Created in the Image of God: The Body Is A Gift

This course delves into excerpts of teachings by John Paul II’s, Theology of the Body, and explores the understanding that we can know God through our body. We are created in the image of God, inhabiting the gift of the body. The body is a temple: a place where heaven meets earth. Our bodies reveal God’s mystery and there is freedom in discovering this truth. We become aware that we are human through the body, and God took on the body to prove that bodies are good. We often lose sight of the truth that we are created by the Creator, chosen for communion with God. We are only free when we understand why we are created. If we do not know our destiny, we cannot know how to live. At times, lies, lust, and shame intervene. These are symptoms of misplaced desire and a misunderstanding of the deep love that God has for us. The good news is that resurrection power is available to us in the here and now. This course will bolster your heart with the truth that you were created with purpose, for and by love.

Lección 1: In The Beginning

We were created in the image of our Creator for & by love. In the beginning, free will also led to the believing of lies: namely, that God is not good. Shame arose & caused division. However, there is hope of redemption.

Lección 2: Body & Gift

We are a witness to Love through our bodies, which mirrors the selflessness of the Creator's love. Self-control gives way to freedom from lust and shame. Our bodies are meant to be a gift-giving symbol of love.

Lección 3: The Divided Heart

When man rejected the love of God and creation as a gift, shame & lust arose and man was not able to treat the other as a gift. However, shame and lust are not directly linked to the body. They arise from the heart as a result of sin (missing the mark) and heart posture.

Lección 4: Passion & Purity

Lust blurs the significance of the body and who the person is as created in the image of God. The body is not the cause of sin, rather sin is located in the heart. We are called to purity as a whole person. Purity of heart leads to seeing the value of the body. The gospel is holistic and seeks to redeem the entire aspect of the body, heart, and soul.

Lección 5: The Revelation Of The Body

The body is a temple: the place where heaven meets earth. Our bodies are powerful conduits of knowledge and energy that point us to our Creator in every single way. It is through our bodies that we can experience God’s perfect love.

Reviews

Thank you for these gentle reminders, giving food-for-thought as I begin a new commitment to focusing on my body as The Temple of God’s Holy Spirit. 🙏🏻💕