Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, at Christmas time, the gospel reading evokes the saying (to paraphrase): God created man (by this the presumption is the birth and advent of Christ), so that, one day, Man might become God. The author points out that the idea of the image of God with respect to the Fall and the character of Man took a backseat in the face of Puritan thought and Protestantism during the Great Awakening. The paper concludes that the doctrine of the image of God serves to improve Man's image of himself, which is no better recognition of the power of God in our lives than knowing that God is in us at all times.

From the Paper:

"If we take the notion that we are created in the Image of God, then there is no better incentive to live Christian lives. After all, our very Christian existence sees as its end goal eternal salvation as prescribed by Christ and a fellowship in God. (Masson, 1982) When one considers the image of God, it is also the image of the triumvirate of God: the Father, the Son and the Spirit. This divine image and the trinity is part and parcel of our very existence. We are required to ensure that it shines forth in our daily activities and our interactions with those around us. Christ as our beacon was identified by his ministry, his miracles and his ultimate sacrifice. Christianity is the call for us all to do the same. (Vos, 1912) Furthering the image of God idea is also the recognition of the immortality of our soul."

Visitors who viewed this Essay also liked these:

• Essay # 46836 : "The Image of God"
• Analytical Essay # 85242 : "The Spirit of God"
• Analytical Essay # 16941 : "Characteristics of God"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: