How are we to be like God?

[AdHoc]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

[polonius]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

RESPONSE: Simple. "existent"

What could be simpler or more basis. Anything that does not in fact exist cannot be God.

[polonius]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

RESPONSE: Simple. "existent"

What could be simpler or more basis. Anything that does not in fact exist cannot be God.

[myth-one.com]

How are we to be like God?

There are two differences between men and angels as described in the book of Genesis. They are body type and knowledge of good and evil. Trees in the Garden of Eden represented each of these differences:

Eating from the tree of knowledge would result in mankind knowing good from evil.

And eating from the Tree of Life would result in mankind gaining everlasting life.

When man ate from the Tree of Knowledge he became closer to becoming a godly being in that he knows good from evil.

The only remaining difference is body type, physical versus spiritual.

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (Genesis 3:22-23)

Speaking of those who shall inherit the Kingdom of God in the world to come, Jesus states:

Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels... (Luke 20:36)

Jesus told Nicodemus how a man can enter the Kingdom of God:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus did not understand how someone could be born again. Therefore, he specifically asked that question:

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (John 3:4)

Jesus gives him a straightforward answer. This is the definition of being born again of the Spirit:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

Jesus states that no man can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born a second time. Our first and obvious birth is a physical process involving water. We are composed of approximately 70% water and carried in water in the womb.

All humans who have been born since the creation of Adam and Eve have been born of water. This first birth gets us into the animal kingdom as Homo sapiens, or man.

Only Two type of beings are described in the scriptures:

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:44)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Man has already been born of the flesh.

To become like God, one must be born again of the Spirit.

Therefore, only one difference separates man from God and the angels in the Kingdom of God.

That difference is type of body.

[onewithhim]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

Everything.

We are to become as He is. We don't know exactly what we'll be like, but we know we shall be like Him at His appearing.

You don't understand .......no one will EVER be exactly like God Almighty. Even Jesus can never be exactly like God Almighty because Jesus came into being BECAUSE OF God Almighty. I don't believe that anything can be as great as its Creator.

God created humans to live on this planet, physically, forever.

"As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah, but the earth he has given to the sons of men." (Psalm 115:16)


He did not make the earth as something that will one day be wasted or destroyed.

"For thus saith the LORD [YHWH] that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD [YHWH]; and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)


We can be like Him as much as humans were meant to be like Him. It has been said here on this thread that we can live up to the end-goal that He set up for us in His own mind. The end-goal wasn't to be as perfect as HE is, but as perfect as humans can be, with any limits put in place by Him.


What you and others don't get is that only 144,000 people from the earth are going to heaven and will be like Jesus is. They have been chosen to rule with Christ over the earth for a thousand years. (Revelation 5:10 and 20:6b) They will be ruling over US, the great crowd that comes through the Great Tribulation (Rev.7:14). We will always be physical humans, equipped to enjoy the wonders that Jehovah created for us on this beautiful planet.

To think otherwise is tantamount to calling God a liar, and His plans as unacceptable.

"The earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:9)

[onewithhim]

How are we to be like God?

There are two differences between men and angels as described in the book of Genesis. They are body type and knowledge of good and evil. Trees in the Garden of Eden represented each of these differences:

Eating from the tree of knowledge would result in mankind knowing good from evil.

And eating from the Tree of Life would result in mankind gaining everlasting life.

I think you have everything upside down, inside out and backward.

"The tree of the knowledge of good and bad" was not how you figured it to have been. It didn't mean that it HELD knowledge of good and bad. It meant that anyone who ate from it was declaring that they wanted to decide for themselves what was good or bad. In other words, they would be declaring themselves independent of God. That is exactly what Adam and Eve indicated to God---they didn't need Him.

Do you honestly think that God would create humans and not tell them what was good for them or bad for them? If you do, then you have a very low opinion of God. Of course He instructed them on how to benefit themselves and to stay away from any danger. Do you think He would put them in the Garden but NOT tell them that if they defied the laws of gravity they could get seriously hurt? That's ridiculous.

And....they already had everlasting life, as long as they left the one tree alone. It was only AFTER they took the fruit from that one tree that they would die. If they had obeyed they would still be here, and Jesus wouldn't have had to give himself a ransom sacrifice for everybody's sins.

[myth-one.com]

How are we to be like God?

There are two differences between men and angels as described in the book of Genesis. They are body type and knowledge of good and evil. Trees in the Garden of Eden represented each of these differences:

Eating from the tree of knowledge would result in mankind knowing good from evil.

And eating from the Tree of Life would result in mankind gaining everlasting life.

"The tree of the knowledge of good and bad" was not how you figured it to have been. It didn't mean that it HELD knowledge of good and bad. It meant that anyone who ate from it was declaring that they wanted to decide for themselves what was good or bad. In other words, they would be declaring themselves independent of God. That is exactly what Adam and Eve indicated to God---they didn't need Him.

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: . . . (Genesis 3:22)

Then God Got it wrong also!

And....they already had everlasting life, as long as they left the one tree alone.

God claimed they were ejected from the garden so that they could not eat from the Tree of Life and gain everlasting life:

. . . and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

So God got that one wrong also.

You do not understand everlasting life.

If one has everlasting life, their life will last forever.

If one lives for a billion years and then dies, then he did not have everlasting life.

[Checkpoint]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

RESPONSE: Simple. "existent"

What could be simpler or more basis. Anything that does not in fact exist cannot be God.

[Checkpoint]

If you can only use one word to describe a characteristic of God that we should follow as an example what word would you use?

And why do you choose that word?

RESPONSE: Simple. "existent"

What could be simpler or more basis. Anything that does not in fact exist cannot be God.

Correct.

It is because God is existent that all other existent things exist.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 6 by Checkpoint]

Yes---"going through the necessary stages to reach an end goal"---exactly. So perfection isn't as perfect as God, but as perfect as one can be in the fulfillment of God's end goal or purpose for that particular creation.

He wanted humans to be as perfectly righteous as they are able to be as humans, and we show our love for Him and other humans by striving to be as "perfect" as humans can be in this present world. We do this now by following His commands as closely as we are able to. In the new system of things, we will reach true perfection, the perfection that God created us to be before Adam rebelled.

"This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome." (I John 5:3)

"In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely." (I Peter 2:21)

Amen.

We are on a spiritual journey toward its completion and consummaton at and immediately after the return of Jesus Anointed, our Bridegroom.

Romans 8:

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?
25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Come, Lord Jesus.

[marco]

Do you honestly think that God would create humans and not tell them what was good for them or bad for them? If you do, then you have a very low opinion of God.

Do you honestly think God would create a machine and have it malfunction a few hours after it was installed? Today it would be brought back to the makers and a new one offered in its place.

The Genesis story mentions "tree". There is absolutely no way of being definitive as to what "tree" means metaphorically. We can take our pick. The fact that an argument arose about Adam's "nakedness" suggests that sexuality is buried somewhere in the metaphor.

Adam is not only light years from divinity, he is a poor second to our modern five-year olds. We become like God when we anesthetise a patient and transplant an organ into the injured body, making the sick well again. Or when we take basic metals and bits we've found on the planet and make of them a machine that can penetrate space and report back to us what mysteries lie of the surface of Mars. And, sadly, when we drop bombs on cities we are imitating God's actions with Sodom and Gomorra.