Skip to main content

人日

Yesterday was 人日, the 7th day of Chinese New Year. According to Chinese customs, this was the day humans were created. In modern times it is common to see people greet everyone "Happy birthday" on 人日.

But what exactly is 人? This is probably the first Chinese character that everyone learns.

Scripture tells us:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27)

This has tremendous implications. Man was taken from dust and given the breath of life. He or she bears the divine image of the God of the Universe.

This simple verse means at least a few things for us:
(1) Because humans are made in His image, everyone bears the image of God. This includes people we don't like, or don't get along with. It includes people from a different race. It includes the disabled whom the world considers valueless. It means we should treat everyone by remembering they are a fellow image bearer.

(2) In our lives however, due to our sin, we have failed to properly bear His image. Only one person bore the image perfectly and that is of course Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15).

(3) The Roman coin is to be given back to Caesar because it bore Caesar's image. What then is it that bear God's image which ought to be given back to Him? It is us. If we have yet to offer ourselves back to Him, let's ask how is it we are willing to give Caesar what is his but not willing to give ourselves back to Him.

If you have read until this far, happy belated 人日!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8

  For Paul in Ephesians 4:8, clearly there are some changes from the text that Paul is supposedly citing which is Psalm 68:18. Comparing Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8, it is obvious there are differences. I believe Paul was actually using the LXX but has changed its words for the occasion in Ephesians 4. The LXX version of Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8 differs by a few words: Psalm 68:18 (it is actually Psalm 67:19 in the LXX): ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος  ᾐχμαλώτευσας  αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἔλαβες  δόματα  ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ , Ephesians 4:8 ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος  ᾐχμαλώτευσεν  αἰχμαλωσίαν,* ⸆  ἔδωκεν  δόματα ⸀ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Structurally you can see the LXX and Eph 4 is similar but for a few words changes.   The first change is from 2nd person (LXX) to 3rd person (Eph 4) with regards to who is doing the ascending in the first line.  So the English Bible rightly translates the phrase to "When  he  ascended on high" versus Psalm 68, " you  ascended"   The second change is perhaps the most radical, wh
Post a Comment
Read more

Vaughan Roberts, “Same-Sex Attraction – A Battle I Face” – a model of a godly response

http://davidould.net/?p=4388 "In the preface to a new edition of my book “Battles Christians Face”, which features eights areas of struggle, including homosexuality, I write that, to a greater or lesser degree, I face them all myself. Close family and friends have known for a considerable time that I experience same sex attraction. None of the issues in the book define me. As a single man I am celibate, because I believe the Bible teaches that the right context for sex is only in marriage between a man and a woman." I have had the privilege of hearing this man preach before. He has written one of the best books that addresses what the whole Bible is about. In this article though, his courage in fighting sin is exemplary. Homosexuals are not the only ones committing sexual sin and I really admire his boldness.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Inclusio of the Book of Matthew

From wikipedia: "In literature, inclusio is a literary device based on a concentric principle, also known as bracketing or an envelope structure, which consists of creating a frame by placing similar material at the beginning and end of a section, although whether this material should consist of a word or a phrase, or whether greater amounts of text also qualify, and of what length the frames section should be, are matters of some debate. Inclusio is found in various sources, both antique and new." The Inclusio of the Book of Matthew is that it starts and ends with "Immanuel". At the start, after the genealogies we are told that Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah (Matt 1:22-23). "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,     and they shall call his name Immanuel” It then ends with "Immanuel" being fulfilled in the act of discipling. "G
Post a Comment
Read more