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

I believe you made a typo! It's not "interjection" but rather "context" that I am following. James is referring to ALL men in general; both elect and non-elect. A text out of context is nothing more than pretext!

I can say without reservation that you are 100% correct... re: "I don't understand that being in the image of God denotes covenantal fellowship, relationship.." That's because the statement is not biblical. You have already been shown from Scripture what the "image of God" means but you have ignored all those biblical passages and also failed to deal with them. Only part of the "imago dei" was lost at the Fall and the remainder of it was marred horribly, yet it was not totally eradicated. For without the "image of God", a human being could not be what it is, for the whole person is made in the image of God not just the attributes of "knowledge and righteousness and true holiness".

BTW, Ephesians 4:24 does NOT teach that the "image of God is restored in the new creation". That passage is referring to SANCTIFICATION which is not only a fruit of justification but made possible by regeneration which is where the image of God is "re-created". And, just for arguments sake, if we were to take that passage as teaching that the "image of God is restored in the new creation", then it is also teaching that fallen man is capable of bringing forth the new creation on his own. For Paul is issuing telling the Ephesians to "put on the new man"! But fortunately, this isn't the case at all. Paul is again speaking of sanctification whereby a true believer is to put into practice that which was re-created in regeneration; aka: the new man.

2 Timothy 2:15, 16 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

In His grace,