Biblical Worldview Essay

The foundation to the Christian faith is the belief that mankind is created in the image of God. But what does the image of God look like? Mankind has debated for years on what Jesus looked like, whether he was white in pigment or black. I feel that me believing mankind was created in the image of affects the way I interact with people tremendously. Believing in mankind believes in life, which is essentially synonymous with the word heart. Since mankind was created in the image of God, my job as a United States Sailor is to protect life, which in the bible is referred to as heart. By protecting and defending my country I am walking in the image god created. â€Å"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. â€Å"(Ezekiel 36:26) A new spirit I will put within you is telling me by protecting mankind from evil its allowing someone to receive the new spirit. Removing the hea rt of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, is blessing someone with a second chance a life. Heart refers to life, as well as spirit. Joining the military gave me a new heart and spirit and god helped me understand why I needed to enlisted and serve my country. My country is god’s creation and if I believe that mankind is created in the image of god I will allow him to give me a new heart and spirit. With my new heart and spirit I will be able to help others and help them to see how they were created in the image of god because they are living proof. God has given them life and as a sailor it’s my duty to protect their life. Understanding the meaning of mankind was created in the image of god will help in your everyday life. â€Å"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.† (Psalm 51:10) Since we all were created in the image of god we were created with a clean heart and once we accept that we are the image of god we will all be renewed a right spirit within us. I think this passage is relevant to being created in the image of god and life. As a Christian once you have accepted god as your savior and understand the meaning of it, you will have a clean heart and renewed spirit which will give you life. As a sailor I’ve struggled with understanding how everyone who enlisted in the military is created in the image of god until I looke d around and saw just a uniform and not what anyone looked like. Whether a sailor was white, Asian, Mexican, Black, or mixed we were all the same because we all were given life and the opportunity to accept god as our savior. Also we go to church on the ship and realize there we are all created in the image of god and we exemplify that in our day to day lives when we have general quarters and are protecting each other from them enemy. Part of being made in God’s image is that all mankind has the capacity to make free choices. â€Å"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.†(Proverbs 3:5-6) If you trust in the lord with all your heart you are making a free choice. You are choosing to live; you are choosing to acknowledge him and once you do that God will make your walk with god easier. Before I joined the military I did not trust in the lord with all my heart, which means my life. Until I got in a bad accident in 2008 and al most died and had to hear from the police that I should of died and there had to be an angel with me; I then realized I need to trust in the lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understand of what I thought god was. This passage from proverbs is my life. In order for me to fully understand all mankind, which means me, is created in the image of god I needed to accept that and trust in the Lord. This belief affects the way I interact with people within my chosen vocation, life, which is essentially synonymous with the word heart. †According to the Bible, the heart is the center not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.† â€Å"Heart† and â€Å"soul† are often used interchangeably (Deuteronomy 6:5; 26:16; Compare Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30 Mark 12:33), but this is not generally the case.† Heart in the Bible is the inner life that one lives before God and himself. Understanding that with every action you take in life you will interact with people differently. You would respect them knowing that every human being was created in the image of god and given life just like you. Also I treat people how I want to be treated and not to judge some one. This is a conscious choice that I make because I understand that mankind is the image of god and not just in a physical aspect. We have been given hearts, which in the bible refers to the mind. However, if you did not have life you would not have a mind, and if you were not created in the image of god you would not exists. Refrences: http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/heart.html M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.