The Bible Says . . .

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

What is the thought God would convey to us in these two remarkable verses of the Bible? Does it mean that if we want to see God, all we need do is to look in a mirror? God is a Spirit and we don't look like God but Christ looks like us because for our sakes, He became a man.

Among other things, as our Triune God contemplated our creation, the decision was made to make us triune, body, soul, and spirit, after the pattern of the Trinity. Considering the intricate design of the human body; the exquisite capability of the human mind; and man's capacity for fellowship with God (I John 1:3), We must be of utmost importance to our all-wise God and loving Redeemer.

Since Adam, billions of individuals have inhabited this globe, (the population of China, alone, is presently about one billion ), yet of all who ever lived, no two have ever been exactly the same. Isn't that amazing! In a sense, the process of creation is still going on. In every generation God has been Saying, "Let us make Jim Jones." "Let us make Ole Olson." "Let us make Mao Tse-tung." "Let us make Charlie Grier."

We are important to God, not only as nations, or as races, but as individuals. God is interested in you! He loves you as much as He would love you, were you the only man, or woman on earth. He understands you better than you understand yourself. David prayed, "Thou knowest my down siting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off" (Psalm 139:2).

Every part of our make-up is important to God. Our body is important. Our soul is important. Our spirit is important. We will briefly consider all three.

God gave us these bodies -- they are a gift from Him. We have no right to mutilate or desecrate them, with ta-too's or other markings (Lev.19:28). We have no right to abuse our bodies with alcohol, tobacco or drugs. We have no right to cremate our bodies. After we make Christ our Savior and Lord, our bodies become the Temple of the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 6:19-20 see also I Cor. 3:16,17).

The Bible is emphatic about proper burying of the dead (see Gen. 23:17-20; 25:7-10; 49:28-33 plus 50:12,13; 50:25,26 plus Ex. 14:19).

The soul is our personality. We sometimes say, "He, or she was a dear old soul." We really don't have a soul -we ARE one. Animals have souls, every cat and every dog has it's own personality. That is why we learn to love them. All animals are different from humans, however, in that they DO NOT have eternal souls. There is no life after death for any creature other than man. "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21).

Some vegetarians say to eat meat is murder, because animals are the same as humans. There is not a single verse in the Bible to substantiate such teachings. In Bible times every household, able to afford it, had it's fatted calf. Red meat was a part of the sacrifices frequently offered, and partaking of that feast was part of Israel's worship service. Our soul is important because it came from God and will return to it's Maker -- either to enjoy eternal bliss with Him or eternal punishment in Hell.

Our spirit is that part of our being capable of communion and fellowship with God. When the Christian dies his soul and spirit go directly to Heaven, (II Cor. 5:8). Because man was invested with a spirit, as well as a soul, the image of God lost in the fall, is gradually being restored in the lives of believers through the Redemption of Calvary (Gal. 4:19). True, there are border-line Christians; whose lives presently resemble Christ in a very limited way. Some of these people will undoubtedly go to heaven, but they miss out on the joy that could be their's. The joy of the Lord results from full obedience to the known will of God.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

God would have every part of our being -- body, soul, and spirit totally surrendered to Him. Then we can sing, with the poet: