Don P wrote: My question to you would be, regardless of whether man was
performing
sacrifices prior to the perceived time of Adam, do you feel that preadamites
knew the God that we worship today?
No, I do not.
Don P wrote: It is my position that Adam as you said is a representative.
This is the point which Dick and others make. Adam came along after man had
already been here and he was the first one to know of the God we worship
today. ... No one is claiming that religion started with Adam, around 7k yrs
ago. What is being defended is the idea that our religion and the
understanding of a one true God of creation started with Adam.
So then, how was Adam different from other men? From what you seem to be
saying, Adam was no different spiritually, in and of himself, than other men.
The difference would not be in what Adam was but only in what, or Who, Adam
knew. I think this is what has caused so much confusion.
The claim has been made that Gen. 1:26,27 refers to the creation of the man
"Adam" in God's image, and that people other than Adam and his descendents,
before, during and after the time of Adam, were not created "in God's image."
As I understand this line of reasoning, being created "in God's image"
referred only to people who were created or born into a covenant relationship
with the true God. But, as of now, I remain unconvinced of the validity of
these claims.
I still believe that Gen. 1:26,27 refers to God's creation of the human race
before His creation of Adam. I believe that being created "in God's image"
refers to men being given minds that are capable of thinking "spiritual"
thoughts and being given eternal spirits by God, something God gives to all
men but does not give to lower animals.
It seems to me that if the image of God, spoken of in Gen. 1:26,27, was an
image that was acquired by someone due to their being in a covenant
relationship with God, then Adam and Eve would have only acquired God's image
after they showed by their actions that they had decided to obey the command
God had given them. (A covenant is an agreement between two parties.)
However, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God's command. Though it seems likely
that they later entered into a covenant relationship with God by accepting
His way of obtaining forgivness for their disobedience, animal sacrifices.
For after being expelled from Eden God covered them with the skins of slain
animals. This probably was done to picture that their sins had been covered
over by blood that had been shed for them. (Gen. 3:21)
Some have compared Adam and Eve's being created in God's image to a person
becoming a new creation at the time they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord.
However, for a someone to be created in God's image in this way they must
first make a personal decision to follow Christ. Despite some churches'
custom of baptizing infants, people are not born into "the New covenant,"
even people with Christian parents. However, that is what some here seem to
be saying in regard to Adam and his descendants having "the image of God."
They say that they acquired that image simply by being placed under one
particular law (Don't eat this fruit.), or being instructed by God what kind
of religious rituals He wanted them to perform (Sacrifice these kinds of
animals.).
I don't think someone can acquire "the image of God" by simply being told by
Him what He wants them to do. Especially if they never personally decide to
follow those instructions (as was the case with Adam, Eve, Cain, and judging
from the very few people on Noah's ark, most of Adam and Eve's other
descendants). These things being so, I continue to believe that being made
"in the image of God" (Gen. 1:26,27) did not refer to Adam and Eve being
informed of God's requirements for them shortly after their creation, or to
their descendants being informed of God's requirements for them shortly after
their births. I continue to believe that Gen. 1:26,27 refers to God's
creating all men in His image by giving us minds which are able to understand
spiritual things and by giving us all eternal spirits, much like His own.
Mike
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