In Genesis 1:26 it is written that God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..."
What does this mean? Apparantly we may look like God. Some believe we were given his emotions and his intellect. Others believe the image of God is his breath that he breathed into man.
Let us see what is written in Matt. 22:15-22.
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
But Jesus perceived their wickednes, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
Caesar had his image on the coin, and his name, so Jesus told them to give Caesar his coin for God didn't care. God's image was on us, we have his image! And when Jesus said give unto God which are God's, he was saying give me the souls that belong to me. To give him the lost and weak for that is what he truly wants. He wants your worship, and relationship. The wisest of people can not understand this, but it is so simple that God wanted his image back!
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I'm sorry but the irony in your avatar just knocked me speechless...
let me explain
Have you seen The Simpson's movie, it was quite good.
well in that movie the Simpsons go to church, and half way through the ceremony the Grandpa starts freaking out and rolling on the floor (it begins the plot of the movie) well during this episode Homer Simpson grabs the bible and yells "Someone do Something" then he flips through it and yells "there is no answers in here" Then he throws the book over his shoulder.
So irony is funny!
ohter than that thanks for helping clear up the dilemma of what Jesus meant on the whole coin thing. : ) it was a fun little bible session.
Saint O Nothin' Says
Always go FORWARD, going straight will get you no where!
-Greenday "Jaded"
Yes I have seen the movie and the irony is funny. I'm glad you pointed that out.
"And when Jesus said give unto God which are God's, he was saying give me the souls that belong to me. To give him the lost and weak for that is what he truly wants. He wants your worship, and relationship. The wisest of people can not understand this, but it is so simple that God wanted his image back"
I don't understand it. Why didn't he just say that he wanted his image back, or that he wants his souls? Why bother with the cryptic wording?
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(I just wanted to point this out.) With the wording of how Jesus answered He answered many questions. The High Priest were expecting a 'Yes' or a 'No' from their question. The question was, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" But Jesus knew this question was a trap. If He had said, "Yes! Pay Caesar!" Then all of the Jewish people would have gotten angry because they believed their Messiah would have defended them by saying, "No!" against the tyranny of Rome. And Thus Jesus would have lost his followers. If He had said "No! Don't pay!" Then the Pharisees would have had a good reason to have Jesus thrown in jail, because he said it was unlawful to pay Cesar. But Jesus Called them out, and answered so brilliantly that the Jews were happy and the High Priest had to shut up. But when Jesus said give unto God the things that belong to God, He was saying give him people, which have his image then belong to Him. (that there is called an analogy)
It may seem cryptic or camouflaged, but the word of God is truth. But why does it seem like it is, because the Bible is a huge book. You can get hundreds of interpretations by linking lots of scriptures together. Could you imagine having to write the Bible to where every scripture would link with other scripture. It would just make it even longer. But knowing stuff like this isn't necessary for salvation or anything, but it is cool to find and learn. I personally wish the Bible wasn't so hard worded, But that's why I try to find stuff, and understand it. Just be thankful that it is true and that scripture can be linked together. Even the Bible says to study the scripture just so things can be found like this.
How Jesus answered in this scripture is still confusing to everyone, even myself, and will always be confusing, and hard to understand.
(definetion for analogy- Analogy is both the cognitive process of transferring information from a particular subject (the analogue or source) to another particular subject (the target), and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process. ..)
I know what an analogy is, but I still don't understand why the "word of god" would need to be written in analogies and be so contradicting at times.
"Could you imagine having to write the Bible to where every scripture would link with other scripture. It would just make it even longer."
Do you mean could I imagine having to write a book without analogies or contradictions? Yes, I could. It happens everyday, and there are millions of nonfiction books that aren't contradicting or long.
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So we both understand the Bible is filled with analogies and contradictions. The reason I believe there are so many contradictions is because of so many religions and so many belifs with Christainity alone. If the Bible is Truth then it is man that misinterpets the Bible even I will misinterpet it. That is why it is good to ask questions and find out Truth for ourself, which I'm trying to do. I'm not really distubed nor do I think the Bible is wrong by having some analogies, and even though it does is still the best selling book for the past......well ever. I don't think these other books spaned over thousands of years and were based off of so many people. But here take a look at this website. It has 101 truths about the bible that shouldn't be contradicting. http://www.eternal-productions.org/101science.html
But let me tell you of my testimony.
(I know a little bit off subject)
I grew up as a young boy with my parents who abused me physically. I want to mid-school where they abused me mentally. I was invited to church at a young age by my Youth Pastor. I came and fell in love with Christ. But I still lived with my parents who still abused me. So why should I believe in the Bible or God? I prayed at the alter, "God, I will worship you always, if I live with my parents or if I don't!"
Why would I do this? Because I told God that I would live for him no matter what. I didn't care how anyone treated me be a parent or a Sunday school teacher, I lived for a relationship with God, and not for a religion. The end result was that I moved out of my parents home to live with my grandparents which took another 2 years. Also the church has grown really large with healings happening on a regular basis from the blind being able to see, and the lame walking, and with a milion people being baptized in one year. Recorded fact in the UPCI archive.
I won't go into detail of how everything on the website you referenced is a big generalization, but one statement that got me in particular was this one:
"Sexual promiscuity is dangerous to your health (1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:27). The Bible warns that “he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body,” and that those who commit homosexual sin would “receive in themselves” the penalty of their error. Much data now confirms that any sexual relationship outside of holy matrimony is unsafe."
I have yet to see any data that confirms a sexual relationship outside of "holy matrimony" is unsafe. Every argument presented in that site is based on generalizations, analogies, and vague statements.
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Why does it seem like you are trying to trap me in my own statements like the High Priest did towards Jesus? And you want data that confirms a sexual relationship outside of "holy matrimony" that proves it unsafe. There is a study on HIV/AIDS, which kill people. Which is spread from person to person, one means, by sex. If two virgins without a sexual disease are married and have sex do they harm themselves with a sexual disease that can kill? Or let say these two virgins have sex, but didn't get married. They took no vows, and one day they break up. They met new people and had sex with them. So is sex outside of marriage unsafe? Yes, it can be. If it wasn't unsafe then the bible wouldn't warn about it.
You said everything on this site is based on generalizations, analogies, and vague statements.
The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7)
Does the earth not free-float in space? Is this to general? There is no analogy from it. Is there something vague from this statement?
Why does it seem like you are trying to trap me in my own statements like the High Priest did towards Jesus? And you want data that confirms a sexual relationship outside of "holy matrimony" that proves it unsafe. There is a study on HIV/AIDS, which kill people. Which is spread from person to person, one means, by sex. If two virgins without a sexual disease are married and have sex do they harm themselves with a sexual disease that can kill? Or let say these two virgins have sex, but didn't get married. They took no vows, and one day they break up. They met new people and had sex with them. So is sex outside of marriage unsafe? Yes, it can be. If it wasn't unsafe then the bible wouldn't warn about it.
You said everything on this site is based on generalizations, analogies, and vague statements.
The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7)
Does the earth not free-float in space? Is this to general? There is no analogy from it. Is there something vague from this statement?
I'm not trying to trap you in your own statements, I'm just pointing out some holes in your argument. Sex outside marriage is not unsafe. Unprotected, promiscuous sex is unsafe, regardless of marital status. One does not have to be under "holy matrimony" to practice safe sex. Marital sex can be unsafe as well, depending on the past histories and health status of those involved.
"If it wasn't unsafe then the bible wouldn't warn about it."
Yeah, just like if slavery weren't unsafe the bible wouldn't endorse it.
"Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit."
—1 Timothy 6:1-2
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.
—Ephesians 6:5
"Thy bond-men and thy bond-maids which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you: of them shall ye buy bond-men and bond-maids. Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land. And they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession, they shall be your bond-man forever."
—Leviticus 25:44-46
The bible also warns against women speaking in church:
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
—1 Corinthians 14:34-35
There are no vague analogies in the statement that you mentioned, however, there are also 100 other statements on that page that are backed up with vague analogies and flawed logic.
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