Imago Dei

Scripture reveals to us that all humans are made in the image of God. As shown in 1 Corinthians 11:7, we are also made to be the glory of God. Genesis 1:27 makes it very clear that both male and female are created in His image. Genesis 9:6 states whoever sheds men’s blood will have his blood shed by men because we are made in His image, which shows us how serious it is to be made as we are. This revelation gives us a little insight into who God is, and who we are in God.

Because we are made in the image of God, we are given creativity and granted to be rulers over creation (Genesis 1:28). We are made as the climax of God’s creation, and being at the top, we are God’s representatives on the Earth who, according to Genesis 2:8-15, will dress and keep the Earth.

We are beings who reflect God’s glory. We aren’t just another part of creation to be watched over; we are given responsibility in creation. We are made in the image of God and therefore we are created for fellowship with Him. We also are given free will as images of Him, because God the Father creates freely and according to His will. We can know Him and experience joy in Him because we are made in His image. We can know love and know how to love because we are made in His image.

We are made to seek God’s face and have a relationship with Him. He has made us to be relational, and made us to connect with Him. Through our relationship with Him, we find joy and we experience the goodness of God. We are called to love others as God loves us. We aren’t just supposed to love one another for the sake of love. We are to love one another because we are all of one human race, and we are either children of Christ or children of the devil.

As Christians, part of our purpose in life is to be a representative of God on this Earth and serve Him. As His creations of God, who is uncreated in His properties, we reflect God’s glory. We are to be good stewards of the Earth (Genesis 2:15) and to be fruitful and have children (Genesis 1:28); to work the land, even though we are in a fallen world and the land is hard and afflicted by weeds and thorns. No matter our current fears, it is still a blessing to further our progenies despite the degenerate culture our children may grow up in.

We are commissioned to spread the good news. To share with the whole world that God gave His only begotten son Jesus, fully man and fully God, to die for our sins, and that He rose on the third day, and sits at the right hand of the Father even to this very moment in time.

Thank God for the revelation He gives to us in Scripture, and thank God we are made in His image.