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02B - The Foundation of Our Design
Critical
Intermediate
Video
Image of God
11 Lessons
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About 02B - The Foundation of Our Design
Since man and woman are designed to be complementary to each other, reflecting God's image, what is God's image? You will learn that God's image is the foundation of all relationships and life. When you grasp the profound picture of the image of God, you will be able to see it everywhere and why it is the blueprint for relationships working well. You will also learn a critical truth about STRUCTURE influencing your behavior in your relationships right now.
Ready?
02B - The Foundation of Our Design
Critical
So why are men and women designed so differently? There is no need to speculate. God tells you in His word! You are created in His image, and He is reflected in your design.
Critical
The Image of God is often taught, speaking about three elements: emotions, intellect, and will. We have emotions – He has emotions. We have intellect – He has intellect. We can choose, have a will – He chooses, has a will.
Critical
A rule of scriptural interpretation is the rule of first cause. It means the first time a word or phrase is used, that is most likely the meaning that God desires to be assigned to that word or phrase. With that in mind, note that Genesis 1:26-27 is the first-time God’s image is mentioned. And Genesis 1:27 is the only verse to provide more information where it says, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." – Genesis 1:27
Critical
First, if the image of God is somehow related to maleness and femaleness, it would be helpful to use some more descriptive words than just male and female. An excellent place to start is with words that describe testosterone and estrogen-progesterone, the primary hormones of men and women. What one or two words would you pick if you wanted to represent testosterone or maleness? How about estrogen-progesterone?
Critical
If this theory has merit, it will be supported by God’s Word. That is the only source to be trusted. The following does not pretend to be a scholarly treatise on the image of God. While that would be great, it does not fit my desire, credentials, or strengths. On the other hand, if the image of God is best described through maleness and femaleness, Separate & Belonging, or Powerful & Relational, it should not be that difficult to find in God’s Word.
Critical
Being created in the image of the Creator is a sign of the preeminence of mankind in God’s creation. It is also a sign of what God wanted for the relationship between men and women. He designed men and women to complement each other, not compete with one another.
Critical
God created the complementary designs for men and women to work best when used in the structure He established. This structure is critical. "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." – 1 Corinthians 11:3 Unfortunately, like the word “helper,” some people think using the word headship implies that a woman has less value than a man. That is blatantly false. The simple proof is in the verse.
Critical
Robert Fritz teaches some outstanding principles about the way things work. An element that influences or drives our lives is “structure,” which can be physical or mental. The mental structures, though, are the most powerful. The principle of structure is enormously important, so please read Robert Fritz’s books to capture all his excellent insights. The information here is just enough to help you understand how structure works in your life and how it is presented in the THP Charts used in this book.
Critical
You can also use the THP Chart to illustrate how your actions will be influenced as long as you focus on what God states is most important.
Critical
The best structure for you is to REFLECT Christ NOW (1 Corinthians 10:31) so that you will REIGN with Christ LATER (Revelation 20:6).
Critical
Because of your sin nature, numerous items are ready to distract us from Glorifying God. However, the reality is that all those distractions fall into the primary category of trusting something other than God. May I remind you that “something other than God” is one choice in the fundamental decision: "Will I trust God or something other than God?”