Last week we journeyed together in part one of our Faithfulness in a parallel word series – The subject was Faithful in our giving.
This morning we will explore Made in God’s Image, faithful to his plan.
No other institution in the 20th century has under gone greater attack than the two I will mention here.
#1 The Family and #2 The church - The battle subtle at first, has become full blown in our present day.
And there is a very specific reason for that.
Let me refresh your memory on the meaning of a parallel World.
Rev. 4:11 tells us - You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created.
The Alternate to that is found in Romans 1
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
We know Gods Will – We see it in the Lords Prayer
• Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
• But one look around us tells us there are 2 systems, 2 worlds in play.
IT ALL BEGAN IN THE GARDEN IN GEN 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. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
In vs. 26 we see the plural used – Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.
That is the complex picture of the Father / Son / And Holy Spirit - 3 personality traits but 1 God.
God the Father - Many of us who are dads can relate. He is the ultimate authority in creation.
Jesus the son who came in a bodily form that we might visibly see the character or characteristics of God
The Holy Spirit came if you will as our comforter and guide, who reveals to us the heart and mind of God, speaking to our Soul.
Likewise we are made 3 part Body / Soul / Spirit That is what is meant by being made in the words “ our image and likeness.” We are one person but possess all 3 distinct characteristics.
Just as I am a Husband, a Father, and a pastor. But I am one man. ICE/STEAM/WATER - EGG
• When we understand that we then understand why our faithfulness to His design is absolutely essential. We are called to the Godly side of this parallel world.
Vs. 27 re-enforces that there is only one God - 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
• But that’s not all vs. 27 tells us – It further reveals the complexity of God’s design.
male and female created he them.
He uses the singular Him in that vs. and then turns around and uses the word THEM.
So let’s understand that.
Let’s begin with what He named the man. - Adam / GENDER: Masculine
Likewise the general character or nature of God is masculine – Hence why we call him our heavenly Father. Not God Father/Mother as one attack in our day has been.
I truly believe the breakdown in the home, the fatherless homes is a symptom of a break in that plan of God.
A symptom is a departure from normal function. When we look at so many families that are fatherless we see a totally different picture than God gave us. A parallel picture, and opposite.
From there we are told about the inclusion of the female, the help mate, many say the balance.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
Ok let’s start with the name Eve. Unlike Adam, its feminine Gender – Totally different
• So let’s review. God gender wise is masculine as is Adam. YET is made up of 3 distinct characters or characteristics FATHER SON SPRIT as man is BODY SOUL SPIRT
Deut 6:4 Shema Israel Yahweh Eloheinu Yaweh Echad..
Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one, yet word Ecad is compound unity. Multiple parts but 1
1. Friend this sheds light on why the whole one man one woman in marriage is so critical to the continence of civilization. One man and one woman is what God meant when he made us in Gods Image. ( In the parallel word this is called an attack on ones rights, but its anything but that)
Jesus reiterated that very thing in Matthew 19 vs. 4
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female
OK so the next question logically becomes why – And that is answered in multiple places in scripture. But well start with Gen 1:28 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
2 Things seen here - Procreation and intimate fellowship working in unity.
Eve’s name means the mother of all living – Without her civilization ceases to be.
I Cor 11 sheds light on this - 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Man and woman are Co-partners and that is how the Godhead works.
• That same thing seen in human birth – God forming a child in the womb of the mother, from the seed of the father. The unity of the two genders – necessary in creating a new life.
It’s a picture of the Unity that God desires, the unity that exists in the Godhead .
It’s the heart of the priestly prayer that Jesus prays for the Church in its relationship with Christ in John 17
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
This is that same unity in the Church, that is seen in the marriage.
1. So they may be brought to complete unity. Oneness, each doing its intended part.
2. So that the world will know God, will see him both in the union of a man and woman and in the church.
That’s why – division is so detrimental in the church. It’s why satan tries so hard to create division and confusion, and rebellion in the church. The alternate world needs the home and church to be fractures so that the image and likeness we were created in is marred beyond recognition.
It’s not rocket science – Its divine design, meant to keep His image alive through out every generation.
Which is why Satan has attacked it so bad. Its why we have sinful behavior like fornication, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, child abuse, each of them attack that picture of God that He wants the world to see both in marriage and in the church.
Hebrews 13:4 declares 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. ( And yet divorce and infidelity are rampant.)
That’s the parallel world. The world satan is working so hard to complete.
Marriage has never been under a greater attack than it is today. PLAY VIDEO
Adultery distorts the very faithfulness of God - God is always faithful to us.
And it takes a man and a woman in a faithful, monogamous relationship ship to show the Godhead. To reveal the character of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
1. The Male alone cannot fully define the complete image of God.
2. Likewise the Female is also not the full spectrum of image of God.
3. When male and female become one flesh, and yield to His Spirit they will represent the full spectrum of God.
The lack of either over time is devastating. More than that it’s a distorted view of God.
When we only have half which is what divorce usually leave we have a unbalanced understanding of God and bad image that is presented to mankind.
When we have two of one gender we have a totally confusing picture. NOT ONLY is it sinful but it’s destructive. One that in no way represents God. One that will in time destroy the image of God.
• There is no means to be fruitful and multiply, and its base connection is sensual.
Attacks today on marriage, are endless. And unless we see the hand of satan in it we end up buying the lie that times have just changed. The seek to force us into their alternate world.
But yielding to that world – Has led to things like human trafficking, in many cases the end of Marriage.
The very character and heart, as well as the purpose of God has been and is being obscured.
I want to close understanding the effects of the fall on the creation of these parallel worlds.
Understanding the fall: This is what has come from it.
a. molestation
b. fornication
c. adultery
d. divorce,
e. violence against women (rape) also emotional, or verbal violence.
f. killing babies in the womb (abortion)
g. homosexuality – male or female
h. sexual dysfunction among married couples
i. transgenderism
j. polyamory – having more than one romantic relationship going at a time – Swapping.
k. pornography
To be honest its hard to speak to any crowd where someone isn’t either the victim of some of the things, or the perpetrator of them.
The Long and short is forgiveness can be given or received, lives can be restored.
And the image that God intended can be restored.
Closing Remarks -
