image of God

[syo]

many christians view God as a bearded old man sitting on a mountain top or something. well, the christian God, the Father of the Holy Trinity, doesn't have a face. he is invisible. he doesn't look like a man,cause he isn't a man. he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

 

[InChrist]

Many non-Christians say Christians view God as a bearded old man or make jokes about this image, but true believers know that God is Spirit and not man.

 

[Desert Snake]

many christians view God as a bearded old man sitting on a mountain top or something. well, the christian God, the Father of the Holy Trinity, doesn't have a face. he is invisible. he doesn't look like a man,cause he isn't a man. he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

Interesting claim, however 'image' which I take to mean as form , of God, is pretty straightforward. Also, you're contradicting yourself, since *'divine fire ' is still a form.
/ perhaps present some evidence for your argument, instead of a random claim that Scripture itself refutes.

*I believe divine fire not meaning that the Father aspect does not have form, merely that the form is very exuberent by our perception

 

[Desert Snake]

many christians view God as a bearded old man sitting on a mountain top or something. well, the christian God, the Father of the Holy Trinity, doesn't have a face. he is invisible. he doesn't look like a man,cause he isn't a man. he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

We can surmise from your premise, that you don't believe Jesus to be God, since Jesus certainly has form. In fact, the form is an important part of 'who' Jesus is.
/If your argument is that Jesus , became formless after ascension, then what was the point of Jesus attaining a Spirit form?

 

[Desert Snake]

Many non-Christians say Christians view God as a bearded old man or make jokes about this image, but true believers know that God is Spirit and not man.

Huh? Who said that God is a man? Never heard that in any serious Christian context. God is Spirit, hmm you know... like Jesus is Spirit, that does not mean that God does not have an appearance as a man, again referenced via every being does in Scripture, including Jesus. Again, you must not consider Jesus as God, as well, since Jesus certainly has form.

 

[wizanda]

he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

A divine fire is a simplified description similar to Zoroastrianism; yet in the Bible in multiple places, prophets have seen God Almighty appearing on a throne with fire emanating from it, thus that imagery has been presented for many of us...

God is even more than that tho, and words can never summarize all of it; because what we expect to perceive in a place of pure consciousness, becomes manifest.

What some call fire, is the pure energy emanating from the CPU, as the source of reality.

The CPU has created human representations of its self, for us to understand it in form....Then mankind argues over which representation's religion is best.

In my opinion.

 

[Katzpur]

God is spirit. God is light. God is love. Those are some of His many attributes. No one of those words fully describes Him. In the Clementine Homilies, a Jewish Christian document based on a second-century source, the Apostle Peter is speaking to a non-believer by the name of Simon. Simon wants to know if Peter actually believes that God has a human form and that mankind was literally created in His image. Here's how their conversation goes:

And Simon said: "I should like to know, Peter, if you really believe that the shape of man has been molded after the shape of God."

And Peter said: "I am really quite certain, Simon, that this is the case... It is the shape of the just God. For He has shape, and He has every limb primarily and solely for beauty's sake, and not for use. For He has not eyes that He may see with them; for He sees on every side, since He is incomparably more brilliant in His body than the visual spirit which is in us, and He is more splendid than everything, so that in comparison with Him the light of the sun may be reckoned as darkness. Nor has He ears that He may hear; for He hears, perceives, moves, energizes, acts on every side. But He has the most beautiful shape on account of man, that the pure in heart, may be able to see Him, that they may rejoice because they suffered. For He molded man in His own shape as in the greatest seal, in order that he may be the ruler and lord of all, and that all may be subject to him."

Besides, the Greek word "pneuma" which is sometimes translated as "spirit" in the Bible, is translated as "life" elsewhere in the Bible. So, God is "pneuma" could also accurately be said to mean that God is life. That's how I see God -- as the very essence of life.

 

[Desert Snake]

God is spirit. God is light. God is love. Those are some of His many attributes. No one of those words fully describes Him. In the Clementine Homilies, a Jewish Christian document based on a second-century source, the Apostle Peter is speaking to a non-believer by the name of Simon. Simon wants to know if Peter actually believes that God has a human form and that mankind was literally created in His image. Here's how their conversation goes:

And Simon said: "I should like to know, Peter, if you really believe that the shape of man has been molded after the shape of God."

And Peter said: "I am really quite certain, Simon, that this is the case... It is the shape of the just God. For He has shape, and He has every limb primarily and solely for beauty's sake, and not for use. For He has not eyes that He may see with them; for He sees on every side, since He is incomparably more brilliant in His body than the visual spirit which is in us, and He is more splendid than everything, so that in comparison with Him the light of the sun may be reckoned as darkness. Nor has He ears that He may hear; for He hears, perceives, moves, energizes, acts on every side. But He has the most beautiful shape on account of man, that the pure in heart, may be able to see Him, that they may rejoice because they suffered. For He molded man in His own shape as in the greatest seal, in order that he may be the ruler and lord of all, and that all may be subject to him."

Besides, the Greek word "pneuma" which is sometimes translated as "spirit" in the Bible, is translated as "life" elsewhere in the Bible. So, God is "pneuma" could also accurately be said to mean that God is life. That's how I see God -- as the very essence of life.

The Bible doesn't state that God is 'pneuma'. God is God.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

many christians view God as a bearded old man sitting on a mountain top or something. well, the christian God, the Father of the Holy Trinity, doesn't have a face. he is invisible. he doesn't look like a man,cause he isn't a man. he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

I never heard not even one christian say that. I hear some atheist think that. Though Im around and know many a christians. Atheist only online (and myself )

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Huh? Who said that God is a man?

The Council of Nicea, for one. Note the bolded parts:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

English versions of the Nicene Creed - Wikipedia

 

[Tumah]

But He has the most beautiful shape on account of man, that the pure in heart, may be able to see Him, that they may rejoice because they suffered. For He molded man in His own shape as in the greatest seal

These two sentences appear to be saying the opposite thing.

 

[Desert Snake]

The Council of Nicea, for one. Note the bolded parts:



English versions of the Nicene Creed - Wikipedia

That doesn't make God a man, it makes the trinity aspect of Jesus, when in human form, God plurality. There is never a time where God is only a man, and Scripture doesn't support that.

 

[Katzpur]

The Bible doesn't state that God is 'pneuma'. God is God.

John 4:24 (from the KJV) says, "God is a Spirit." Some translations omit the indefinite article, "a." The Greek states, "Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός" (or "Pneuma ho Theos"). Where does it say, "God is God"? I mean that's kind of a no-brainer, don't you think?

 

[Katzpur]

These two sentences appear to be saying the opposite thing.

Really? I can say that it could be construed that way, but I don't think it would be very meaningful since God exists independently of man and supposedly created us in His image.

 

[Tumah]

Really? I can say that it could be construed that way, but I don't think it would be very meaningful since God exists independently of man and supposedly created us in His image.

The first sentence seems to be saying that G-d has the form of a man for man's sake ("on account of man"), which would imply that man had the form or was already going to have the form, and G-d adopted it. The second sentence says the opposite, that G-d gave man His own form.

 

[Desert Snake]

John 4:24 (from the KJV) says, "God is a Spirit."

God is a spirit means not limited to a form, however it does not mean that God has no form.

 

[Katzpur]

God is a spirit means not limited to a form, however it does not mean that God has no form.

Sorry, I don't follow what you're trying to say. Are you saying that the word "spirit" means "something not limited to a form" or am I misunderstanding you?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God (jesus) from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being (jesus) with the Father.
Through him (jesus) all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he (jesus) came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man. (Incarnatation as god)

Catholicism does not see christ as a man but incarnation of god.
Incarnation in the flesh doesnt make him man; since, man has fallen from god and has sin. Christ doesnt have that hence why he is an incarnation not a man in his own right.

The Council of Nicea, for one. Note the bolded parts:



English versions of the Nicene Creed - Wikipedia

Catholicism teaches the trinity. So, jesus isnt man like us but man as only flesh as an incarnation of god. Man meaning person of flesh not man who has fallen from god.

 

[Katzpur]

many christians view God as a bearded old man sitting on a mountain top or something. well, the christian God, the Father of the Holy Trinity, doesn't have a face. he is invisible. he doesn't look like a man,cause he isn't a man. he is divine ''fire''. men think that God is a man but that's only their imagination.

I'm curious... When Stephen was given a vision in which He saw into Heaven, how did he know that Jesus Christ (i.e. "the Son of Man") was standing on God's right-hand side if God was invisible?

 

[Desert Snake]

Sorry, I don't follow what you're trying to say. Are you saying that the word "spirit" means "something not limited to a form" or am I misunderstanding you?

I believe it does, in the instances where it refers to God, ie contextual; or, merely that as a Spirit form Being, He isn't limited by the physical limitations of say, man. Hence, as I believe, God is sometimes in form, and sometimes not, or both.