In His Image

I watched Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" this weekend. I've never read the book, and I've only seen a brief portion of an older movie version. But I was thinking as I watched about how EVERY person is made in the image of God.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27

I also began to think about the fact that we are afraid of what we don't understand, or is simply different than us. In the story of the Hunchback, he is feared because his body is deformed. But in Disney's version (Remember, I don't have any other point of reference.) Quasimodo has such a sweet soul. And I pondered how our initial reaction of shock and disgust shows that we realize that something about his image-bearing has been corrupted. And, in cases like Quasimodo's, not because of anything that the misformed person has done.

There is another group in that story that are segregated and persecuted. The gypsies. That got me started thinking about segregation... and the Holocaust... and genocide. I've just finished a book called The Book Thief and have begun one called No Longer a Slumdog both of which highlight the injustices of grouping, and persecuting, people based upon their genetics. But I also read a blog recently addressing how the church has mishandled the issue of homosexuality. And I saw a connection. Many in the church cannot understand the temptation of homosexuality. And in my observation, the reaction to the growing prevalence of homosexuality has been shock and disgust-- at least from the older generations. However, I think we may have forgotten that they are still image bearers just like us.

I can hear my brothers and sisters beginning to argue that the image-bearing of homosexuals has been corrupted. They don't do it well. But that begs the question... Do you? Every time you yell at your kids, or lie to someone, or eat too much, or get angry in traffic-- your image-bearing is corrupted. Sin has corrupted us all. Now please don't hear me saying that we should embrace sin in the church. But we MUST learn how to love sinners well, AND speak the gospel (that all people are sinners, and that Christ died for sinners) into their lives. And THEN encourage the change in behavior that naturally grows from rebirth.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:18-21
 
You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:2-3
 
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Ephesians 2:1-3
 
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Colossians 3:5-10
 
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
 
And lest my reader or I feel falsely righteous....

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:21-22
 
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:27-28

By this definition I am a murderer... and an adulterer...