The record cannot mean, that the body is in the image of God, for God is a spirit. The body rather is in the image of the earthy. “And as we have borne the image of the earthy.” 1 Cor. xv. 49. But the body is not the whole of man. There is a thinking, reasoning, willing, propelling power within this physical organism. It is designated by various names in the Bible. It is called a “spirit,” the “inward man,” “the mind.” It is doubtless this inward man that is created in the image and glory of God.
As we have seen, the apostle asserts, that the outer man, the body, is in the image of the earthy. What does he mean? Doubtless that all the elements, laws, forces, of the physical universe are represented, imaged in man’s physical form; hence, wise men in ancient and modern times have regarded man physically as an epitome, microcosm of the outer universe. It is then the inward man, the spirit, that is in the image and glory of God, and consequently all the elements of the Great Spirit are represented, imaged in man’s spiritual organism, but in a finite degree. God is a spirit, an immortal spirit, a being of infinite wisdom, love and power. Man’s spirit being in his image, and partaking of his glory, must possess all these qualities, but in a finite degree. He is a finite spirit, a spark from the central sun, and partakes of the immortality, wisdom, love and power of God.
The objector has said, “I know man has a body for I see it; but I do not see the spirit you talk about, and cannot believe it has an existence.” Do you not see that this statement lands you in Atheism? You believe there is a physical universe for you can see it, or at least, part of it. But you cannot see God, therefore, according to your reasoning, there is no God. The apostle Paul did not reason in this unphilosophical manner. He said, “The things that are seen are temporal; the things that are unseen are eternal.” As God is an invisible spirit, and the inward man is in his image, of course it must be invisible to mortal eyes.
The truth is, all the controlling forces of the universe are as invisible to our material vision, as are God and the spirits which are in his image. The laws of gravity, of repulsion, of cohesion, are all invisible; but they are at work in all things, from a pebble to the sun. We cannot see them, but we experience their effects every moment of our existence. We cannot see electricity, but we behold it rend the mountain oak, and melt the hardest metal; we cannot see the atmosphere, but we behold it prostrate the forest, and dash to atoms the work of man; we cannot see steam, but we see its effect—it drives the heavy train on its iron track, and propels the giant ship across the ocean against wind and tide. So we cannot see God, only as we behold him in all his works.
“God hath a being, and that we may see
In the fold of the flower, the leaf of the tree;
In the sun of the noon-day, the star of the night,
In the storm-cloud of darkness, the rainbow of light,
In the waves of the ocean, the furrow of land,
In the mountain of granite, the atom of sand;