If God made us all in his image then why have we got some born with disabillities?

Question

I have 5 children, 2 of which have been born with disabillities. If we are all born in Gods image then why are some born with these problems?

So Obilee, did God make a mistake?

Answer 1

I understand you confusion. I used to not understand. Perhaps the following will help.

The Bible does not say we are ‘born’ in God’s image, it states that we were ‘made’ in God’s image. That is referring to the first people, Adam and Eve, for only they were ‘made’.

God does have an image. The Bible states that the Son (the fleshly body of Jesus) IS the image of God. God had the image of Jesus in his mind before he even made Adam, and then formed Adam after the image of Jesus, who hadn’t even been born yet. For example, John states: No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. II Corinthians states: Christ … is the image of God.

The Bible states that when God created the world and everything in it, it was all ‘good’, and if you look at God’s standards, then by our standards, His ‘good’ would exceed our ‘perfect’.

So in a perfect world, how could there be birth defects or disabilities?

The answer is, there weren’t. If you notice, for the first 1,400 years or so, people married their family members. In fact, the second generation of people had to marry their brothers and sisters.

This did not present a problem genetically speaking, as the genetic code was not flawed, so no birth defects would have occurred.

But after about 1400 years of human civilization, God destroyed the earth with a great cataclysm, most often referred to as Noah’s flood. But the Bible says that it was much more than a flood.

It states that the fountains of the great deep opened up, and the windows of heaven were opened. This could easily have involved earthquakes, volcanoes, tidal waves hundreds of feet high, and total upheaval. Much of what is now the ocean floor may have been dry land before this cataclysm, with the water coming up from underground in terrible geysers, only to later settle on top of the land as the flood subsided. It is speculated that many great meteorites may have pummeled the earth and moon at this time, causing the destruction on earth and the many large craters on the moon.

After things settled down, and Noah came out of the ark, he saw that the atmosphere had been radically altered. The oxygen content and air pressure were much lower, as well as less carbon dioxide. This would expose humans to much higher levels of cosmic radiation such as gamma rays and x rays not to mention ultraviolet rays. These problems, among other things, would begin to damage our DNA over time, like using a copy machine to make a copy of a copy of a copy, etc. If you’ve ever done that, eventually the copy is not even readable. Over time, our DNA would become flawed, and it would just get worse as time goes on.

This is not what God planned for us, but is a direct result of man disobeying God’s rules. The great news is that God did plan for us to have new bodies some day that are incorruptible, and He promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where He will wipe away every tear and there will be no sorrow.

Answer 2

Everything beautiful in your children's hearts will be an image of God, a reflection of the heart of God. I can't imagine what it is like to have disabled children. I don't have children. I have admiration for parents with disabled children but I can't say I understand or anything.

I do know what this world is like though and it is a cruel place. I can't pretend to understand why so may things happen that are bad. I do love God and I know is love and healing.

I remembered something which I am going to write. I was asking God so much about why he doesn't heal illnesses. And a thought came to me, "If I just heal the body what is the value if the heart if still broken and fearful." I still don't completely understand about physical illnesses but I saw that healing your heart is important to him.

It is ok to tell God however you feel. Even if you are angry at him, be angry at him. It is better to be truthful and honest.

Answer 3

Oh, woman, oh woman, until when is God going to resist this generation?
We were born in God intellectual image, cause God is spirit. If your children were born with some defects, why don't you ask yourself and continue having children that way. People carry a decease that don't take care of it, before having the next child, but continue having sex. Couldn't you ask your doctor why you child was born is such way. This is why God had given us doctors.
But all will like to do is mock, mock, mock. or
Why...why...why, and don't look at you own flaws that is in oureye.
This link is a woman that have the same problem as you with two autistic children: read her testimony, cause just like you she used to blame God.
http://unclesamscabin.blogspot.com/2005/08/why-ask-why.html

God bless.
Jesus loves you no matter how much anger you carry for him.

Answer 4

God created man in his image this is what I believe - I do not believe God makes new babies as sweet as that would be. I think babies come from male and female genetics. As time goes on we humans make choices some good and some bad. Some that effects our bodies which will also alters our genetics which creates babies less than perfect. It would be nice to have a child perfect every time and not have to depend on the health of the parents but it doesn't work that way. We have to take responsibilities for that which we do and when we do wrong we have to be willing to live with our mistakes and not blame no one but ourselves. Too easy to blame God because we know he isn't going to say otherwise but look deep and be honest with yourself and I think you can agree that we should and are responsible for those babies we bring into the world and how they are formed.

Answer 5

I don't want to change any religious beliefs you might have, but here's my opinion. When a person is born with a disability, this might open the door to new opportunities. Countless writers and philosophers began thinking deep thoughts because they were unable to go outside and play like the other kids, or do physical jobs. Many composers have become deaf, and this only gives them a heightened appreciation and understanding of the mechanics of sound. From an evolutionary standpoint (which is certainly not contradictory to religion), birth defects occur because they might become advantages in certain situations, which will help everyone.

Answer 6

People get hung up on the idea of "In God's image...". God's image is not some physical platform, but the ability to hope. To love. To create from almost nothing. To dream of things we cannot see.

I read some of your history, and my heart breaks for the things that have happened to you. But your children are still able to love, to feel, to celebrate the world they're in. And even though the world has hit you, pushed you down some times, you are still here. You, just as much as they, have the gifts that make humanity worth living for. Cling to the life, to the love that's in it, and let go of the anger if you can. Not an easy thing to do, but perhaps the ultimate fingerprint of God - to love in a world that is unkind, as truly, and commitedly as you could in a world that was full of wine and roses.

Answer 7

You aren't meant to interpret that as flesh and body, for this is not the image that God truly grants us - to paraphrase Yoda, if I may be cheesy for a moment, "luminous beings we are, not this crude matter."

I think of the disabled people I have met, and frankly, they are the people that seem most like God to me. We can never consider the mentally challenged "lesser" in any way, for even though they may have cognitive limitations, Jesus said, "You must be like a child to enter the kingdom of Heaven."

And where the physically disabled are concerned - well, lets just say I know a visually impaired woman who "sees" more than just about anyone else I've met!

Answer 8

Have you come to know about families that dont have the ability to make children? Have you come to know about the the families who have all their children with some or other disabilities? SO First Say Thanx to GOD for giving you 5 Children. Also Pray to GOD to give you the strength to overcome the disabilities your 2 kids have.... rather than complaining.. and reading some of the stupid answeres from others....(not All)

Answer 9

Because "image" does not mean physically. God is not a physical being, and therefore does not "look" like we do. If he did then people wouldn't die if they saw his face. God is a Spiritual being (or maybe something else beyond that that we can not comprehend) and when we are made in his image, that means that our spirit is made it his image. We are like him spiritually. We have the capacity of God. He said himself after Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge that had they eaten from the Tree of Life they would be equal to Him.

Answer 10

Yes, we are created in God's image. But we also need to learn be responsible for our actions.
Do you follow God's plan for you? Probably not.
Did your parents?
In seventies in USA there was a medication that pregnant women took to prevent headaches.
Unforeseen result was newborns without arms or legs. Was it God's fall? No. It was fault and responsibilities of doctors.
If you have tool in your hands, you are responsible how you will use it, either as a tool to build or as a weapon to destroy.
If you or your parents used to drink a lot or use drugs, then percentage that children will have health problems is very high. On most medications you can read warning "not for pregnant or women who plan pregnancy". Have you thought
WHY is it there?

Answer 11

It's because the statement that God made us in His image does NOT mean we are made to look like God...if it did, how would you explain that everyone looks different?

God is pure spirit. He has no bodily form.

Being created in God's image means we are created to be like HIm- to be capable of Love and Mercy.

It's the same as saying a man who grooms his son to take over the family business is creating his son in his own image...he is forming and directing the son to be the best he can be to fill the role he will assume.