Created in the Image of God

Open: Piltdown man, Nebraska Man and Lucy. What do all 3 of these “ancestors” of modern man have in common? All are attempts to show the “missing links” from the apes to modern humans. Without exception, all of these finds involve fraud or manipulation to promote a naturalistic worldview.

Transition: There is tremendous pressure for those in the evolutionary world to produce evidence that supports humans being “evolved” from lesser creatures. This task takes on religious fervor among the faithful and it causes them to overlook the simple truth.

It is important to remember that everyone is looking at the same evidence - the worldview produces the different conclusions. The biblical worldview is clear, logical, and it is supported by the evidence without the need to try to fool anyone.

READ the Text: Genesis 1:26-31

Humans are the highest order of creation because we are uniquely created in the Image of God

Explanation: On Day 6 of Creation Week God created the living creatures to fill the earth AND He created Humans as a separate category of beings. This distinction is clearly set forth in v. 26 where God says, “Let us make man in our image.” None of the animals are created after the likeness / image of the Creator; only humanity has this exalted status.

NOTE: This is the only occurrence in the Creation Week where God is clearly referred to in the plural “us.” Some commentators see this as reference to the sense of the royal majesty, while others view it as an early OT indication of the Trinity. Either way, it does give a greater sense of gravity as to the creation of mankind as contrasted with the creation of the animals.

What does it mean to be an image - bearer? We may not be able to understand all of what is involved with this concept, but we can affirm several truths:

As already mentioned, being an image-bearer separates humans from the animals. Humanity DID NOT evolve from any type of animal life.

Both men and women are equal as image-bearers. The term man as used in vv. 26-28 refers to all of humanity, not just the males. This is seen in v. 26 when God says “let them have dominion...” and also in v. 28 where God “blessed them and God said unto them …”

Being an image-bearer involves the “ability to understand abstract principles - especially moral concepts like justice, righteousness, holiness, truth and goodness . . . above all, the image of God can be summed up by the word personhood. We are persons. Our lives involve relationships.” (The Battle for the Beginning, John MacArthur, p. 164)

Argument: Being an image bearer involves our ability to enter into a relationship with God Himself. None of the animals are capable of understanding the concept of a Creator, let alone entering into a covenantal relationship with Him.

Application: Understand your significance in contrast to other created beings. As a person, you are made in the image of God and are therefore redeemable. You are NOT a random accident of an uncaring Kosmos - you are an image -bearer and worthy of respect and dignity as a fellow human being.

Humans are born as male or female by the Divine Decree of God (Genesis 1:27)

Explanation: In His summary statement on Creating humans on Day 6, God adds the details of gender. He did not do this for any of His other creations. He did say that the animals were to reproduce after their kind, but only of humans does God add that when He created them in His image, He created them “male and female.”

This truth has always been significant, but it has even more significance in our modern era of confusion in the arena of gender. God could not have been more clear - there are only 2 genders, male & female, and these genders are fixed biologically as a creation decree.

Illustrate: NC Bathroom Bill (H.B. 2) was established to prevent trans-gender bathrooms in schools and other government buildings. In arguing for support of trans rights, Dr. Deanna Adkins of Duke University had this to say: “From a medical perspective, the appropriate determinant of sex is gender identity.” Adkins argues that gender identity is not only the preferred basis for determining sex, but “the only medically supported determinant of sex.” Every other method is bad science. [“Sex Reassignment surgery doesn’t work. Here is the evidence” by Ryan T. Anderson, Ph.D., taken from the Heritage Foundation website, March 9, 2018; accessed on July 3, 2023]

Argument: Regardless of the moral insanity in the arena of trans-genderism and gender dysphoria, the biblical truth is crystal clear: there are two, and only two genders, male and female, and they are binding upon a person for his or her lifetime. God does NOT make mistakes!

Application: several points are in order

First, all humans are image-bearers and are to be shown respect and dignity as such

It is NOT hate speech to refuse to recognize moral insanity. (i.e., Bruce Jenner is still a man, and we should not refer to him as Kaitlyn Jenner. same goes for Will Thomas)

We should not promote the use of preferred pronouns. I see some believers who are 100% secure in their birth gender using “she / her” in an effort to seem culturally relevant or out of respect for those who are trans or confused. [I guess this is why??] What it actually does is give legitimacy to moral insanity and is a direct affront to the Creator God

Humans have dominion over the created order as God’s vice-regents (Genesis 1:28)

Explanation: Another separation between humanity and the animal kingdom is in the area of responsibility. When God created the animals He created them to reproduce after their kind and added nothing else. With image-bearers, however, He added 2 broad responsibilities. Humans are mandated to be fruitful and to exercise dominion over the created order.

The mandate to fill the earth. In His creation decree, God commanded the first couple to be fruitful and to fill the earth. This mandate has never been revoked or altered, and its application is for all of humanity.

The greenies are having conniptions regarding the earth’s population. If empowered to act, some of the elites would like to reduce the global population from almost 8 billion down to about 2 billion. They attempt to scare people into not having children by horror stories of dystopian futures of ravaged climate brought about by over-population. Some young people were pledging NOT to ever have children in their effort to assist with climate change issues.

Don’t be taken in by this foolishness - the world is not going to be destroyed by over-population or climate change. God already has that worked out. Christian young people still need to have children to fulfill this part of the mandate. The order IS very important: Marry a believer of the opposite gender; then have children.

Mankind has been given the task of stewarding the planet. It is not ours to waste or destroy. Instead, we are to be responsible with the earth’s resources. Humanity as a whole has not done a great job with this, and sadly, some followers of Christ have not been good managers. This does not, however, change the decree of God. We are to manage resources as wisely as possible and to conserve the eco-system, but we do not need to yield before the fanatical demands of the environmentalists, the most extreme of which would have humans become extinct in favor of the planet.

Conclusion: The Bible presents a literal 6 day creation with mankind being His most special creation. God created humans with 2 and only 2 biological genders, and gave them instructions to multiply and to manage the planet’s resources. At the end of Day 6, God said, “it was very good” (v. 31).

It is very apparent that what we see now “is not good.” In fact, there is much evil in this present world. Our choice to rebel against God’s perfect order resulted in the mess we have today.

A person can accept that God is the Creator, and can be secure in his or her gender. This person can even get married and have a family and can be a responsible citizen - recycling the trash, planting trees on Arbor Day, getting a membership in the National Park Conservation Association, and even sending money to save the whales. These are all good things, but the point is not to be a moral rule-follower - the main thing is to be in right relationship with the Creator through a personal faith in Jesus as the Lord of Glory!