WE ARE CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Every human on the Earth is individual in his thinking and self-consciousness. Each human is peculiar to have his own point of view, to make plans, to create living conditions around him, to choose a life view that he thinks is right and to build reasoning, approving one or another way of life. It is human nature to learn the world with all its laws and mysteries and to use them.

Our intelligence goes far beyond our physical abilities. The first man Adam called all living creatures on the Earth (Genesis 2:19-20). Later on, the human beings learned to build, heal, create various tools and things, etc., by revealing in all their creative essence.

More importantly, what tells a human from all other living things is that God created him in His own image. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:27, NKJV). That, in turn, means that although humans were placed in physical bodies, formed of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7), they are still the spiritual beings. According to God's plan, His essence that is love was laid into every human as a spiritual being.

The Scripture says, "God is love" (1 John 4:8, NKJV), "which is the bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14, NKJV). To better understand what this is about, let's take a look to the Greek language on which the books of the New Testament were written.

IN GREEK, THE WORD "LOVE" CORRESPONDS TO THREE WORDS:

  1. The first one is "eros" means physical passion, physical desire. The words "erotica", "erotic" are derived from it. This word does not use in the books of the New Testament.
  2. The second word is "philia" means affectionate regard, attachment, friendship. For example, love between faithful friends, love for the family, love for the homeland, work, hobbies. Or it has a generic meaning, "to love nature", "to love the truth."
  3. The third word: "agape" means the highest, the perfect form of love. This love God shows to humans and He expects to have it in return. God has been driven by this love when He was creating the world and humans in it. Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, has been driven exactly by this love when He voluntarily gave Himself for a shameful death on the Calvary cross for human sins.

To the people, this love means giving oneself entirely into God's ministry and being faithful to Him in everything. And this love has to be the reason for our attitude towards other people.

When Yeshua the Messiah was asked which is the first commandment of all, He answered: "The first of all commandments is: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment!

And the second, like it, is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 29-31, NKJV). This love was conceived to be the human essence in the image and likeness of God.

The unconditional love of God is offered for free and voluntarily. It doesn't make you but it means the right to a free choice. Therefore, this right was given to the first man and through him to all mankind.

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