Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.
Make sure to stay with us till the end, where
we'll share some great resources to deepen your
faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon.
Genesis chapter 1, let's read from verse 26.
Then God said, let us make man in our image.
According to our likeness, let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle, over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creeps on
the earth. Verse 27. So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God. He created him
male and female. He created them. So last Sunday,
we began our study on this matter. And we tried
to look at how initially we interpret these texts.
And we saw that particularly true interpretation.
And we saw why. We may be missing some things
if we go that way. And so, actually, the essence
of this part of the teaching is to understand,
essentially, what is the image of God? What is
the image? So, whatever we're going to do, the
end goal is to arrive at a point where we can
specifically define what the image of God is.
And that would help us to know that the image
of God, it will even help us to know what Jesus
was trying to point out when the Pharisee, I
mean, yes, the Pharisee asked him concerning
divorce. And then he pointed them back to this
text. So I want you to note something. The first
thing that God said. about man. Isaiah says,
let us make him in our image. In our image. That's
what in our image, verse 26. Then God said, let
us make man in our image. Now by saying man in
our image, God gives an identity. Please follow
me gradually. I am begging you to pay attention.
You know, sometimes it pains me when I understand
that some of us at the back of our camera were
just playing. I don't know whether I'm still
interested in online search. I mean, I don't
know. So, okay. So, it's verse 26. Now, by saying
man in our image, God... gives or he gave man
an identity different from created things before
him. You know, there are many things which have
been created, but man now came into the picture,
but not as other created things. He said, let
us make man in our image, which means that man
have a different identity. than other created
things. And I want you to note very, very well
here. Man, look at verse 26, particularly verse
27, look at verse 27. He says, so God created
man in his own image, in the image of God, he
created him male and female, male and female.
And I want you to know that male and female you
understand, is man. That is, man is male and
female. So I want you to know that. Don't forget
that. We're coming to it. Again, that male and
female are all in the image of God. They are
all in the image of God. So it means, therefore,
that God is saying the male is just like the
female. Or we can say the male man is just like
The female man is just like the female man. So,
and from now, I want you to be acquainted with
Bible words. You know, some people, I think when
we are dealing, I think last time when we were
talking about understanding the Bible, I made
mention about a particular translation that is
trying to bring these gender guards, you understand,
into the scripture. They try to see how... Instead
of saying sons, you now say sons and daughters.
I mean, we don't need to do that because if you
interpret the Bible well, you understand. Because
don't bring social issues into the Bible. Handle
things sociologically, psychologically, scientifically.
Settle them. They have a way of settling themselves.
Don't bring them into the Word of God. You understand?
Now... Note, as we said, man here does not mean
the male. No, it means male and female. Now,
we have seen that also used in the New Testament.
Sometimes you'll be wondering, you know, I mean,
for example, 2 Timothy 3, verse 16 and 17, it
says that all scriptures is given by the inspiration
of God and is profitable. for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness.
What Servetus says, he said that the man of God,
don't miss it and say, oh, what about woman of
God? Remember again, man is male and female.
That word, I think, is anthroposed in Greek.
By the time if you get the... If you do that,
you understand that he's talking about what we
will be talking about now also. So he's talking
about human beings, not the male man. Are we
together? Hallelujah. So, and the question is
that, is the male and female we read in Genesis
1, 26 and 27, talking about Adam and Eve? Adam
and Eve. Now, first, I want you to know that
just like we noted that the man there, well,
the word man there is Adam. You know, most times,
each time we mention Adam, many people just,
the first thing, we just go to first man. It
could be because you can use a general word for
a single person. For example, you can say, I
met with a man today. You understand? If you
talk, I mean, if you are speaking in Bible language,
it doesn't mean that you meet with a male man.
So, but that doesn't mean that, again, I cannot
use that for a male man. You understand? There's
a way I can say there were 70 human beings. You
understand? There are 70 human beings. Now, you
are not human being, or a human being means Adam,
or it means... A man, you understand, anthropos
in Greek, man, or Adam. Are we together? Man,
Adam, you understand, in Hebrew. So the point
is that when we see, when we hear man, which
means in Hebrew, Adam, it means actually mankind.
It means mankind. It means all human beings,
all human beings, you understand. So, it is also
used, just like I said, it is also used in Genesis
to refer to the male, man, you understand. But
actually, it means mankind. So, in context, it
means mankind is male and female. So, definitely,
and I want us to read, because let's read 26
again. And you see, he says 26, Now, note that
we'll let them have dominion over the fish of
the sea. over the birds of the air. Now, if you're
talking about air, this is not air in Cyprus.
You have to think about air. It's okay about
air because by the time you read to the end,
it said on the earth. So it's talking about the
entire earth, not just in Cyprus or not just
in a particular area. So the fish of the sea,
you rig it on earth, birds on earth, cattle on
earth. You understand? Look at verse 28. over
every living thing that moved on the earth. So
you can look at the influence in the earth. God
could not have been talking to two people. God
could not have been talking to two people. Remember
how we said Adam is mankind. Are we together?
So what he's trying to say is that God is talking
about mankind, not just two people. Not just
two people. He's talking about mankind. And if
you look at it, Adam just had, I mean, the ones
we know their name. Adam had three children.
Are we together? Cain, Abel, and Seth, which
we know. Cain, if you read Genesis 4, 1, you
see Cain. Verse 2 of Genesis 4, you see Abel.
Verse 25 of Genesis chapter 4, you see Seth.
And also chapter 5, verse 3. Of course. In chapter
5 of Genesis verse 4, you hear also Adam had
other sons and daughters. He had other sons and
daughters. But remember, God is not just talking
to two people. He's talking to mankind. So he
couldn't have talked, even if you look at it
as he's talking to just the ones Adam gave birth
to. I mean, how could God have done, I mean,
spoke about all these? That is what he intends
mankind to do on the earth. He could not have
been just two people. I mean, sorry, maybe let's
see, even if it's 50 or 60, how many are we in
Cyprus? Can you be able to cover all the earth?
So he could not have been talking to two people.
So it's really God is talking to mankind, just
like we said. Now, I make you appreciate that.
The word Adam means mankind. Therefore, male
and female are not referring to Adam and Eve
alone, but they are included when talking to
mankind. Now, what is image? What is image? Now,
since we now understand that he's talking about
mankind, what is image? What is image? The word
image is Salem. The word image is Salem. Salem
is S -E -L -E -M. S -E -L -E -M. Salem means
a representative figure. It means a representative
figure or a form. Something that represents something.
A representative figure in Hebrew. That word
Salem. Now, if you look at that text, for example,
you will see another term, our likeness. That
is not just image. It says, let us make man in
our image according to our likeness. Are we together?
According to our likeness. That word likeness
is bemut. Bemut means, bemut in Hebrew is D -E
-M -U -T. D -E -M -U -T. It's actually the same
thing as philem. It means a representation or
representative. It means a model, I mean, or
a resemblance. So it's actually the same thing.
I want you to read Genesis chapter 5, verse 3.
You see that used... they're used together to
mean the same thing in reference to Seth, the
son of Adam. He said, and Adam lived 130 years
and begot his son in his own likeness after his
image. You understand? Which means, or you can
read it this way, that in his own likeness, which
is after his image, you understand, and name
him Seth. So actually, Whether you say likeness
or image, you are talking about the same thing.
So to understand this word image, how it is used,
remember how we did with rip, how we also did
with the bones of my bones. We went through also
the teaching material of Moses because Moses
was the one who first used these words. So we
want to understand what did Moses mean when he
was using the word. And so we will read through
the Moses teaching materials and look at that.
And if possible, maybe look at other texts because
remember we said all the other prophets also
read from Moses and taught from Moses. Are we
together? So we will read also maybe to see how
other prophets use the same word, that word Salem.
I will, first and foremost, I just read chapter
5, verse 3. We're coming back to this text. There's
another text in Genesis chapter 9. We're not
going to read it now because we're going to return
to it. There's a lot of story we need to do with
that text. And I want us to just jump to Numbers
chapter 33. Numbers 33, verse 52. Numbers 33.
Verse 52. Let's first look at how Moses used
that word. Numbers 33, 52. Then you shall drive
out all the inhabitants of the land from before
you. Destroy all their engraved stones. Destroy
all their molded images. That word images is
selim. And demolish all... are their high places.
Note that the word high places actually are places
of idol worship. They are elevated places like
a hill. Normally, those of us that have been
following us and reading the Bible in the air,
we must have read a lot of places. And if you
have not, probably you have heard our man, what
is his name? Patrick from Edu, who used to quote
that Bible popularly. The beauty of Israel is
slain upon the high places, how the mighty are
fallen, telling not in God, publishing not in
the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughter of
the Philistine rejoice, and lest the daughter
of the uncircumcised triumph. And he will start,
Master Speaker, I believe some of us that have
been following, we know. So when he said the
beauty of Israel is slain upon the high places,
high places are just innovative places where
then in those days, Israel used those for idol
worship anyway. The inhabitants of the land normally
used them. So they would go on top of a mountain
or hill and build all those places of where you
worship idols. So I want you to see that they
say molded images. So they say form. They molded
something in the sense to represent something.
Are we together? Look at 1 Samuel chapter 6.
1 Samuel chapter 6 verse 5. 1 Samuel chapter
6. Verse 5. He says, You understand? So you can
see that now images of tumor, images of rat is
a pattern. They've understood that. Those images
represent something. You understand? They represent
something. So the representative is what we call
as image. 1 Kings chapter 11 verse 18. 1 Kings.
11, 18. Then they arose from Midian and came
to Parham, and they took men with them from Parham
and came to Egypt. Am I reading the right place?
Verse 18. Sorry, let me check that text. Maybe
I missed that text. Okay, it's 2nd. It's supposed
to be 2nd. 2nd Kings, sorry. 2nd Kings. It's
supposed to be 2nd Kings. 11. verse 18. And all
the people of the land went to the temple of
Baal and tore it down. They thoroughly broke
in pieces its altar and images and killed Muthan
and priest of Baal before the altar and the priest
appointed officers over the house of the Lord.
So, again, you can see. Now, I want you to see
that images is in relation to temple. Because
you can't, I'll show you, again, some words.
Let's go, maybe I'll talk about that more. Verse
is 2 Chronicles, the next text, 2 Chronicles
23, verse, 2 Chronicles, sorry, not 3, 23, verse
17. 2 Chronicles 23 verse 17. 23 verse 17. And
all the people went to the temple of Baals and
tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars
and images. Again, its images. I want you to
know that these images are in relation to temple.
And kill Mutan. You understand? and the priest
of Baals before the altar. Just the same as we
read in 2 Kings. And go to Psalm 39. Psalm 39,
verse 6. Psalm 39, verse 6. Surely every man
walks about like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves
in vain. He heaps up riches and does not know.
Who will gather them? I miss this scripture.
Look at 73 verse 20. 73 verse 20. Psalm 73 verse
20. I said, dream when one awakes, so the Lord,
when you awake, you will despise their images.
Not what images there is salame. Look at Ezekiel.
Look at Ezekiel 7 verse 20. Ezekiel 7 verse 20.
As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it
in majesty. But they made it the images of their
abomination, their detestable things. Therefore,
I have made it like refuse of things. I want
you to know that what images of their abomination
and detestable things. So which means that the
images represent something that is their abomination
and their detestable things. Go to Ezekiel 23.
Just move ahead a little bit. Ezekiel 23 verse
14. Ezekiel 23 verse 14. But she increased her
lot. She looked at men portrayed on the world.
Images of Chaldeans portrayed in Vermilion. Again,
I want you to note that images of Chaldeans.
Did you see that? So which means that these images
are something that they portrayed. Or represent.
They represent. something. Now, Amos chapter
5, that's the last scripture that we have. Amos
chapter 5. Look at verse 26. He said, you also
carried Silco, your king, and Chium, your idol.
Actually, the name looked like an idol. Chium,
your idol, the star of your God, which you made.
for yourself. So I want you to know that word
idol means image, salem. It's the same word with
image, salem. So in other words, an idol is an
image of the gods. That's why it says you and
your idols, the star of your gods, which you
made. for yourself. So what can we see in how,
this is how the writers of the Bible use it.
So we can see that how the writers of the Bible
use the word Salem is as a representative or
representative figure of something. Like in the
last text we saw, you understand, an idol. So
in this ancient time they use it. as something,
a representation or a representative of an unseen
God or deity. You understand what I'm saying?
Or deity. So an image, we can then define that
an image is a concrete, tangible expression or
representative figure of something. that is not
seen or something unseen. Now, when you go back
to Genesis 1, Genesis 1, verse 27, if you look
at verse 27, it says, so God created. Now, this
is used in reference to God, not in reference
to gods or other things we see they use image
for. Now, God created man in his own image. In
the image of God, he created him, male and female.
He created them. So, that word, God created man
in his own image. Now, since we now understand
that image is representative. Which means that
man is a representative figure of an unseen or
invisible God. Let me come back, come again.
So, Salem, we can then explain it as the image
is the representative figure. Or we can say man,
because our focus is man, man is the representative
figure of an unseen God or an... invisible God,
a representative figure. Now, I want you to note
something before I move here. Pay attention now.
Now, in that Genesis, verse 26 and 27, we can
therefore, from all this understanding we have
now, you know, in this place, when you look at
it, it says that word in our image. Now, And
I want you to do that. When you look at our other
Bible resources, you understand, in wanting to
take the word in Hebrew, in the original, you
will see that that word in our image, is that
a word? A phrase, rather. In our image is what
is referred to the Salem. Actually, Salem is
the image. But you see, that word in our was...
like an addition, you understand, all together.
So that because when you are reading it in English,
so that it can make sense. Not that you say,
so God created man image. Do you understand what
I'm saying? You get what I'm saying. So you say
in our image. So what that means is that also
when you read 27, you will discover both when
you check whether BibleHawk or BLB Bible, you
will see that also in 27, that word. They are
in his own image. Altogether is what is called
the Salen. So what that means is that by our
understanding now that it's a representation.
So instead of us to say image, we can explain.
I mean, instead of us to say in, we can explain
it now and say that God created man as his image
or as his representative. You know, remember
we said representative is Salem. So if you substitute
Salem as image there, you can see, so God created
man in his own representative figure. No. So
if you can see that, we can explain it that way,
that man is created as God's representative figure.
Now just come with me. I'm trying to build the
cases somewhere. I'm going. So, verse 27 again
gives us something I want you to note before
we move away from here, from there. He said he
created him male and female. He created them.
This indicates that image is a collective identity.
Please, I don't want you to forget this. Image
is a collective identity because it's a male
and female. So, image. It's what unites us. Are
we together? It's what unites us. I'm going to
return back to that term. It's a collective identity.
So because it's a collective identity, it means
that I, as a man, don't have a unique identity
from the woman. As a man, I do not have a unique
identity from the woman. That means our identity
is the same. Now, in relationships, the woman,
yes. It's a wife. And in the wife, she plays
a different role. We see that, for example, she
gives back to children. Even though these days
there is some confusion happening in the world,
some people say they move, you know, they say
they want to give back. I don't understand. I
mean, that a male wants to give back. It was,
anyway, she was a female, but now she says she
is a male. You understand? You know what I mean
by she's a male? But now, From she, she say,
he now. You understand? And then because it's
he now, so he now said, I am pregnant and I'm
going to give birth. So the he was a she before,
but now turns he and say, oh, a man give birth.
But the he was a she, but now transited to a
he and say, now a man give birth. Anyway, so
even by signs. They removed a womb or created
a womb. Of course, we have bottles that are intubators.
So we can create a form of an environment whereby
a child can go. So even if science succeeded,
we know it doesn't change like they say man and
they say woman. Are we together? Hallelujah.
As I said, let's study Bible. Leave science alone.
All of them, they will be confused and return
back again. What am I trying to say? I am trying
to say that that image is a collective identity.
In identity, we are the same with the female.
Men, we are just like the female. So, we should
know that God doesn't have two kinds of human.
He has singular kinds of man. He's a male and
female, both in the image of God. Remember, we
have already come to a point to know that man
is a representative figure of God. We're going
to build on that, but hold that very well, which
that's what it means by image. So in the image
of God, he created him male and female. He created
them. This tells us also, not just that we have
a collective identity, but that it tells us again
who we are. That is our identity. But it also
tells us whose we are. Whose we are. Because
he said God. So it tells us again whose we are.
Not just who we are, but it tells us whose we
are. You understand? Whose we are. We came from
God. We... represents God on the earth. So we
are of God. We belong to God. So you can see
two things connecting us. We belong to God. We
are also, remember, who we are, which is our
identity. But that identity unites us. We say
it's a collective identity. It unites us with
others. So I want you to know that. So when we
say representative, we're not talking about the
man alone. We're talking about both the man and
the woman. Which means is that it is anti of
your identity to say you want to stay alone.
It is anti of your identity to say you want to
stay alone. Actually, loneliness... Is actually
anti -God's agenda. Did you understand what I'm
saying? Isolation is anti -God's agenda. It's
not in God's plan. When you say you are in the
image. Means that he is supposed to be together.
Remember what Jesus told the Pharisees. They
are saying divorce. Jesus said no, no, no, no.
In the beginning it was not so. He made them.
male and female, which means that he made them
male and female in the image. In the image means
also that it's a collective identity, not for
them to stay apart, but to unite in the agenda
of God. I don't know whether you get what I'm
trying to say. So you cannot use the word and
say, me, I just want to stay alone. I want to
be alone. You should know that you're already
working against your identity. You understand?
It's not correct. Say, Sami, I don't know how
to speak with people. No, it's not how to speak
with people. You are actually faking your life.
That's a fake life you are living if you are
living an isolated life. It's a fake life. Because
how God desire and plan it is for you to walk
in unity with others. It's to walk collectively
because we have a collective identity. It's not
to put away, but... to stay together you know
another thing again sometimes that has been found
into the scripture unfortunately which has caused
perversion of scripture and actually the theology
of the of the bible or the theology of the church
is this what we call the theory of uniqueness
you know that's the way we speak of uniqueness
you know in the bible when the bible speaks of
our uniqueness it speaks of our uniqueness as
a collective term, not as individualistic. Please,
I want you to know that. When he said in 1 Peter
2 .9 that ye are, you understand, a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a unique people or peculiar
people. That uniqueness is not talking about
as individualism or as As independent, each other.
No, he's talking about, that's why he said, a
choosing generation. So you must know that any
uniqueness that seek to make you an individual,
independent of each other, is not actually of
God. It's not in the agenda of God to be independent
in the sense that you do not need anyone. We
ought to work collectively. Because our identity
is collective. So you hear all this kind of inspiration.
Of course, sometimes it's good to inspire people,
but not without an understanding of the agenda
of God. So you see all this one, hey, you are
unique. Hey, you are this. Hey, you are that.
Oh, you are only the only one in the world. Nobody
is like you. You are the only, only one in the
sun. Your DNA is different. Your DNA fingerprint.
I mean, do you know what I mean? Your fingerprint
is different. The color of your eye is different.
You understand? You are an individual. So, we
use those terms to look as if that suggests uniqueness.
I want to make you to understand that those differences
does not depict uniqueness. Hallelujah. So, we
are all humans in the image of God. Whether you
are tall or slim, fat or light -skinned or dark,
you are a human being. Humanity unites us all.
Now, we would actually miss the will of God each
time we look at ourselves from this. So when,
look at it, even when Christ came, he brought
us into oneness, whereby... There is neither
Jew or Gentile. You understand? All these divisions
that says to separate us. He tried to bring us
to make us know that we are one. And if you are
going to walk in the will of God, you must understand
that God desires a family. God desires a community.
God is not walking with an individual. He is
walking with the church. So that when you read
your Bible, read it correctly. When he says Christ
in you, the hope of glory, he's not talking about
an individual. He's talking to a church. When
he says you are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
he was talking to a church and not just a single
individual. Yes, you can claim it as an individual,
but because you are in a community. Glory to
Jesus. So I want you to note, so that you don't
see that. You are away from the community and
you feel happy. You understand? No, not at all.
Okay, what is image? Again, we said an image
is the representative figure or we said is a
form of an unseen God, physically, tangible,
concrete expression of the invisible God. It's
a collective term. I'm talking about to say that...
We are God's representative on earth. So man
is God's representative on earth. Now, I want
to just say another thing regarding image again.
Now, one of the very reasons why some, remember
we said image is an identity. It's a collective
identity. One of the reasons, yes, which again,
we normally move faster to talk on that, that
word image. means the man in christ again is
when we read also verse 28 and then we connect
it that's jesus 120 and then we connect it with
uh hebrews let's go to hebrew hebrews chapter
2 hebrews chapter 2 verse 6 let's read from verse
6 the writer of hebrew was quoting from psalms
8 So he says 6, he says, in subjection under
his feet. Did you see what? This is just an echo
of Genesis. You have put all things under his
feet. Did you see that? Set him over the works
of your hands. But look at verse 8. You have
put all things in subjection under his feet.
He didn't say he will. He said you have. You
understand? But look at the continuing statement
of verse 8. He said, For in that he put all in
subjection under him, he left nothing that is
not put under him. But now we do not yet see
all things put under him. But we see Jesus, verse
9, who was made a little lower than angels for
the suffering of death crowned with glory and
honor. Now, because we see the word there, he
said, but now we do not yet see all things put
under him. But we see Jesus. You know, because
we see that line. And then connected with verse
28 of Genesis, we say, He blessed them, multiply,
have dominion, and so on and so forth. You understand?
Subdue, you understand? Feel, replenish, all
those things. And we say, ah, because we do not
yet see man exercising those functions. You understand?
Then we say, ah, no, no, no, no, no. Man is not
in the image. So it is Jesus that brought us
the image of God. But you see, here he's not
talking about, remember, that's why I say you
should note verse 7 and also 8. He said, you
have put all things in the sand, which means
that image is an identity, it's not a functionality.
The fact that, please, I want you to know that
because we're coming to expand that. The image
is an identity, not a functionality. You understand?
Not a functionality. So, in other words, if you
check that place where he says, where he says,
what is man? You know, you see that verse 6,
right? What is man? He didn't say man is defined
by what? he put under him or by those things.
No, he's not defining man by what man does. Man
is not defined by what he did or did not do.
Because that's where we are mixing the two, you
understand. So the point I'm making is that functionality,
that's why we said human beings, Adam or Anthropos
talks about the being. not the doing. So we don't
say human doing, but human being, because that's
the identity. You understand? The identity. So
it's the same thing, for example, if you have,
let's say, a person who is born again and has
never prophesied before. Will you say that this
man is not born again? No, no, you can't say
that. The fan that is not functioning, doesn't
make or doesn't invalidate his identity in Christ.
You understand? He doesn't invalidate that. But
then, yes, his functioning actually emanates,
will emanate from his identity. That's just what
I'm trying to say. But not on the other way around.
Again, you could find somebody probably like
trying to mimic and prophesy. You cannot say
he's born again because functionality does not
actually produce identity. But of course, identity
will eventually produce the functionality. But
what we're trying to say is that when it comes
to the image of God, it's an identity issue and
not functionality. So that when you are reading,
when you see dominion, and you have not yet seen
man exercising those rights, doesn't mean that
he's not man. Understand? But it's just that
it means... to functionality as well. Eventually,
we're going to talk about that. How does that
relate together? Very important. So again, image
speaks of identity, which is being, not functionality.
Not functionality or function. So identity is
not what we do. Identity... is why we do what
we do. So it speaks of the why, not speaks of
what we do, but why we do what we do. So image
is being while doing, of course, because we are
a human being, we will have to do something.
You understand? The doing, you understand, will
come from the being, which is identity and then
functionality. Hallelujah. Okay, so let's go
back to, let me introduce some thoughts in Genesis
chapter 5 before we close for today. Genesis
chapter 5, let's return back there. Now, I'm
going back now to start with Genesis chapter
5. Let me read from verse 1 because it echoes
Genesis also. 1 Corinthians 6 and 37. He said,
this is the book of the genealogy of Adam. I
want you to pay attention. Genealogy of Adam.
This chapter 5, genealogy of Adam. Let me emphasize
again. In the day that God created man, he made
him in the likeness of God. He created them,
male and female, and blessed them and called
them mankind. In the day they were created. Verse
3. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years
and begot a son in his own likeness after his
own image and name him Seth. So we can see now
again the word image, not the word image and
likeness. And the image and likeness is Seth.
In the image of Adam. You understand. And likeness
of Adam. So what can we see. About the word again.
Image here. So we can just see that. This word
image. Is relational. Remember I told you. That
the image is a collective identity. Here we see
that. Image is relational. So we can say that.
Image is some. Because. Here he said he begat
a son in his image. So image relates to what
we can say image is son or image is family. Or
talks about family, talks about kingship. Again,
pay attention to these words. So image means
son. Image means family. Image means kingship.
Image means... This collective, remember again
we said, is a collective identity. It's a collective
identity. So remember also, very, very important,
that, let me return back where those words I
said, which means that image means we belong
to one another. It's not isolation. Image is
family. Image is a collective term. Image means
we belong to one another. Image means we are
not independent. This already is a message to
many of those, again, that wants to be isolated.
I want to be left alone. No. You see, in the
image of other means they are relation. They
are a family. Set is a family. is a family of
Adam. That family. Now, to close, let me take
you to Luke. Go to Luke chapter 30. I want to
start introducing. Maybe I will continue next
week. Why is Jesus called the image of God? Why
is Jesus called the image of God? So I'll start
introducing it. Go to Luke. Let's come to the
New Testament. I mean, the part of the scripture,
the gospel that we see. Luke chapter 3. Look
at Luke chapter 3. Let's read from verse 23.
Luke chapter 3, verse 23. Now Jesus himself began
his ministry. At about 30 years of age, being
as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of
Heli, the son of Matat, the son of Levi, the
son of Melchi, the son of Jana, the son of Joseph,
the son of Matatia, the son of Amos, the son
of Nahum, the son of Isli, the son of... Forgive
my pronunciation of these names. The son of Malti,
the son of Adi, the son of Kosan, the son of
Elmodan, the sons of Er, the sons of Joseph,
the sons of Elisa, the sons of Jerome, the son
of Matat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon,
the sons of Judah, the sons of Joseph, the sons
of Jonah, the sons of Eliak. the sons of Malia,
the sons of Manan, the sons of Matahat, the sons
of Nahum, the sons of David, the sons of Jesse,
the sons of Obed, the sons of Boaz, the sons
of Salmon, the sons of Nahum, the sons of Aminadab,
the son of... Ram, the son of Hezron, the son
of Perez, the sons of Judah, the sons of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son
of Terah, the son of Naum, the son of Zerubb,
the son of Rehu, the sons of Pelech, the sons
of Eber, the sons of Shelah, the sons of Canaan,
the sons of... The sons of Adam, the son of God.
Now, you see how, now this is, what Luke did
was to restate Genesis chapter 5. It also, it
talks about Adam and Seth. Born, set in the image
of Adam. But this just restated Genesis chapter
5. Remember I told you to note verse 1. He said
the genealogy of Adam. Now he, because... Matthew,
we studied that in the cell, Matthew traced the
genealogy of Jesus and stopped at Abraham. But
Luke, because he's talking to the Gentiles, he
traced them back to Adam. But not just to Adam,
Luke said the son of God, all together came from
God. So he went back not just only to Genesis,
you know, he moved back also to Genesis chapter
1, verse 26 and 27. I want to note this. Remember,
if you note here, you see that if you are using
King James, you see that the son is in italics.
Normally, we taught that. If you see in italics,
it means that the authors just introduced that.
Are we together? It wasn't the original. So,
when I mean by the authors, I mean the translators.
But you see, if you go back to Genesis chapter
5, you will see that that relationship is father
-son relationship. So this addition is not wrong.
You understand? Because they're father -son relationship.
You understand? So in Luke chapter 3, what we
see is that it took us back to Genesis. So what
can you see about Jesus now here? Jesus is a
son of man, so he's a son of God. His son of
God is because he become a man. So image, image
has to do, you understand, with man, not spirit.
I don't know whether you get what I'm trying
to say. So Jesus become in a man is why he is
called the image. You understand? So again, Because
he became a man. So remember we say image is
a son. So that's why it's not like a confusion
here to say he is the son of God. But remember
we said image is son. But then also we trace
his human genealogy back to Adam. We're going
to expand on that. It's not just only here because
we said theology. I mean, it has to do through
the scripture, not just only on one. So I will
continue next time on these thoughts from here.
We will continue from here. Hallelujah. We're
thankful you joined us today. Don't forget to
subscribe so you're always connected to our latest
sermons. You can also explore more about NECF
on our website or follow us online. We look forward
to having you with us next time. God bless.