The Image of God

Introduction

Read Genesis 1:26-28

Genesis 1:26–28 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

The last couple weeks, we have been looking at who God is. This is the first and primary question we must answer if we are going to have a proper view of creation and how it works.

Now, today, we will be asking the question, who are we?

Again, the Israelites have come out of Egypt where the only people with any true value and purpose are those with the power and wealth.

Pharoah and his household would have been the only ones seen with any value because only Pharaoh himself would have been considered to be made in the image of the gods.

But Moses is wanting to instruct the people that there is a greater truth to the value and identity of all people, rich and poor, male and female, Egyptian or Israelite, that we are all made in the image of God.

The Image of God Bears Responsibility

Humanity Serves as God’s Representative

Throughout history, kings and nations would build and establish images that would designate and symbolize the area of authority and jurisdiction that was included in the kingdom.

You would see statues of the king throughout the kingdom to remind the people to whom they owed their allegiance. We still have nations that place images of their ruler. In other places, that image would not so much be the image of a person as much as a banner that symbolizes the country identity.

For us, we have our Flag that we wave that shows we are under the authority of the United States of America. When Neil Armstrong and his team landed on the moon, they placed the American flag there to show that we were the first to step foot there and in essence claim that territory for the name and glory of the USA.

Images were meant to be representative of the authority they were made for.

In the same way, when we look at what it means to be made in the image of God, we see that we are made, not to be gods in and of ourselves, but to demonstrate God’s glory in the earth and to represent the authority that He alone has.

Humanity is the constant reminder to all of creation that God is Creator and Ruler over it all and wherever our presence goes, so should the knowledge of this good, gracious, and powerful God.

This is also why we are commanded not to make images of God.

One, God cannot be reduced to anything else in creation that we could make an image of.

But He has also established His image on the earth through living images called man and woman.

We do not need statues because we have each other to remind one another and to point each other to the God we are created by and called to serve and worship.

Humanity Serves to Work and Bring Flourishing to God’s Creation

We see that part of being made in the image of God means that we have been given the responsibility to care for and to work for the flourishing of life upon the earth.

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Genesis 2:15 (ESV)

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Genesis 2:19–20 (ESV)

Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

The Cultural Mandate

God created man and woman and deputized them to carry His authority to oversee and exercise dominion over the created order.

To exercise dominion is to literally exercise responsibility for the created order.

And we see this is what Adam has been placed in the garden to do. He is called to work in the garden, to see it flourish, and to care for the plants and the animals within His domain. We see him taking dominion by giving names to all the animals.

The idea is that while God has created everything good and as He wants it to be, there is a sense in which creation is innocent, but not perfect. God wants to use man to bring out the full potential of creation by furthering the garden into the rest of the world.

Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God wants man to take control or responsibility, not just over the area of the garden, but to extend the garden to fill up the ends of the earth.

We are still doing this today.

As we explore the created order, we are continuing to expand our responsibility over creation.

As we continue to learn and grow in our knowledge…

As we continue to invent and develop new tools…

As we continue to look for new ways to improve the life and health of both humans and animals…

As we continue to plant and cultivate farms, gardens, forests…

As we work our jobs for the benefit of others, whether that’s in a highly professional environment or if its working as a plumber, janitor, or mechanic.

God does not judge our jobs based on how prestigious we might think it is, but based on how we are representing His glory and authority.

Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV)

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

We have a group of students getting ready to graduate. Shari and I were able to go to a Thesis defense of one of our students who is exploring new ways to treat bacterial infections when someone becomes immune to antibiotics. While I will not pretend to understand much of what was presented because she and so many of our students are way smarter than I will ever be, it is really awesome to know that our students are exploring and discovering new ways to improve the health of those around us.

We also have students seeking to develop technology to help us explore regions of Mars and other areas of space that are currently inaccessible to us.

We are all called to work for the good of those around us and for the glory of God. There should be a sense in which the presence of God is felt because we are living in obedience to the calling God has placed on our lives regardless of where we are.

The Image of God Requires Both Men and Women

Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

The image of God, contrary to what so many in the past and even how its so often taught, is not given simply to man. The image of God is found in both male and female as He has created them.

Man is unable to completely live out the image of God on his own.

Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Now some people worry about how this is phrased, thinking that God created woman to be a slave to meet all of man’s desires and whims, but this is not at all what is going on.

God has created Adam to represent Him to the rest of Creation and to care for and bring order to the created order. However, Adam does not have everything he needs to be able to accomplish this great task.

So God creates woman to be able to do what Adam cannot do on his own.

The idea of “helper” in this sense is not the idea of slave, but this is the same use of “helper” that is used for the Holy Spirit when Jesus says that He comes to be our helper. The Holy Spirit comes to help us do what we are powerless to do in our own strength and power.

In the same way, woman has come to help Adam do what he cannot do alone. In the same way, Adam is able to do what woman cannot do on her own. God has created man and woman to be complement one another, to fill in what is missing in the other.

Which means, we cannot really do life without the other. Women cannot replace men in what they do and men cannot replace women in what they do.

God has created us in His image to live within the community of faith together as both men and women to fulfill the mission of God as we work together to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

The Image of God Gives Sanctity to Human Life

Finally, their is a sanctity or holiness to human life that is different from all other creatures.

God has created humanity as a moral creature.

First, as we look at the sanctity of human life, we see that God has created us as moral beings.

We do not simply give in to the whims and desires of our natural self. We have been given a knowledge of what is right and wrong and the ability to control ourselves to do what is right over our instincts which would have us seek our own interests instead of doing what is right.

This divides us from the rest of the created order as animals do simply what is in their instinct.

Can we train them to do what we want? Sure. But even then, they are doing so because they want a specific reward, not necessarily because it has any moral value one way or another.

Samwise and the Rabbit

Animals do not have within themselves the idea of right and wrong. Yes, they can have relationships with other things. Yes their behavior can be modified. But there is no true right and wrong for them because they were not created with the image of God to know that there is a truly objective right and wrong.

God has created humanity as a spiritual creature.

Second, God has created humans, male and female, as spiritual creatures. God has breathed His breath of life into us and has given us a special place in relationship with Himself.

While there is a sense in which all of creation worships God, no other creature can know God the way we do.

Psalm 19 - the heavens declare the glory of God.

I believe the animals and creatures have ways to bring glory to God and even offer worship.

But only you and I are invited into a personal relationship with the God of creation where we can know Him, we can bow in prayer to Him, we can study His Word and see the intricacies of His holiness and His grace. We gather together as image bearers to hear the Word proclaimed and to grow in our knowledge, love and trust in God, not simply as Creator, but also as Savior and Provider!

No other creature has this ability to know God the way we do.

Even the angels in heaven who worship God before His throne long to know what you and I get to know.

1 Peter 1:12 (ESV)

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Angels worship God for who He is, but they do not even know God in the depths to which He has been revealed to us.

Human life, both male and female, possess a sanctity that God has graciously given to us.

How do we uphold the sanctity of human life?

Seek to protect the life of the unborn

2023 saw over 1 million abortions.

That’s about half the state of New Mexico eliminated in one year.

Seek to minister to women who are caught in difficult circumstances

James 1:27 (ESV)

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

While there are those who simply remain political in their stance on abortion, the church has led the way in seeking to save both the life of the baby and to seek the well-being of the mother.

Christians have led the way in providing service through pregnancy care centers, helping to provide help and assistance for the provision of needs, stepping up to adopt,

We must continue to seek racial reconciliation

We must treat one another as people made in the image of God

While none of us would ever say anything against God Himself, our love for Him is demonstrated by how we love one another

Our gossip, anger, and bitterness towards one another shows our contempt for God Himself

James 3:9–10 (ESV)

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

1 John 4:20–21 (ESV)

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

If we are going to uphold the sanctity of life, we must uphold it not just in what we say, but in how we love and treat those around us.

The Image of God Must Be Restored

As we look at all this, we have to realize that we have not fulfilled God’s ideal plan for us.

Now, every single human bears the image of God and is created to be His representative and bears the value and holiness He has created them to bear.

However, as we will see in a few weeks, sin is going to distort the image that God has created us to bear.

Instead of properly reflecting and bearing His image, we have chosen instead to distort His image so we can try to create our own image.

This does not diminish our value, but it has kept us from being all God has created us to be.

In our sin, we have not given God the glory that He alone deserves.

So, what do we need in order to properly fulfill the purpose for which God created us?

We Need the Perfect Image Bearer

Because the image of God has been marred and distorted because of our sin, God has sent someone else to create a new Kingdom where His image is perfectly seen.

Colossians 1:15 (ESV)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Jesus came to this earth to perfectly reveal the glory of the Father. He is able to do so because He is God who has come into the flesh.

So as we behold Jesus in all He said and did while He was on this earth, we are beholding the exact imprint, the exactly and perfect image of God Himself, exercising perfect dominion and bringing life and flourishing to His creation which has been subject to futility.

Jesus came as the second Adam to do what the first Adam failed to do.

But not only did Jesus live the perfect life, He died to save us from how we failed to live up to the purpose God created us for.

This is how we know that while the image of God has been marred and distorted, God has not removed His image from us.

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God still loves us and wants to use us as His representatives on earth to display His glory.

No matter what you’ve done, no matter your past, Jesus has demonstrated His never failing love for us as He came to rule and exercise dominion as the suffering servant to redeem us from our sin.

We Are Being Transformed Into the Image of Christ

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

But not only has Christ died to save us from how we have rebelled, He died to restore the purity of the image that has been broken and marred.

Like a mirror that has been shattered, while it still reflects an image, it is not the image that was intended to reflect.

Through the cross and the resurrection, Christ is seeking to put the pieces back together, to restore what has been broken in us.

And as we continue to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, to behold who He is as we study His Word together, as we pray, as we fellowship with one another, as we live in His grace, as we behold Jesus, we are being transformed from one degree of glory to another back into the image of Christ.

And now, when people look at us, they should see the image of Christ being reflected in us so they too can know and worship the Creator who has made them in His image as well. And in so doing, we are fulfilling our role as image bearers as we bring order and flourishing back into Creation.