What does it mean to be made in the image of the lord?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pathway2
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Pathway2

Guest
What does it mean to be made in the image of the LORD? is it a appointment to share to be called God’s son or Daughter?
 
Last edited:
What does it mean to be made in the image of the LORD? is it a appointment to share to be called God’s son or Daughter?
Catechism
460 The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”:78 "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God."79 "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God."80 "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods."81

1701 "Christ, . . . in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, makes man fully manifest to himself and brings to light his exalted vocation."2 It is in Christ, "the image of the invisible God,"3 that man has been created “in the image and likeness” of the Creator. It is in Christ, Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image, disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the grace of God.4

1702 The divine image is present in every man. It shines forth in the communion of persons, in the likeness of the unity of the divine persons among themselves (cf. chapter two).

1704 The human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his reason, he is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By free will, he is capable of directing himself toward his true good. He finds his perfection "in seeking and loving what is true and good."7

1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ’s Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, branches grafted onto the vine which is himself:36
[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature. . . . For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.37
 
Last edited:
Think of an artist who is painting a portrait.

The painting is successful if those who see it can recognize the subject of the portrait. If the painting ends up to be unrecognizable, then, that painting is not in the likeness of the subject.

In the same way, when you or I are observed by the people we see every day, they should recognize God in us. We should resemble Him.
 
Adding on to what @thelittlelady said, in addition to ourselves reflecting the image and likeness of God, so do other people. There’s a level of respect and dignity due to all people as the sons and daughters of God.
 
No.
Being made in the likeness (image is interpreted differently) traditionally means reflecting God’s spiritual aspect by means of possessing a spiritual soul with the natural faculties of free will and reason. Animals have no such spiritual nature.

Divine sonship is another matter pertaining to grace and additionally sharing in God’s own nature.

While both happened when Adam was created (he received original grace/justice too) that is not what “image and likeness” means.
 
Last edited:
We are made in God’s image in that we have free will and an intellective immortal soul; we can understand transcendent values, such as truth, love, justice, good, etc. We can choose good and can love others. That is the main way that we are made in the image of God.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top