and weary, we were moved by His compassion when we saw impoverished adult females in Bhutan and as a consequence, we started a place for them. Merely like Paul said, To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak ; I have become all things to all work forces that I may by all agencies save some ( 1 Corinthians 9:22 ) .

In fact, we will desire to see them travel from emptiness to fullness and from destitution to security and hope. Hence, we need to set our religion in God and trust in Him that merely He and He entirely can salvage them. So, if we were to be relentless and go on to persist in what we are called to make, we will be able to win the Bhutanese!

3.0 Contemplation

Contemplation I come with new understanding that Gods love and compassion for the lost are enormous, He goes all out to win them as he wants to rekindle back the imago Dei in every creative activity that He has created. relationship with Him.

Finally, my new understanding about Jesus Christ is deepened now as I have wrong in certain facet of Him before ( I thought every bit long as I have a relationship with God pray and make ministry is adequate. Now merely I realized that as Dr Choong ( 2000: 7 ) puts it A curates apprehension of the philosophy of the Imago Dei is the benchmark of his ministry effectivity since God is his Maker and I can be most effectual in my ministry when I am rooted in the Imago Dei because world is made in His image. ( Dr. Choong, 2000: 4.

What is mission and what is non critique

Decision

In decision, God hearts and love for he lost are so much/tremendous. He goes all out to bring/win them ( direct his lone begotten Son to decease for us, evildoers ) back to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Even though He is the Son of God, He humbled himself, came down and became like one of us ( boy of adult male ) . He is so our illustration to follow ; He went about demoing clemency, compassion, mending and present the sick, instruction, prophesying and demoing that He is the manner, the truth and the Life.

As we looked at the life and the plants of Christ it is apparent that we besides need to follow and copy Him. Just like Paul said Follow my illustration as I follow ( 1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV ) ; Imitate me, merely as I besides imitate Christ ( 1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV ) . It demo how importance the life and the plants of Christ in Mission will besides reflect the importance of missionaries ministry. Those who are called and set apart, will necessitate to obey His great Commission Go into the universe and preach the Gospel ( Matt 28: 18-20 ) . The message of Jesus was chiefly non about himself, but about the Father and His land.

Due to the restraint of infinite I am non able to touch on other facets of His properties and features ( motion ) . Therefore, farther research needs to be done to enrich/enhance the subject.

BIBLOIGRAPHY

Dr Choong. C. 2008. Spiritualty and the Transformed leader. Reader.

MOREAU S.A. 2000. Editor. Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Page 636.

ERICKSON, M.J. 1995. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 299 P.

HOEKEMA, A.A. 1986. Created in Gods Image. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. 243 P.

Blomberg, C.L. 1997. An Introduction and Survey: The nazarene and the Gospels. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & A ; Holman Publishers. 225p.

RYRIE, C.C. 1978. The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation. Chicago, USA: Moody Press. 1739 P.

Hayford. J.W. 1991. Spirit Filled Life Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, USA: Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1577-1578 P.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 36, John. General Editor, George R. Beasley-Murray. Waco, Texas: Word Books 1987. page 35-36.