"Let Us Make God in Our Image, According to Our Likeness"- Episode 2

"Men create gods after their own image, not only with regard to their form but with regard to their mode of life" - Aristotle

The last episode of this article focused on false philosophies such as atheism, agnosticism etc. I hinted on wrong ideas on sexual orientation, homosexuality, marriage and divorce. This second episode will tackle issues such as denominationalism, interpersonal relationship, and adverse societal changes.

 Whilst we are still considering how man projects himself unto God, let us consider worship and denominationalism. 

The God who said let us make man in our likeness, by virtue of His nature and what He has done, is to be the centre of our worship ( Psa 45:11). However, since we have created God in our likeness, we determine the type of worship we would like to give to God.

 a) Many look for churches, organisations, groups , fellowships etc that organise worship that suite them.

 b) The focus of worship is either it's convenient to them or it's acceptable to them based on their personal standards. 

c) Worship services have turned to entertainment concert settings. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”(John 4:24). 

The situation is not different with the issue of denominationalism. We have recreated the God who is not the God of disorder nor the author of confusion ( I Cor 14:33), in our likeness. Thus, we don't see anything wrong with the thousands of denominations who claim to worship the same God, with the Bible as their standard and yet teaching various conflicting doctrines. They say unity in diversity, since they have created God in their likeness. The true teaching that the apostle Paul taught saying : "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." 

Many who don't see the need to abide by the teaching of the Bible about the One True New Testament (Churches of Christ, Tom 16:16) which Christ purchased with His own blood(Acts 20:28) have been well described this way: "For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple" (Rom 16:18). 

To many in Christendom today, baptism is not essential to salvation, it doesn't matter the church you attend, doctrine is not important but love, eternal hell is a thing of the past, heaven is no more the focus of the Christian life, but materialistic gains etc.

As if the above is not enough, it's even more discouraging when we look at how we treat our fellow man. The sanctity of human life is nothing to ride home about. Even the God who created man in His likeness, we have managed to create him in our likeness how much less our fellow human? We don't believe this anymore: "For there is no partiality with God." “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him"(Acts 10:34). Thusly, we can think of some people as less of humans and hate them. Meanwhile, "Love does no harm to a neighbor;" (Rom 13:9-10). “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The apostle Paul rightly forewarned:        “First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts” (2 Pet. 3:3, NRSV). There's a recalibration of all lifestyles the Scriptures explicitly condemn. That has made it possible for us to indulge in our ways and still believe God is okay with us. 

Some of our ways include "being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful" (Rom 1:29-31)

Unfortunately, the same message word received, is the same word to us: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.

3 Now the end has come upon you,

And I will send My anger against you;

I will judge you according to your ways,

And I will repay you for all your abominations (Ezek 7:2-3).

"But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”(I Pet 3:12).

In fact our societies together with the religious bodies are equally confused, "In that you say,

“Everyone who does evil

Is good in the sight of the Lord,

And He delights in them,”(Mal 2;17).

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;

Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa 5:20).

Conclusion

Our societies and those of us who claim we are Christians will continue to waddle in our own iniquities and degeneracies because we have created God in our image, in our own likeness. Consequently, we cannot speak of objective truth, we cannot condemn sinful acts, we cannot rebuke, reproof, correct. A thing is right or wrong base on how you see it or feel about it. This is far from the nature revealed in scripture to us about God. Whilst we have done our best in shifting the goal posts and re-establishing foundations God has laid already to suit our appetites, God still speaks through the Prophet Malachi saying: "For I am the Lord, I do not change;" (Mal 3:6)

"Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;"

Let's uphold this eternal truth instead of acting and saying "Let us make God in our image, according to our likeness"

Dear reader be made in the image and likeness of God by believing on Christ who died to save you and I (John 5:24); repent of your sinful lifestyle (Act 17:30); confess Christ as the Son of the living God both by mouth and life (Rom 10:9-10, Matt 10:32); be baptized in the name Christ Jesus and into His church (Acts 2:38, Gal 3:27); and continue to live faithfully (I Cor 4:2).

Reference

NKJV/ NRSV of the Bible

https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1225-straight-talk-about-homosexuality