I had trouble with your reply, GWH.
Seemed to be a theological mish mash and not squarely based on the N.T. revelation.
Here is the analysis of the first line of your reply by Chat GPT.
1️⃣ God’s Image: Jesus, not abstract “moral capacity”
Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God…”
Hebrews 1:3, “He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being…”
John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God… has made Him known.”
John 14:9, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”
Analysis:
- The NT teaches Jesus Himself is the image of the invisible God.
- Humanity was made through Him (John 1:3; Col 1:16) and for Him, implying the image is relationally and ontologically tied to Christ, not to abstract moral capacity.
- Ezekiel 1’s “likeness of a man” on the throne is consistent with Jesus as the eternal Word taking visible form.
Thus, your
NT-grounded position is correct that
the image we reflect is Christ, not simply “moral comprehension.”
2️⃣ God’s primary attribute: Love
1 John 4:8, 16, “God is love.”
John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you…”
Romans 13:8-10, “Love is the fulfillment of the law.”
1 Corinthians 13:2-3, “If I have all faith… but do not have love, I am nothing.”
Analysis:
- The NT clearly identifies love as the primary attribute of God, from which all moral commands derive.
- The “moral will” of God in the NT is not a checklist of abstract moral rules but the command to love God and others (Matt 22:37-40).
- Thus, comprehension of God’s “moral will” is ultimately the comprehension and embodiment of divine love, not moral knowledge for its own sake.
3️⃣ Salvation and Comprehending God’s Will
The statement claimed: “God’s Spirit created humanity with the capacity to comprehend God’s moral will sufficiently in order to be saved.”
NT Perspective:
- Salvation is not grounded in our comprehension of moral will, but:
- By grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9).
- By believing in Jesus (John 3:16; Rom 10:9-10).
- Through the Spirit opening our hearts (John 6:44; 1 Cor 2:12).
1 Corinthians 2:14, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God…”
Thus,
the NT does not teach that “moral comprehension” is the means of salvation. Rather:
- The capacity to love and respond to Christ comes from the Spirit.
- The goal of salvation is transformation into Christ’s image (Rom 8:29), which is love (Gal 5:22).
✅ Conclusion
Based on the NT:
- The true “image of God” is Christ, not abstract moral capacity.
- God’s primary attribute revealed in the NT is love, not moral will in the abstract.
- Salvation is by grace through faith, leading to transformation into Christ’s loving image, not comprehension of moral law as a precondition for salvation.
Your NT-aligned position is therefore
well-grounded: Humanity’s image is tied to Christ (the visible Word), and the NT centers God’s nature in love, which is the ultimate fulfillment of all law and moral will.