20160803 Wednesday, August 3 2016
2 Corinthians 03: Who Did God Call Adam?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created"

The English-language word image can be defined as either an actual physical likeness or model, or a thought process in which something is seen in the mind, or imagined. One is entirely physical, while the other is purely psychological, although there can also be a combination of both e.g. your image in a mirror exists only in your mind (mirrors only "turn on" when there are eyes to receive the light reflections that they produce), while at the same time you physically exist.

Depending on where in the Holy Scriptures that you encounter it, the term "image of God" (from the original words that mean the same as the English term that is used to translate them) is also used in two different ways, not just physical and psychological, but physical and spiritual, and also sometimes in combination.

God is Spirit (i.e. Genesis 1:2, John 4:24), however whenever He appeared to humans He did so in human form (e.g. Genesis 3:8, Exodus 24:10-11), not because He looks like a human, but because humans were created as an image of Him.

In the Old Testament "image Of God" is generally perceived to mean physical. Notice carefully that God used "Adam" according to the meaning of the Hebrew word - man as a species: "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." It was the male who gave the name Eve to the female (Genesis 3:20).

"1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:26-27 KJV)

"5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." (Genesis 5:1-2 KJV)

In the New Testament, references to "image Of God" are spoken in a spiritual way - for the purpose of fulfilling the purpose of the physical state. Notice carefully also that Paul used the Hebrew word for "man," the very same as the LORD did - in referring to species of man.:

"4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:22-25 KJV)

When one understands the meaning of words in Paul's own head, it's easier to understand what he was actually saying.

"3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:1-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why won't there be any marriage in the Kingdom of God?
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