Mankind is appointed as God’s royal representatives (i.e., sonship) to rule the earth in his place. When sin marked the human family as disobedient children, however, they did not lose the “image” (9:6; 1 Cor 11:7; Jas 3:9); rather, the “glory” of sonship faded. In the New Testament these ideas of image, glory, and sonship are found closely related (e.g., 1 Cor 11:7; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:4, 6; Heb 2:5–10). By the grace of the Creator the new humanity is created in the “image of Christ” (cp. 1 Cor 15:49) and through his perfect obedience achieves life and glory for believers as his adopted children (e.g., Rom 8:17, 30; 9:23; 2 Cor 4:4, 6; Col 3:9–10).
