The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Mediator of Men not devils

James is clearly referring to all men and particularly those after the Fall, and more specifically to those men who were existent at the time of his writing. For, it is James' purpose to chide and correct the believers for cursing men who they know while at the same time praising God in whose image they are made. The CONTEXT is quite clear. If this was not the case, then the passage has no application to those whom James wrote nor to us.

Sorry but this is not accurate either. That part of the "imago dei" to which you say is "preserved" is that which was lost at the Fall, i.e., man's original righteousness, knowledge and true holiness, cf. Eph 4:24; Col 3:10. This is what is recreated in regeneration and is further developed in sanctification and what will be perfected in glorification. The elect do not possess this by nature for ALL are born dead in sin. ALL possess a corrupt and sinful nature and whose every imagination of the thoughts of his heart are only evil continually, Gen 6:5; 8:21. Notice, that even after the flood where only 'righteous' Noah and his family existed, this statement is applied. In short, there is no image in this sense to be "preserved" for it doesn't exist previous to regeneration.

In His grace,