Theologies - Clover

1. We belong to God.
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The Doctrine of the Image of God
(Practical Implications)
Mark 12:13-17
"Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They
came to him and said, 'Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men,
because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance
with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?'
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. 'Why are you trying to trap me?' he asked.
'Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.' 16 They brought the coin, and
he asked them, 'Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?'
'Caesar’s,' they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, 'Give to Caesar what is
Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.' And they were amazed at him."
2. We pattern ourselves after Jesus Christ, the complete revelation
of what the image of God in perfect humanity is.
Hebrews 4:15
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but
we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin."
3. We experience full humanity as we are properly related to God.
2 Corinthians 3:18
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into
his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
4. We find goodness in learning and work, in service and worship.
Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:15
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them
rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all
the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground…'
… 28 God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of
the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'"
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
5. We are very valuable as humanity created in the image of God. Life is sacred.
6. We possess derived majesty and dignity as creatures created in the image of God.
(Adapted from Erickson, CT, 515-16)