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January 25, 2011

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Shaun

Selwyn,

I've followed this site for at least 4 years now. I have to say you hit the realities of our time square on the head time and time again. Great article. Yes, people are different. There are probably thousands of articles demonstarting genetic differences between "races" or more accurately, population groups where often enough skin color is one of many strong identifiers. We do share a common bond of humanity. Keeping this in mind, I cannot see why so many are so against discussing racial matters. The great taboo of our time which cripples the West and contributes to its downfall.

Philip France

Selwyn's article is prescient but I would like to elaborate on a specific comment that he made:

"The real solution here is not to deny group differences but embrace them as part of God’s plan. It is to understand that people are valuable not because of what they can do but because of what they are: children of God, created in His image."

This statement, accurately quoted from the Bible, begs the question "what is the image of God?” Please bear with me as I share my understanding of this.

The answer is found in the Book (or Gospel, if you will) of St. John in chapter 4, verse 24: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth". Please be patient while I develop this further.

In the Book of Genesis, there are three words associated with the arrival of man and mankind. These words are "formed", "made" and "created". They have three corollaries in the words "body", "soul" and "spirit".

In the early chapters of Genesis, it is written that "the Lord God "formed" man of the dust of the ground - this is the human body but as yet it is a lifeless form. It then says "let us make man in our image" leading to the phrase (Gen. 2:7) "and man became a living soul". In verse 27 of chapter 1, it is written "so God created man in his own image" The "image of God = spirit.

Therefore, original man was a three-part creature, one of body, soul and spirit. Please bear with me. God also instructed this new creation that he would dominion over the earth (scholars have suggested that he had dominion over the cosmos).

In verse 17 of Genesis, chapter two, God warns this new creation that he may "freely eat" of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and further warns that if he were to transgress this warning on "THE day that thou eatest thereof thou SHALT SURELY die."

Well, did he eat? He surely did. Did he die THAT day? The narrative suggests otherwise (at least on the surface), but he SURELY did die. The spirit-component of this new man died. H lost his connection with God as a spirit. He also lost dominion of the cosmos and transferred it to God’s arch-enemy, Satan (hence, the sufferings of mankind and his surroundings ever since).

Since then, every man except one (who was conceived via supernatural means) has been born dead in trespasses and in sin. It took the human sacrifice of Jesus, the Nazarene (the “lamb of God”) to restore this component. This component, that of God's holy spirit, is that which reconciles us to God. It redeems us, it sanctifies us (this means "to be made holy") and it guarantees us eternal life. This is what is meant by being "born again" - we are "born again" of God's holy spirit.

To cement this beautiful reality, read the first three chapters of the Book of Ephesians, the pinnacle of revelation to the modern church. We are told (ch. 1, v. 4 that we are "holy and without blame before Him in love". Without blame? It is written that we have "obtained an inheritance" (v. 11). Continue reading and see the great love that Our Creator has for us but also the mighty power we have when we energize this new reality.

In chapter 3, verse 12 (reading from my KJV) it is written that we have "access" with "boldness and "confidence" to God, by Christ. The word "access" should be understood as "privileged escort" as though you are escorted by a Vatican guard to an audience with the Pope, only on an eternal scale.

All of this post is to elaborate on and explain the results of my research when we speak of man being "created in God's image". We started out that way, but it ended quickly and it ended badly (6,000+ years of sin and death). Thanks be to God that His plan of salvation included a "stimulus" - believe in Christ the Lord and "thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9-10) whereby we might once again be created in His image.

I thank Selwyn and all of his readers for allowing me to share the results of my years of research and for considering these observations deeply.

God bless you all.

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