Rebuking Ali Zimmerman; Bearing His Image Together

 I read the following article posted below by a Dallas Seminary graduate named Ali Zimmerman.  I was interested to see what she had to say and read it carefully.  It was no surprise to find she had been tainted and brain washed in heavy doses of Gnosticism, Universalism among several other false doctrines, but worst is a false gospel holding her and her kind to stand before Galatians 1:8,9 KJV in that she portrays the vain philosophy of man and holds it superior to the gospel which is clearly given in this link:

What is the Gospel?

  The Gospel = Salvation Message (thethirdheaventraveler.com)

The tragic truth is our Theological Seminaries are apostate. I do not speak without experience. I unfortunately had a front row seat to a tragedy involving watching my son attend Fuller Theological Seminary. He would read to me from his text books that ranged from heretical doctrine to outright blasphemy. Of course the main theme would always be questioning the divinity of Jesus Christ.  

But back to Ms. Zimmerman.  I would invite the reader to read along with Ms. Zimmerman's philosophical article and I will comment in red letters.

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Bearing His Image Together

Brought to you by

BY

ALI ZIMMERMAN, DTS |

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

God created every person as a unique individual
When I was a little girl, every time it snowed, my mom would remind me that no two snowflakes were precisely alike. I’m not sure to what degree this statement is true, but it instilled in me a unique sense of wonder. I can still picture myself peering through the window of my childhood living room, observing the snowflakes piled up on the windowsill, and admiring their differences. This whole idea—that of the incalculable amount of snowflakes that have ever fallen upon the earth, no two were identical—became my favorite thing about snow.

Similarly, individuality has become my favorite thing about humanity.

Over 100 billion people have lived upon this earth, and every one of them has been unique. They have differed in much more immense and significant ways than snowflakes. In God’s magnificent creativity, He crafted each person who has and will ever live with unique physical features, strengths, and personalities. We all have unique stories, unique accomplishments and trials, unique upbringings and backgrounds, unique desires and aspirations, and unique ways of processing, coping, and learning. There is no one else exactly like you. There is no one else exactly like your spouse. There is no one else exactly like your mom, your dad, your child, your best friend, your hairdresser, or your pastor. Our Creator individually and attentively designed each one of us. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14).

God created every person in His image

True statement.  Every human being is created with a body, soul and spirit. Even unregenerate man has a spirit that communes with the Holy Spirit through Conscience and Intuition.  Here's an in-depth study I've done on the subject which actually answers why Jesus told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God (Spiritual Kingdom) is within them of which I had strong disagreement with Dr. Andy Woods regarding Luke 17:20,21 KJV.  Interestingly enough, this dispute has to do with corrupt bible translations namely the NASB which many seminaries use and which is another reason our seminaries are apostate in this later day of the church age. 

Links


Bible translations are very important. Why is your pastor using a perverted translation?




While no two human beings are exactly alike, there are also characteristics that all people share. One of these commonalities, which sets us acutely apart from the rest of creation, is that all humans are made in the image of God. The first mention of this phrase is in Genesis 1:26, to ascribe worth to humanity.

At this point Ms. Zimmerman has firmly established her strawman argument which is ALL OF HUMANITY ARE IMAGE BEARERS OF GOD . Ascribe worth to humanity?  Where is this in scripture?

(See my Blog on how false teachers use the strawman argument:


Why all false teachers use the Strawman and never Debate (thethirdheaventraveler.com


 We often use this phrase to ascribe worth to humanity, but to what degree do we understand its implications? They are profound. They influence every moment of every day. Descriptively, to bear God’s image means to bear God’s likeness. Functionally, it means to represent Him and to rule on His behalf. There is something about the nature of human beings that is like God, that reflects something to the world about God, that enables us to reign for God. What a trait, what a gift, and what a responsibility!

We see here is where Ms. Zimmerman has moved into the depths of her strawman argument. She has established her foundation on sinking sand that is NOT based on scripture but rather her twisted view of scripture and will build on this: That all humanity is an image bearer of God and no matter how evil and vile we are ALL still image bearers although we have flaws. This is pure GNOSTICISM and UNIVERSALISM that has been creeping into the church since the first century. 

Open and read your King James Version Bible and tell me if your Bible agrees with Ms. Zimmerman. Let’s start with Romans Chapter 1 KJV and continue: John 3:18-21KJV, 8:42-47 KJV; Romans Chapter 9 KJV; 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 KJV; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17, 4:3-4 KJV; Galatians 1:8,9, 3:10, 5:20,21KJV; Ephesians Chapters 1 and 2KJV;1 Thessalonians 5:1-10KJV; and many more scriptures show us there are 2 very distinct types of individual that stand before God. The regenerated and the unregenerate.  

She quotes: "There is something about the nature of human beings that is like God, that reflects something to the world about God, that enables us to reign for God." However, my Bible clearly tells me that the nature of human beings is NOT but rather: "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, John 2:24 KJV and "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 KJV.  

Yes, we in truth as humans are created in God's image in that we are born with a body, a soul and a spirit.  Yet something mysterious happens when a person is born again. They become a new creature. Zimmerman muddies the water and very subtly tells us every human being is functionally representing God and ruling on His behalf.  Her statement: "There is something about the nature of human beings that is like God...." is absolutely blasphemous... My Bible tells me the complete opposite.

Of course, what God created perfectly in Genesis 1, Satan corrupted in Genesis 3. Like the rest of God’s good creation, we, as image-bearers of God, were marred. All people still bear God’s image simply because we are human, but we do so quite imperfectly. All of us, that is, except for Jesus.

Although Jesus is God, He is also the perfect picture of what it means to bear God’s image. Jesus, while on earth, was “the image of the invisible God” and the “exact representation of his being” (Col 1:15; Heb 1:3). In Jesus, we see an unmarred version of the image of God in humanity. He represented not only God’s nature—but also His character, His heart, and His mission—clearly and precisely. He walked in complete fellowship with the Father, and He perfectly exercised authority in the world on the Father’s behalf. Jesus was a flawless image-bearer.


Here as do all false teachers, Zimmerman shifts gears and speaks the truth in the midst of lies she's made previously. It is also at this point she is making a very persuasive attempt to pull back and to appease a good Berean into thinking she has clarified her previous statements that heavily implied even the unregenerate man is an image bearer of God. The unsaved reading or hearing this message is probably still thinking if they pay their taxes and go to church on Easter Sunday, they're an image bearer of God.  WHERE IS THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED HERE?  

Not only does Jesus model image-bearing for us, but He also opens the door for God to heal and restore that which has been corrupted in us. Those of us who are in Christ “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor 3:18). As we become more like Jesus, we become better image-bearers. We reflect God to the world with increasing accuracy, and we exercise God’s authority with an increasing degree of submission to His purposes. The Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work allows us to fulfill humanity’s original calling effectively!

At this point Zimmerman shifts by craft to tell us that only the regenerate man is being transformed into His (God's)  image. Here would have been a powerful platform for her to tell the unsaved that there is a plan for their redemption and that is the GOSPEL... Salvation found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV.   

God created every person for community

Community?  This smacks of Social Gospel and completely walks away from the GOSPEL.   Zimmerman with craft fails to bring community into the context of the body of Christ, leaving the word community to hang out there as a beacon of social justice. 

Social Gospel defined


If God has created every individual in His image, and if He is conforming every believer to the image of Christ, how and why are we distinct from one another? How are these concepts compatible? If we were all made to represent the same God, then why do we have such different personalities and passions, and why does the Spirit apportion to us varying gifts? (1 Cor 12:4-11). The answer is clear yet astounding. God made every person to bear His image, but He never intended for anyone to bear His image alone. Even before sin marred the image, God created His first two image-bearers, “male and female” (Gen 1:27). Our triune God made His first image-bearers with apparent differences because together they accurately reflected His communal nature!

Here Zimmerman comes back to the truth with the exception of not clarifying that before the fall of mankind, it was God's will that man would bear His image in the context of man before the fall.   She is also misquoting scripture by saying God is triune (out of the Vatican).  Godhead is biblical Trinity and Triune are NOT.  Here's full study:



Similarly, today’s church bears God’s image far more effectively when we bear His image in community. We reflect Him most powerfully when we function interdependently, like the parts of a human body (1 Cor 12:4-20). Alone, I might be a strong representation of His eye, and my husband a strong representation of His hand. Your elders might powerfully reflect His wisdom and your deacons, His servanthood. Your small group leader might exercise God’s authority through an evangelism movement and your best friend through a fight for justice. When Christians work together, all of these traits, gifts, and passions work together in unity. When the church functions as one body made up of many parts, we represent Him holistically (1 Cor 12:20). When we depend on and serve one another, we rule on God’s behalf with both a broader scope and greater precision.

When we love one another, the world will know we are His (Jn 13:34-35)!

We must not limit the Spirit’s vital work by working out our callings in isolation. Let’s bear His image more effectively by bearing it together!

Truth mixed in with Social Justice Social Gospel initiatives. If you love someone you will tell them the truth.  Also, what does Paul teach us about dealing with false teaching within the body of Christ? Am I to engage with Christians who are walking on paths that are not biblical?  How does this sound?  COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM... This is a command written in 2 Corinthians 6:17 KJV.  

In conclusion let's add these thoughts to today's community in organized religion in this apostate age:

Recently posted by Reformation Charlotte:

A 38-year member of McLean Bible Church, Sal Cordova, who has been doing extensive work exposing the underhanded shenanigans perpetrated by the elders of the Church, says that he was threatened with arrest this past weekend for attending service.

“The church I’ve been a part of, McLean Bible Church, for the last 38 years,” he said in a video published on his YouTube Channel, “had threatened me with arrest and jail time for attending their worship services.” He continues, “I was threatened with arrest and jail time if I ever returned to the properties.” End Quote.

My Blogs regarding the church building operations of today:

The Church is The Body of Christ not a Building:
 

Social Gospel is NOT Biblical





Exposing and Rebuking Bill Johnson at BETHEL and the NAR Movement


 My 50 year testimony of going to church to know today’s churches are building the kingdom of the antichrist LINK


Brick and Mortar 501C3 buildings called churches run by apostate CEOs called pastors are not biblical 



Why Dispensationalism is important



Why Bible Translations are important 

 

 King James Version Bible for Today

 http://www.kjvtoday.com/home#TOC-The-King-James-Version-is-Demonstra

Why Bible Translations really matter:

 https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2020/08/the-true-history-of-king-james-bible.html

MEGA TRAP CHURCH TRAP Double Bind of the Nicolaitans 


 Doing the Math on the Kingdom Parables of Matthew 13 




Manna and Leaven: How the modern false teachers use it LINK



  Nearly 80 % of churches do not discuss Bible Prophecy even though 25% of the Bible is about Prophecy. This includes the importance of  the Rapture of the Body of Christ. 
The Truth about the Rapture of the Body of Christ BEFORE the Tribulation:
 
 
  Christian, You don’t have to pay tithes 


 Salvation is secure our Eternal Security is Scripture LINK

 
 Our Sins (sinful nature before Salvation) are wiped clean at salvation. Eternal Salvation is NOT a process… working out our salvation in the flesh is... Know the difference.  False teachers use this against the unlearned..... Be a good Berean... LINK


Bible meaning of True Salvation 


Our Gospel for Today for Salvation 
 

Entitlement = Imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ our free gift at Regeneration LINK

The Shepherd and The Shulamite
 

 Updates on the Apostate Church of Today
 
The Perfect Storm for American Civil War; Christian strive lawfully
 
 
 Striving Lawfully

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About the Author

Ali Zimmerman graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE) degree in 2016. She is a native Oklahoman but currently resides in Memphis, TN, with her husband, Steve, and her son, Luke. She is nearing the conclusion of the Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin) program at DTS, through which she participated in the Spiritual Formation cohort. Her passions include discipleship, writing, studying God’s Word, and helping women apply it to their lives.


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