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God's features?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by convicted1, Jan 29, 2012.

  1. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    In the thread I started about whether it was God or Jesus who saves sinners, Brother Iconoclast posted a section from, I think, the LBPF. In it, I found a few words that were most interesting indeed:

    a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts,


    Now I agree wholeheartedly that God is Spirit. However, throughout the bible I read of God having arms, hands, eyes, etc. Now, are the usages of His "parts" allegories, or do you think/believe that He has these parts. Adam was made in His image, and we are made after Adam's. I have always believed that God has arms, hands, legs, etc. Please elaborate on this.


    I am channelling my "inner" Dachaser1/JesusFan this morning. :laugh: J/K with you, Brother Da1.
     
  2. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    The church has historically understood references to God as having body parts to be anthropomorphic language.
     
  3. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    Thanks again Brother Luke. It's amazing what one can learn if one only asks questions.
     
  4. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Willis

    God communicates in language we can understand......

    When we are told God repented......he really never needs to repent.

    When it says God...came down...he does not really have to

    When it says....He bared His might right arm

    5.Psalm 89:13
    Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
    Psalm 89:12-14 (in Context) Psalm 89 (Whole Chapter)
    6.Psalm 98:1
    O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
    Psalm 98:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 98 (Whole Chapter)
    The Bible has examples of God referring to himself in anthropomorphic terms and the biblical writers referring to God in anthropomorphic terms — the purpose being to describe God in terms more understandable to humans. Without anthropomorphism, since God is invisible and immaterial, we would not have a framework on which to understand Him.
     
  5. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    I agree with you and Brother Luke and your assessments. Thank you Brothers for your input and insight into my recent questions. :jesus::godisgood::jesus::godisgood:
     
  6. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    God's "features" are the law. It is impossible for God to lie. His reason for being is Himself, and He cannot deny Himself.

    (Had to pause a moment. These things are too wonderful for me.)

    Christ, being the express image of His Person, was not so because of His physical features, but because of His character and His grace.

    In man, God's image is in "them," man and woman standing together in a covenant relationship ratified by an oath. Marriage and the fruits thereof is the foundation of all human relationships—of society itself. The authority of civil government has its roots in marriage. It is God's image. It is the picture of Christ and His union with the Church, the true marriage.
     
  7. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    Be careful convicted1 or you will have God looking like the 200 ft. man that Oral Roberts claims he saw!

    Luke2427 is correct and I am out of here!
     
  8. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    I may not understand what you are saying and if so please clarify, but how is Jesus any different then God? Why is there a distinction. I hold that Jesus was and is OT Jehovah, the Word, who took on a body and flesh.
    As to God having limbs, no. The Gen. Account about man being created in the image of God is not speaking of what God looks like. The account tells us what that image is in 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.
    That Likeness and image is "gods" and "dominion." This is going to sound blasphemous but here goes. We are created gods, small "G" Psalm 82:6 and John 10:34, because of the dominion given us.
     
    #8 freeatlast, Jan 29, 2012
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  9. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Drop in and say hi whenever you've got the urge or feel up to it Brother. I always enjoy/appreciate your participation here. May the Lord be with you.
     
    #9 kyredneck, Jan 29, 2012
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  10. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    Psalm 91:4 says that God will protect us with His feathers and His wings, but that doesn't mean that God is a great big chicken. :eek:

    It's figurative language.

    And Aaron is right - God's features are His holiness and His sovereignty and His perfection.
     
  11. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Wait a minute! I have it on good authority that God was 6'2 or 6'3 and weighed about 200 pounds, maybe a little more.

    My source is Kenneth Copeland, who also said God's hand was nine inches across, and that Adam was a manifestation of God, therefore equal with God. And, that we are all gods, too.

    Reminds me of a story, probably from someone on the BB. Momma was watching her little boy drawing on a piece of paper.

    "What are you drawing?"
    "I'm drawing a picture of God."
    But son, nobody knows what God looks like."

    The boy kept drawing. "They will when I get through."
     
  12. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    As with most of the 1689 Confession, the quoted OP language is unoriginal.
    "Without body, parts" derives ultimately from the Augsburg Confession's (Latin) incorporeus, impartibilis "incorporeal, indivisible".

    Augsburg Confession
     
  13. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    1 Cor 15:49 and, according as we did bear the image of the earthy, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly.

    Rom 8:29 because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren;


    What is the purpose of the resurrection of the dead?

    Was Jesus actually begotten by God as a man child? Or
    Was Jesus the anthropomorphic the God the Word?

    When Jesus returns will we as resurrected in the image of Jesus be born in that image or will it be just an Metamorphosis man?
     
  14. Skandelon

    Skandelon <b>Moderator</b>

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    Was that Luke's mom? jk :love2:
     
  15. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    I think I just threw up a little.
     
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