Image of God - Part 3

A misused biblical concept that has caused confusion is something the New Covenant writings call "the flesh." Depending on the context "flesh" can refer to one of several things. It could mean our physical bodies. It could refer to living creatures, both humans and animals. It could refer to human or animal soft tissue. The spiritual usage of the word refers to our human nature, but specifically that part of our nature that is prone to sin.

The Bible understands that human beings have a natural disposition that is contrary to God's character. We also come into the world under God's wrath. This is our inheritance from our first parents, Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God's directives in the Garden of Eden. Since then we have not been able to make ourselves right with God. Our lifestyles are the outcome of our state of alienation from God.

When God gave his commandments to the people of Israel, he was revealing his standards to us. One of the reasons for this revelation was to show us that we fall short of those standards and thus need his provision of salvation in order to be restored to a right relationship with him. There is nothing we can do of our own efforts that can bridge the gap between ourselves and God.

Where confusion arises is when we think of our personalities, abilities, and gifts as the flesh. While everything about us has been effected by sin, this should not be confused by our simple humanness. Our being human and much of what goes with that is not sinful in itself. Being a man or being a woman is not in itself sinful. The ability to sing or build things is not sinful. Appreciating a kindness or loving a child is not sinful. All these things are not what they should be due to the reality of sin, but the things themselves are not sinful.

The reality of sin in our lives does not fully negate the preeminence of the image of God. Every human being continues to reflect God is so many ways. It may be necessary to repeat that the our continuing to bear God's image does not make us right with God. Still, our not being right with God doesn't eradicate God's image.