MAKING GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE
Psa. 50:21; Rom. 1: 20 -23


INTRODUCTION
1. We are prone to think of God as possessing human characteristics.
2. Man is made in the image of God -- Gen. 1: 26 - 27
(1) In what likeness does God consist?
(2) Not in bodily form fashioned from the ground.
1. He is not flesh, blood and bone -- I Cor. 15:50; Luke 24:39; John 4:24
(3) Our likeness to God is the spirit, the inner man -- II Cor. 4:16; I Cor. 7:34; James 2:26
3. Some have confused the matter, instead of making man in God's image they make God in man's
image.

I. MAN HIDES FROM MAN AND THINKS HE CAN HIDE FROM GOD
1. Man can hide from man; this is evident from the continual search law enforcement officers
make to find criminals.
2. Some people think they can hide from God in the same way.
(1) Adam and Eve tried this -- Gen. 3: 8
(2) The Psalmist asked -- Psa. 139: 7 - 12
(3) How foolish it is for one to think he can keep back part of his life's record when he appears
before the Son of God -- II Cor. 5:10; Matt. 12:36; I Tim. 5:24; Heb. 4:13

II. MAN MAKES GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE BY THINKING GOD CAN BE DECEIVED
1. We can and do deceive man.
(1) Wives deceive husbands and husbands deceive wives.
(2) Children deceive parents.
(3) Church members deceive other church members.
2. Man deceives man, so some seem to accept the idea that man can deceive God.
(1) Ananias and Sapphira -- Acts 5: 1 - 11
3. You may fool some of the people all the time, part of the people some of the time, but you cannot
fool God any of the time -- Gal. 6:7

III. MAN MAKES GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE BY THINKING GOD IS SLACK IN KEEPING HIS WORD.
1. It is not unusual to find a man who won't keep his word.
2. Since man is slack in keeping his word, he is tempted to think that God is slack in keeping His
word -- II Pet. 3:9
(1) God will keep every promise made -- Matt. 5:18
(2) Christ will come as He has promised -- Heb. 9: 27 - 28
(3) Christ will judge the world as promised -- Heb. 9:27
(4) He will send those to hell who obey not the gospel as promised -- II Thess. 1:8 - 9

IV. MAN MAKES GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE BY THINKING THAT SIN IS NOT SO TERRIBLE
1. Man winks at and excuses sin.
(1) He is prone to think it is only natural to sin -- Rom. 6: 12 - 16
2. God knows the horror of sin -- Isa. 59: 1 - 2
3. Sin is so terrible that it cost God His only Son -- John 3:16
4. Sin causes us to be lost -- Rom. 6:23

V. MAN MAKES GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE BY THINKING ONE RELIGION IS AS GOOD AS ANOTHER.
1. It is not uncommon to hear, "one religion or church is as good as another".
2. Man thinks this, so he concludes God does.
3. God does not.
(1) Matt. 15: 9, 13
(2) If so, why did He change the Jewish religion? -- Col. 2:14
(3) Why would there be any such thing as vain religion? -- James 1:26
(4) Jer. 10:23 -- God gave man a guide -- John 16: 13; II Tim. 3:16 - 17
4. He has but one church -- Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:4
5. Man and God don't think alike -- Isa. 55: 8, 9

VI. MAN MAKES GOD IN MAN'S IMAGE BY THINKING HE CAN DISOBEY AND GET BY
1. Man disobeys man; children disobey parents.
2. Not true with God -- Heb. 2:2; 5: 8,9
3. Seek the Lord while He may be found -- Acts 17:27

CONCLUSION
1. Are you guilty of trying to make God fit into man's image?

By Donald Townsley

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