If humans were created in God's image and God has no physical form, what is the purpose of a body?

Question

As far as that goes, what is the purpose of the universe?

If God has no physical form, why would humans need a physical form?

I have read the Bible and telling me to read the bible is not answering the question.

I want to know what you have to say.

How does a human body bring glory to God? It seems to be more offensive to him than it does anything else.

I've never heard anyone claim the Bible encourages people to worship each other's body.

The universe & life are eternal & infinite. They were not created out of "nothing," since "nothing" never existed and never will.

Science is not "worshiped," it is not based on faith in the unseen, it is based on logical conclusions of the observable & demonstrable.

My last question inquired about conditions before "creation" and it was unanimous that God had no physical form.

Now, many of you are claiming he does have a physical form.

Totally illogical.

Answer 1

IF YOU DID NOT HAVE A BODY WHERE WE HIT YOUY WHEN WE WANTED TO KICK YOUR REAREND?

Answer 2

Since God has no physical form, any thinking person should immediately realize that humans being created in God's image and likeness has nothing to do with physical form. Our physical bodies were formed before they were fully human. Both the Bible and evolutionary biology tell us that. Once the biological entity that would be human existed, God then "breathed into it" a spiritual nature, an immortal soul, moral capacity and free will, thereby creating the first human(s). It is this spiritual nature, not our biological nature, that gives us a share in God's own image and likeness.

If you want to know how the human body and human sexuality give glory to God, read the late Pope John Paul II's monumental work, "Theology of the Body". It isn't a quick read, but for anyone who is interested in the most profound and insightful treatment of the subject ever penned by a human being, it is a must. Theologians will be dissecting it for generations to come.

Answer 3

Once again, the premise is faulty. How do you know "God has no physical form"? If you have read the Bible, you have read it with the intention of mocking it and will have received no revelation in that. Because I am created in His image does not suggest that I am He, nor He me. When I see Him, I don't think I will care why I have a body or whether or not He has a body. The Bible says I am created in His image. I cannot find the assertion anywhere that says, "God has no physical form."

Answer 4

That's a good question :) You might enjoy reading C.S. Lewis's work - especially Mere Christianity he theorizes about it so much better than I can. But here are some of his thoughts that I remember - first off, Einstein due to his physical equations thought that time was an illusion. Considering that God sees all time at once, maybe time is an illusion. God is infinite and we are finite. C.S. Lewis thinks that our life on earth is like a lab where we get time to develop and truly see ourselves for what we are. We get to make our choice - will we live with God for eternity or will we choose to live separated from God? Then once we die we leave the proving ground and we enter into "eternal life" life in eternity instead of in the physical world - having already had ample opportunity to decide, our choices are then solidified in the eternal realm.

So where does the body come in? Well, God created this interaction medium called the universe and he populated it with physical objects and he puts us at the helm of a physical vessel to occupy. Why? Well for one, it is a way for us to experience simple pleasures like eating and exercise and sex. I don't know about you, but I find having a body quite enjoyable! Well except for the death and disease and pain, but the bible says we were never meant to experience pain at all, but that it came into the world due to sin, and that once Jesus returns, we will be given new bodies which will never decay or experience pain. Our physical existence will bring us nothing but pleasure!

Also, since we are finite, our bodies give us a temporal and physical "hook" so that we can interact with other beings in one place and at one time. It gives us an opportunity to learn lessons like how to be courteous to others (by not occupying the same space as them at the same time) - and other lessons like the fact that we are not self-sustaining - we need air and water and food to live, all of which are provided by our Father in heaven. The lessons that the physical world gives us reflect eternal realities. :)

I mean this is a hugely fascinating topic and I could go on and on. But I really think if you read the bible (or at least Mere Christianity!) you would understand a lot more :)

God loves you my friend! I hope that one day you will meet him face to face!

Answer 5

well maybe god didnt create us in his image. this idea of humans being created in gods image is another silly ancient ego way of thinking. thinking that we are so important. animals are less important? what about aliens? they will look different to us and u cant say they are not created by god or less important.

besides when we were neoanderthals we looked shorter hairier - a bit like apes. does god look like an ape? deos this mean god evolved from ape to human. of course not.

the body is designed to function with the enviroment. like polar bears have lots of fur cos they will freeze if they dont. we dont need fur. although we used to be hairy as cavemen. we are not that important. we are not the centre of everything in gods eyes. this thinking is why people used to believe that the earth was the centre of the universe - egotistic.

the body is a tool. if god create humans to look like himself then god must look like an ape cos thats what the ealiest humans looked like(from bones scientists have found). now i dont think god looks like an ape.

cos has no physical form or else u would be able to see it. the body is a tool, and every human looks differnet anyway. some fat, short, male, female. without this tool how would u do things or sense things?

i dont know the purpose of the universe. tough one that. but i assume we have bodies to interact with the universe.

humans need a physical form to do things on earth. god is either more powerful so he deosnt need a body or deosnt wish to do things on earth so is not using a body. human and god are 2 separate things.

Answer 6

Adam and Eve were the only two created in the image of God. Then they lost that due to their sin. They were then covered with the mortal skin in which we all are now. This is the image of sinful man. They were glorified to begin with. This glorification is the likeness of God. No one today is in the image of God. we are all in the image of sinful man. Jesus Christ was in the image of sinful man, (Romans 8), before his resurrection. He was resurrected into glorification, becoming the very first human to be made into the image of God. See Adam was that glory to begin with. He was created that way, but he lost it. Jesus was not created. He was born a full human man. He was not God. He was not any incarnate god, for there is no such thing. It is not once named in Scripture. It is lies. Jesus was born a human being, just like we are. He live a sinless life, and therefore God raised him from the dead, and glorified him. He went from mortal to immortal, or the image of God. We have never seen the image of God. We may have it in the Spirit, but we do not have it yet. We will not have it until we are resurrected, if we are, into glorification.

Answer 7

If I was created in God's image, I think I have more than returned the compliment.

Answer 8

Gods physical form is Jesus. ever wonder why it says that a man will die if he looks upon God yet there are many cases where people come face to face with God? Jesus is God's physical form so that God can talk to people without killing them.

Answer 9

Gee I don't know JT, but why does atheism preach science as the tell all and the only right answer to this life yet the core essence of your belief is we evolved from nothing. I just don't get? Where in science have we ever seen something derive from nothing? Everything in science has a cause and an effect, yet you say we evolved from nothing? Please enlighten me. Funny, where is your science now?

Answer 10

Your body is a means of transportation for your spirit. It transports your spiritual man through your physical life to one of two ultimate destinations. The choice is ours to make on this side of the great divide and not the other side. Maybe then we will know the purpose of the universe.

Answer 11

You mean God's image don't you. Let us make him like US. Outside of that I agree.