Man, when first created, was made in the image of God. It is the soul of man, that does especially bear God's image. The soul is a spirit, an intelligent immortal spirit, resembling God, the Father of Spirits, and the soul of the world. The soul of man, considered in its three noble faculties, understanding, will, and active power, is perhaps the brightest, clearest looking glass in nature, wherein to see God. Man in his state of innocence was capable, above all creatures, of communing with God. There was a communion then between man and His Creator that is impossible for us to truly perceive. They walked together as friends and companions in that short age of sinlessness. When sin entered man died spiritually and lost communion with God. As the answer to question 18 of the Shorter Catechism states: "The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adams first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it." Thus a great gulf interposed itself between God and man. However, God in grace devised a means of recovery for sinners. The Lord Jesus would die as an atonement for man's sin and God's Spirit would renew their beings so that they might be restored to His likeness and to His blessing and enter the inheritance He had for His elect people. In our text, Paul refers to the indwelling of God's Spirit as that which marks the true believer.