Made in the Image of God
He leads me …
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
(Genesis 1:26 - 28 NLT)
Most Christians have probably heard of the term ‘in the image of God’, but not many understand how important it is.
The image of God is actually a foundational belief that enables believers to understand our significance and purpose on Earth. Being aware of how we are made in God’s image helps us to see why everyone should have dignity and purpose in their life and work.
There are no ordinary people. Even a strange person is more than ordinary in God’s eyes.[1]
Having the ‘image’ or ‘likeness’ of God means in its simplest form, that we were made to be like God. God was not like Adam by having flesh and blood. Scripture says that ‘God is spirit’ (John 4:24) and therefore He does not have a body. However, Adam’s body before the fall did mirror God in that it was created in perfect health and was not meant to experience death.[2]
There are at least three qualities where we are made in the image of God which are not physical.
· We have personality - knowledge, feelings, and a will. This sets man apart from all animals and plants.
· We have morality - we have a conscience and are able to make moral judgments.
· We have spirituality - man is made for unity with God. It is on the level of spirit we are to have unity with God
To put it another way, being ‘made in the image of God’ means that human beings are created with unique abilities quite different from every other creature on the earth. In this way we are meant to be the visible reflections of the invisible God.[3]
The emphasis in Genesis 1:26 on man’s dominion above the other creatures effectively says that mankind’s position is as vice regency (a person who acts in the place of a ruler, governor, or sovereign) being accountable to God. A direct result of mankind having God’s image is the kingly rule into which God has given them when He said, ‘let them have dominion …’.
Humans were given dominion over other animals, and not other humans (Genesis 1:28). Some versions of the Bible like the NKJV say that mankind is to ‘have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ This could be argued to include other humans. Other versions clarify the meaning. The NLT says, ‘Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground’ and the TLB says, ‘you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals.’
God’s purposes involve care that includes His blessing and peace across all aspects of maintaining the planet, and includes both nature conservation and social justice. In bearing God’s image and ruling on God’s behalf, mankind is to be a living version of the Bible and do what the Lord requires.
Since the Fall, the full image of God has become damaged due to sin. Thankfully God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to save mankind and restore His image in Christians lives so that we become more like Him.
Being made in the image of God also means that Jesus birth was totally possible. God (as the Logos) could become man because although He is God, mankind being in His image makes both sides compatible.
It is worth noting that after God made man in his own image, Genesis 1:27 makes a significant addition – ‘male and female he created them.’ These words make it clear that there is a fundamental equality between men and women, who equally bear the image of God. While the Bible notes some differences between men and women, we should never think that these differences create a lower status for women as far as God is concerned.
We should also consider that just as God exists within loving community – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit joined in perfect love – mankind has a duty to bear God’s image in relationships of community and love.
A major question that most people ask at some time is - ‘Who am I?’ We can now see that the Bible tells us that we are living creatures made by God to bear His image. If we are bearing God’s image it will be seen in our moral and spiritual nature, in our shared love within community, in our dominion on God’s behalf, and especially in our calling to unity with God. There is nothing that could be a higher sense of calling and privilege – than to realize that we are creatures designed to know and be known by God, and to love and be loved by our Maker.[4]
There is another consideration that affects us all. After the Flood, God sealed a covenant with Noah with the following warnings as written in Genesis 9:4-6 (NLT Italics added) –
“And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.
The Lord is saying that we should think of all other people as being created in the image of God – that is, being His vice regent with the responsibilities that go with it. That is the only way to save ourselves from violence and suicide. This is worth meditating on. It means that one of the greatest questions that mankind should ask is - Can I see God’s image in one who is not in my image – whose colour, class, culture and even their mental and physical handicaps is different from mine? [5]
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] Made In the Image of God – The Basis for Our Significance, Dr. Art Lindsley, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics;
https://tifwe.org/made-in-the-image-of-god-the-basis-for-our-significance/
[2] What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God (imago dei)? GotQuestions.org;
https://www.gotquestions.org/image-of-God.html
[3] What Does “Made in the Image of God” Mean? – Genesis 1:27 Meaning, Tiffany Nicole, Lavendervines.com;
https://lavendervines.com/made-in-the-image-of-god/
[4] Man as the Image of God, Richard Phillips, The Gospel Coalition US Edition;
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/man-as-the-image-of-god/
[5] Difference in the Image of God, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, RabbiSacks.org;
https://www.rabbisacks.org/quotes/difference-in-the-image-of-god/
