Orthodox Life
Answered by teacher of the Kyiv Theological Academy Andrey Muzolf.
If we carefully read the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, we will see some inconsistency that seems at first glance. Thus, in the 26th verse of the 1st chapter of the Book of Genesis the following is said: “And God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” But in the next verse, verse 27, something else is said: “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them.” Thus, we see that man was originally “planned” as the image and likeness of God, but as a result Adam was created only as the image of God. In this regard, many church critics pointed out the illogicality of the Bible and the presence of obvious errors and inconsistencies in it. Is it really?
The Holy Fathers, interpreting the above verses from the Book of Genesis, believed that there was no inconsistency or logical error in them at all. The concepts of “image” and “similarity” are related to each other as something static, that is, given to a person initially, and something dynamic, that is, something that a person himself is called to develop in himself. Thus, St. John of Damascus, Fr. In other words, “image” is a certain inclination of a person, those conditions thanks to which he can be directed towards deification, and likeness is nothing more than the process of deification or likening to God itself. At the same time, most of the holy fathers pointed out that the image of God is expressed in those properties of human nature that “make it related” to God, for example: intelligence, freedom, immortality and the ability to create. Saint Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople notes: “The fact that man arose in the image of God has occurred to some to be understood as rationality and free will, and to others as supremacy and the height of dominion, for in both cases a creature can reflect the Creator.” .
But at the same time, some theologians, such as, for example, in particular V.N. Lossky, believe that the image of God in its entirety is unknowable, for the reason that God Himself, as the Prototype, is by His nature unknowable to man . Vladimir Nikolaevich writes: “The image is unknowable, for, reflecting the completeness of its Prototype, it must also possess His unknowability. Therefore, we cannot determine what the image of God is in man.”
Based on all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion: despite the fact that each of us contains the image of God, which manifests itself in certain properties of human nature and which distinguishes man from the rest of creation, thereby bringing him closer to the Creator, but at the same time At the same time, the mere presence of the image of God will not bring us any benefit if we do not direct it in the right direction and do not strive for God-likeness, which, in fact, is the goal of our life.
On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus He completed His work with a “personal signature.” God formed man from dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). In this regard, man is unique among all God's creations, having both material (body) and immaterial (soul/spirit) components.
To be the “image” or “likeness” of God in the simplest terms means that we were created to be like God. Adam was not like God in the sense that God has body and blood. Scripture says that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and thus exists without a body. However, Adam's body reflected the life of God in that it was in perfect health and was not subject to death.
The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. This sets man apart from the animal kingdom, preparing him for the dominion God intended (Genesis 1:28), and enabling him to maintain a relationship with his Creator. This similarity is mental, moral and social.
Mental similarity - because man was created as a rational, strong-willed person, in other words - man can reason and can choose. This is a reflection of God's intelligence and freedom. Every time someone invents a car, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, they are affirming the fact that we were created in the image of God.
Moral Similarity – Man was created in righteousness and spotless innocence, reflecting God's holiness. God saw everything He did (including mankind) and said it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience, or “moral compass,” is a trace of that initial state. When one writes a law, renounces evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he is affirming the fact that we were created in the likeness of God himself.
The similarity is social - man was created for communication. This reflects the Divine triune nature and His love. In Eden, man's first relationship was with God (Genesis 3:8 suggests fellowship with God), and God created the first woman because “it was not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Every time someone gets married, dates someone, hugs a child, or attends church, they demonstrate the fact of our creation in the image of God.
Being created in God's image, Adam also had the ability to make free choices. Although he was given a righteous nature, Adam made the wrong choice to rebel against his Creator. By doing this, he distorted God's image in himself, and he passed this on to all his children, including us (Romans 5:12). Today we still bear the image of God (James 3:9), but we also bear the scars of sin. This manifests itself mentally, morally, socially and physically.
The good news is that when God redeems a person, He begins to recreate His original image, creating “…a new man, created according to God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24; see also Colossians 3:10).
In search of truth.
If you know what resonance is, you can understand what will be discussed. If two strings are tuned to the same pitch and vibrations are excited in one of them, the second will certainly respond, only more quietly. She responds because she is similar to the first in everything. We can transfer this same principle to unfamiliar situations.
Before considering the principle of similarity, I first want to draw attention to the text of the Bible, in which most readers make a significant mistake. Type in the search engine the text: “God created man according to...” You will see that the completion of the phrase will come up: “in His image and likeness.” This is how most people quote the Bible, and it is not true. And this change in the text changes the entire semantic range. The correct text is: 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that moves on the earth. 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. In paragraph 26 the word “similarity” is present, but in paragraph 27 it is not. Let's think together about what this could mean. God recreated His image in man, but forgot the likeness? Of course not! If the author omitted a word, then it makes sense. First, let us understand what the word image of God means. To do this, let us establish ourselves in the thought that God is Spirit. This is what the scripture says: “The spirit breathes where it will.” And if we are created in the image of God, this most likely should be understood to mean that in our nature the driving force is also the spirit. But at the same time, the scripture affirms that the Lord God created man from the dust of the ground, AND BREATHED THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO HIS FACE! and man became a living soul. The absence of the word “likeness” indicates that man is not yet created. That is, the act of creation is incomplete. It is said: “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it he rested from all His work, which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1-3). And this can only mean what the Rev. says. Anthony the Great: “God is good, and passionless, and unchangeable.” He no longer interferes with His creation. A surprisingly simple solution suggests that by resting on the seventh day, God left us to complete creation - by recreating His likeness in ourselves.
And it is clear why Adam fell and why Christ is called the new Adam. And could Adam not fall? Let's compare 2 episodes said about the same thing: 1) Ge.3.4 And the serpent said to the woman: No, you will not die; But God knows that on the day you eat them, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil. 2) Ge.3.22 And the Lord God said: Behold, Adam has become as one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, no matter how he stretched out his hand, and also took from the tree of life, and ate, and began to live forever. From these texts it is clear that the serpent showed the path to the knowledge of good and evil. Could Adam not have gone this way? You could say that he could. But then he would live forever, having in himself the image of God and having no likeness. And, in fact, this under-creation would always carry within itself the temptation to try this fruit of knowledge. And still, one day he would taste it. And, apparently, this step is inevitable. And it is this step that opens the way to warfare, through which a person must change himself, realizing that without God he is nothing. He is a seed thrown into the ground, which as it grows must bear its fruit. He must recreate in himself the likeness of God. And this path of Adam is reproduced again and again in his descendants. Each new life is sinless (only the stamp of Adam’s sin is present) And each new life one day faces a choice: simply contemplate God’s creation and glorify the Creator, or begin to know good and evil. And at a very early age he begins to taste the fruit of knowledge.
...The first man Adam became a living soul; and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit... The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second person is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, so are the earthy; and as is the heavenly, so are the heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of earthly, we will also bear the image of heavenly things (1 Cor 15:45-49).
Now let’s try to understand what the word “likeness” means. The main characteristic of God is “God is love” John 1.4, or perfection. This means that this quality is key. If you reproduce it within yourself, you can enter into resonance with Divine energy, just as a string resonates when tuned to the same frequency as another to which energy has been applied. The saints show how the likeness of God is reflected in them, how the heart is ignited. And so, we can say that holiness means likeness to God. And likeness to Him can only be in the energy of love, because we have no other, coinciding qualities with Him. Therefore, the commandment of love is the greatest of all. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength—this is the first commandment.” All others are just a tool for achieving this - the main - quality of the soul.
And in order to reproduce in oneself the likeness of God, in the words of Christ: “you must be born again.” We see a conversation about this in a conversation with Nicodemus:
In. III, 1-21: Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him: How can a man be born when he is old? Can he really enter his mother’s womb another time and be born? Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised at what I said to you: you must be born again. The Spirit breathes where it wants, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes: this is what happens to everyone born of the Spirit.
But can baptism, communion, prayer, and church membership serve as a guarantee of being born again? Of course not. In our society almost everyone is baptized, but the vast majority live fruitlessly. You can also receive communion to condemn yourself. “For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself” (1 Cor. 11:29). And not every prayer reaches God, for Jesus said: “This people draws near to Me with their lips and honors Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8) And not everyone who considers himself a member of the church is such: “for among the members of the church there are false brethren who have crept in (Gal. 2:4).
Being born again means being able to discern and hear the Spirit of God breathing wherever He wills.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away, now all things are new 2 Cor 5.17 My little children, for whom I am again in the throes of birth, until Christ is formed in you! Chapter 4.19 Theophan the Recluse explains it this way: “The Apostle raises them to the previous contemplation of salvation in the Lord about DISPLAYING THE SIMILARITY OF CHRIST IN THEIR SOULS. Because of this, she works and, while working, gets sick, like a woman giving birth, assuring that she will not stop hurting like that until they again become as they were before. We see the meaning of the church. Apostle Paul “suffered in the pangs of birth” helping the spiritual to be transformed into the spiritual, that is, to recreate in themselves the SIMILARITY of GOD. This is the only meaning and purpose. “If God is love, then he who has love has God in himself. When it is not there, then there is absolutely no benefit to us and it is completely impossible to say that we love God.” — Saint Theodore, Bishop of Edessa.
Image and likeness
None of the creatures created by God, except man, is honored with the honor of having the image and likeness of God. It was not a natural reason - conception and birth - but a supernatural one, called the Eternal Council of God, that contributed to the appearance of Adam: And God said: Let us create man (אדם) in Our image and likeness
(in Hebrew - בצלמנו כדמותנו,
bezalmenu kidmuten;
in the synodal translation, in Our image and in Our likeness) (Gen. 1:26).
Not only earthy Adam, but also all subsequent generations of the forefather inherited his nature (albeit damaged by the Fall, but having the image and likeness
the first-created man): Adam lived two hundred and thirty years and gave birth to a son
in his own form and in his image
(in Hebrew - בדמותו כצלמו,
bidmuto quetzalmo;
in the synodal translation:
in his likeness, in his image
), and he called his name Seth ( Gen.5:3).
Thus, the image of God, initially perceived by Adam at his creation, lives to this day in all his descendants.
At the conclusion of the Covenant with Noah, God makes a promise that He will exact human blood from every murderer (beast or man), as He created man in the image of God (in the synodal translation: for man was created in the image of God) (Gen. 9:6).
Thus, the image of God was preserved in the sons of Adam even after the Flood. This idea finds repeated confirmation in the Holy Scriptures.
In the Old Testament: For God created man unto corruption and in the image of His likeness
create it (Wis. 2:23).
In the New Testament the Apostle mentions people who were in the likeness of God
(James 3:9).
As some commentators have noted, 188 the Hebrew word דמות ( dmut,
"likeness") is cognate with the word אדם (
adam
). This allows us to conclude that godlikeness is the original distinctive property inherent in man at his creation. One can even say that calling a person Adam means evidence of the existence of the likeness of God in him. The loss of likeness (דמות) leads to the destruction of a person, the destruction of the spiritual principle in him.
Man (אדם, adam
) is, as it were, in an intermediate position between its related states: below - earth (אדמה,
adama
);
above is the image of God (דמות, dmut
). Every person gravitates towards one of these poles.
The Eucharistic canon of the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great contains the words: “...having created man, the dust was taken from the earth, and in Your image, O God,
honor, thou hast placed him in the Paradise of sweets..."141.
Orthodox worship exactly reflects the biblical teaching about the creation of man in the image of the Creator.
Lenten Triodion
[159, part 1]:
I cry and sob, when I think about death, and I see our beauty, created in the image of God, lying in the tombs, ugly and inglorious, having no form... (Saturday of Meat, I cried out to the Lord)
Colored Triodion
160:
...the one born blind resorts to the Light-Giver, from the Unfit he receives the light of seeing, and with his eyes to see the Creator, in your likeness, and in the image of Who created human nature from the earth first... (Monday of the 6th week of Easter, 2nd stichera at Matins )
Menaea
103:
In the image and likeness, having been corrupted by crime (that is, Adam), Jesus saw, bowed the heavens, and dwelt in the virgin womb without change, so that in it He might renew the decayed Adam, calling: glory to Thy appearing, my Savior and God. (Nativity of Christ, 4th stichera on litia)
Octoechos
107:
When at the beginning You created Adam, Lord, then You cried out to Your Hypostasis Word, O Lord: Let us create in Our likeness, and the Holy Spirit is your co-creator. We also cry out to You: O our God, our Creator, glory to You. (voice 2, sedalin on the midnight office)
Having created man in Your image, O Lover of Mankind, and was killed by sin for the sake of crime, You crucified Him on the forehead, You saved. (Tone 3, Canon of the Cross, Canticle 4, Troparion 1)
No other creature except man received the breath of life from the Creator: And God created man, took the dust from the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and I became a living man (Gen. 2:7). At Creation, man received from God a special gift that no other creature received.
Saint John Chrysostom:
“God’s love for mankind pleased to make man created from the earth the owner of a rational soul, thanks to which this living being turned out to be excellent and perfect. And he breathed, says Moses, into his nostrils the breath of life. That is, inspiration imparted vital force to the creature created from the earth, and thus the being of the soul was formed. That is why Moses added: and man became a living soul. Having received the inspiration, the breath of life, created from dust, he became a living soul. What does it mean: with a living soul? An active soul, for which the members of the body are like instruments of its actions, obedient to its will” [cit. from: 9, p. 64].
Venerable John of Damascus:
“From visible and invisible nature, God with His own hands created man in
He formed a body from the earth, and communicated the verbal and rational soul to man by His inspiration” [cit. from: 92, p. 428].
Saints Equal to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius:
“Philosophy is the understanding of divine and human affairs, which teaches a person through virtue, as far as possible, to approach God, who created man in
46, p. 330] (May 11).
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian
taught that God “created man with His own invisible hands
in His own image and likeness
” [139, p. 73].
The church teaching about the creation of man in the image and likeness of God was primordial and widespread in Christianity. In particular, it was professed by many martyrs who suffered for the faith.
Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugenius, Mardarius and Orestes:
“When God brought the world into order and a beautiful existence, creating it not from pre-existing matter, but bringing it into existence from non-existence, then He created man in
46, p. 373] (December 13).
Martyrs Speusippus, Eleusippus, Meleusippus:
“He deigned to create
man
35] (January 16).
Venerable Martyr Evdokia
heard from an angel: “Great joy happens in heaven in the angelic face every time some sinner turns to the pure light of repentance, for God, the Father of all, does not want the human soul to perish, which He created from ancient times with His most pure hands
in the likeness of Your image
" [46, p. 19] (March 1).
Martyr Dula:
“This God of ours first created man and honored him
in His image,
breathing into him the spirit of life, and settled him in Paradise” [46, p. 331] (June 15).
Martyr Iakinthos
confessed “the true God, who created heaven, earth, sea and everything in them, who gave people the heavenly lights and created
man in His image” [46, p. 42] (July 3).
Most teachers of the Church believe that the difference between the image and likeness of God in man is as follows.
The image is a given, received from God, a gift, a characteristic and integral part of Adam's nature. Man, created in the image of God, is, as it were, a living icon of God. The presence of the image of God in man distinguishes him from all other creatures.
The likeness of God in man is an opportunity to develop one’s existing image to reverence and perfection. Adam was called to this constant improvement (and we are all called). Godlikeness is the goal of life, the result of the ascetic activity of saints. The Creator calls us to God-likeness when He says: For I am the Lord your God, and sanctify yourselves and be holy.
For holy am I the Lord your God (Lev.11:44).
The Church Slavonic word reverend means “holy.” Since ancient times, this epithet was used to designate people of a godly ascetic life, mainly monks, for whom the name “venerable” was assigned as a form of holiness. In this sense, the call of the Apostle becomes clear: Be like me, as I am Christ (1 Cor. 4:16). One should imitate the saints in their desire to discover their likeness to God, since they became saints by imitating (becoming like) Christ.
Man is the crown of the universe; the whole world was created for his sake. And in this thought there is no destructive pride and self-delusion, for we are not talking about the personal merits and merits of any person, but about our great destiny - to become like God: That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5: 45).
In the Russian and Slavic translations of the Book of Genesis, the expression has become familiar: Let us create man according to
in Our image and in Our likeness (Gen. 1:26) - with the preposition “ according to
before both words.
In the Hebrew text of the Bible, the words “image” and “likeness” are preceded not by the same preposition “by”, but by different prefixes: before “image” - בּ ( be,
meaning “in”), before “likeness” – כּ (
ki ,
meaning “as”, “as if”).
As a result, the literal meaning of the expression בצלמנו כדמותנו ( betzalmenu kidmuten) can
Our image
as
Our likeness.” Thus, the words “image” and “likeness” here are not even homogeneous members of the sentence.
Many Holy Fathers wrote about the comparison of image and likeness in man.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa:
“We have the first (in the image) by creation, and we ourselves do the last (in the likeness) by choice. To be in the image of God is characteristic of us from our first creation; but to become in the likeness of God depends on our will. And this, depending on our will, exists in us only in possibility; is actually acquired by us through our activity” [cit. from: 92, p. 456].
Venerable John of Damascus:
“The word - in the image, means the strength of the mind and the power of freedom, and the word - in likeness, likeness to God in virtue, as much as possible” [cit. from: 92, p. 455].
Venerable Diadochos of Photikie:
“All of us humans are created in the image of God. To be in the likeness of God belongs only to those who, out of great love, have enslaved their freedom to God. For when we are not our own, we deny ourselves, then we are like the One who, out of His love, reconciled us with himself - which no one can achieve unless he convinces his soul not to be carried away by the delights of a self-satisfied and self-indulgent life" ["One Hundred Chapters on spiritual perfection", op. from: 9, p. 40].
Saint Demetrius of Rostov:
“The image of God is also in the soul of an unfaithful person, but the likeness is only in a virtuous Christian; and when a Christian sins mortally, then he is only deprived of the likeness of God, and not the image. And even if he is condemned to eternal torment, the image of God is the same in him forever, but the likeness can no longer exist” [cit. from: 92, p. 457].
It should be clarified: Holy Scripture affirms that man was created in the image, but not in the likeness: And God created man in the image of God
create Him (Gen. 1:27). The likeness of God in us is revealed as a good opportunity, as a call to achieve it, as a person’s vocation and the saving goal of life.
It is difficult to imagine how the presence of the image of God in man can be interpreted from the standpoint of evolutionism. Is the image of God really a certain attainable level, and every monkey, if it only tries, has a chance to achieve this quality? If the image of God is so easily accessible that it can be achieved through evolutionary development, then God belongs entirely to this world, and is not its Creator. Such an evolutionist “God” is not capable of bestowing royal dignity on anyone.
Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) notes that the individual’s desire to achieve completeness is the main purpose of man. It is based on the process of revealing his spiritual and moral gifts. At the same time, man’s ascent to new stages of existence is not evolution or progress, but “metamorphosis” and “transformation.”
Genesis chapter 1
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1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light. And there was light. 4 And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day and the darkness night. And there was evening and there was morning: one day. 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate water from water. 7 And God made the firmament, and separated the waters that were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament. And so it became. 8 And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning: the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear. And so it became. 10 And God called the dry land earth, and the meeting of the waters he called seas. And God saw what it was
Fine.
11 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, grass yielding seed, fruitful trees, bearing fruit according to its kind, in which is its seed on the earth.” And so it became. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, grass yielding seed according to its kind, and tree yielding fruit, in which is its seed according to its kind. And God saw that it was
good.
13 And there was evening, and there was morning: the third day. 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heaven to separate the day from the night, and for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years; 15 And let them be lights in the expanse of the heaven to give light on the earth. And so it became. 16 And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars; 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heaven to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was
good.
19 And there was evening and there was morning: the fourth day. 20 And God said, Let the water bring forth living things; and let the birds fly over the earth, across the firmament of heaven. 21 And God created the great fish and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was
good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. 23 And there was evening, and there was morning: the fifth day. 24 And God said, Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds, cattle and creeping things and wild beasts of the earth after their kinds. And so it became. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and the cattle according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth according to their kinds. And God saw that it was
good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that moves on the earth. 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed that is on all the earth, and every tree that has fruit yielding seed; - This
will be food for you;
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to every thing that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, have given
every green herb for food. And so it became. 31 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
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Creation of Man
Man is the crown of God's creation. God made him head over all the earth.
Created in the image and likeness of God
According to the Holy Scriptures, God created man on the sixth day of creation. Man became its final part. Its peculiarity is that the approach to its creation was completely different, different from other living beings.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that moves on the earth. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26,27)
Here we see two of the most important characteristics of man: he is the image and likeness of God and is appointed to rule over all creation. Interestingly, here the Bible clarifies that he was created as a heterosexual creature as a man and a woman. By joining together to form a family, men and women cooperate in fulfilling their God-given mission to multiply, be fruitful, replenish and rule the earth.
“Male and female he created them, and blessed them, and called their name man in the day of their creation” (Genesis 5:2)
Heavenly Father
The God of the Bible is actively involved in the life of creation, including man. He did not withdraw himself, but continues to guide and take care of him. People are not orphans in the world. They have a Father in Heaven.
“Do we not all have one Father? Did not God alone create us…” (Book of the Prophet Malachi 2:10)
God's attitude towards man is compared to the attitude of a father towards his children. God knows us, cares for us and educates us, and we, for our part, must show Him due respect.
The fatherhood of God implies the equality of people before Him. Regardless of nationality, social status, financial status or age, every person is a child of God.
“Know that the Lord is God, that He created us, and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 99:3)
The Bible calls us to trust Heavenly Father. Christ once said: “If you, being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him.”
Why was man created?
The overarching purpose of human life is to glorify God. This means not only to give Him praise, but also to display His glory. We were created in the image and likeness of God; conformity to this image is the goal of our life.
Our thoughts, words, deeds and motives should glorify God.
“All the nations that You have made will come and worship You, O Lord, and glorify Your name” (Psalm 85:9)
God reveals Himself in creation. But man is given the freedom to choose whether to act worthy of his Creator or not. As God's creation, we are called to glorify Him. One way to do this is through good deeds. When we do good, we become like Heavenly Father.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to walk in” (Ephesians 2:10)
Bottom line
The creation of man was originally planned by God. He is blessed by Him to multiply and have dominion over creation. The purpose of human life is to glorify the Creator, whose image and likeness he bears.
How do we understand that God created man in His image and likeness?
In the Great Catechism we read: “Man is a verbal animal, dead, pleasant in mind and artistry... created in the image of God and in the likeness, when God the Father said to His Son and to the Holy Spirit: Let us make man in Our image and likeness. This is according to the image, for this there are two. Just as the Most Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, there is one God, these three, the mind, the word and the spirit, there is one soul. Another thing is that it is in the image, just as God is autocratic, and the soul is autocratic. And the hedgehog in the likeness, this signifies: God is like Him by nature, man is like Himself by His grace, and man is like Himself by His good will, inasmuch as it is possible for man to be like God, that is, righteous, holy, good and innocent” (l. 156 ).
In the Book of Kirilova we read: “For God says in Genesis: Let us create man in Our image and likeness. He does not speak about the external vision of a person, but about the invisible. For the external of man is complex, but God is simple and uncomplicated (l.423 vol.). St. John Chrysostom says: “It would be extremely insane to reduce Him who has no image or form, and Who is unchangeable, into a human form and to give bodily features and members to the incorporeal. What can compare with this madness... Having said: Let us create man in Our image and likeness, God did not stop there, but with subsequent words explained to us in what sense he used the word image. What does he say? - And may he have power over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
So, He sets the image in dominion, and not in anything else. And in fact, God created man as the ruler of everything that exists on earth, and there is nothing on earth higher than him, but everything is under his authority. If, after such a disclosure of words, those who love to argue say that of course the image is external, we will tell them: so (God), then, looks like not only a husband, but also a wife, because both have the same image? But that would be absurd” (His Works, IV, pp. 61,62).
And finally, St. John of Damascus says: “God with His hands creates man from visible and invisible nature, both in His image and likeness: He formed a body from the earth, but a soul endowed with reason and intelligence, giving him through His inspiration, which, of course, we call it the divine image; for the expression according to the image means rational and endowed with free will; the expression according to likeness denotes likeness through virtue, as far as this is possible for a person” (An exact statement of faith).
Magazine "Word of the Church", 1916, No. 43
Is God without a body?
We do not find this expression in the Bible. I believe that those who have come to this conclusion are referring to the words of Jesus when He spoke to the woman from Samaria:
God is spirit , and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
But this fact does not exclude another, also no less important, presented in the same Gospel of John, which begins with a description of the Lord Jesus:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. Everything came into being through Him, and nothing came into being that came into being. (John 1:1-3)
Who created man? Who created you? God created man and all other creation through Jesus Christ. The Savior is here called the Word, which was in the beginning, was with God, was God, and is the creator, because everything without exception was made through Him. Then, about this word, which is God, a few verses later it is written:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. And we saw His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father. John testifies of Him and, exclaiming, says: This was He of whom I said that He who came after me stood before me, because He was before me. And from His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace, for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:14-17)
Therefore, from these verses we cannot say that God is without a body, because in the person of Jesus He became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Mission of Jesus Christ
Jesus' mission was to add two more elements to two-element humanity . Therefore, he came (he was sent) and said: Guys, I brought you the Holy Spirit (third element). For whoever receives the Holy Spirit will become like a little child, and Conscience will awaken in him (i.e., the fourth element will appear), and they will be the same as everyone else who has four elements. But someone followed Jesus (he had many disciples), and those who did not need this said: “Please go to the cross.”
Those. They did not receive the Holy Spirit, Conscience did not appear - they remained spiritless and conscienceless. That’s why they say: “Think about your Soul ,” but no one calls you to take care of the Spirit, because the Spirit for them is divine, you can’t touch it with your hands. What do they say about the Soul? They attributed the words of Paul to Jesus: “Whoever loses his Soul for my sake will save it; and whoever saves it will lose it.” But the Soul cannot be destroyed in the name of someone or something! It is forbidden!
And notice, their paradise is in Eden: “And the Lord God planted paradise in Eden in the east” [Genesis 2:8]. What did Jesus say? Will everyone who accepts me go to heaven? No. Jesus said, “Whoever receives me will find the kingdom of God.” And when they asked: “What is it?”, Jesus answered: “But my Father has many mansions.” But ask any Christian priest: “Where are all the righteous Christians?” They will answer you: “They are all in paradise, in paradise.” And Jesus promised the Kingdom of God, but not like heaven . And pay attention, we are all children of God, and Christians are all servants of God. And what happens: a person dies, a covering letter is placed in his hands, in which it is written: “This is the servant of God and he is going to heaven.” Those. not to the Abode of God, but to the Land of Eden - you were a slave here on Earth, now let’s be in slavery on the Earth of Eden in your next life, work there as a slave. That is, earthly and posthumous slavery.
Now look: righteous Christians, but not all, but only 144 thousand from the 12 tribes of Israel will find the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e. Heavenly Jerusalem). And when will they get there? After God's judgment; God's judgment will come after the end of the world; and the end of the world when the second coming. Did Jesus come a second time? No. Is the end of the world coming? No. Was there a divine judgment? No. This means that none of the Christians over the past 2000 years have entered the Abode of God . Where did they all end up? To Eden, according to a tourist voucher - a cover letter: “The servant of God is heading to heaven (i.e. to Eden).”
* Later we will also describe all 6 days of creation, analyzing not only the Bible (see the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis), but also the apocrypha and so on, for example: the Christian plan of destruction.
God and Lord God
God and the Lord God are different , you can find confirmation in the Bible - Acts of the Holy Apostles ch. 2 tbsp. 36: “Let all the house of Israel know for sure that God has made (i.e., appointed) Lord (i.e., ruler) and Christ (i.e., savior) of this Jesus, whom you crucified.” See, God appoints Jesus as Lord. But he appointed him Lord only after the crucifixion, and not as it is written that during his lifetime he was called Lord. If you read the apocrypha, everywhere they address him - rabbi, i.e. teacher.
The Bible says that there is not one Lord, but many: “And the Lord God said, Behold, Adam has become like one of Us...” [Genesis 3:22]. He did not say “like Me,” he said “like one of Us,” i.e. a lot of them. Some people call the Lord demigods, i.e. there are Gods, and there are Demigods, and the Bible has confirmation of this - Acts of the Holy Apostles ch. 2 tbsp. 34: “For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.” Those. one Lord says to another Lord: sit on my right (because the left is already occupied).
There is the Lord Jehovah, Adonai, Sabaoth , and Christian preachers say every word: “Lord Jesus,” although they have no right to do this. Do you know why? In 1 Corinthians ch. 12 tbsp. 3 says, “No one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” That is, he is the Holy Spirit, but you cannot call him Lord. The rest of the Lords of heaven, they can call him Lord, but people cannot, even if you are a hierarch three times.
