Genesis 1 Identity

Who is GOD?

Who are you?

Image-bearers of God!

God created us to be His image-bearers where we are, where we go, and with what we do

Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:26–30 “26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.”

"Image of God":

The phrase "in the image of God" in Genesis 1:27 is the key verse that establishes our identity as being created in God's likeness, with the ability to reflect His attributes like love, creativity, and righteousness.

GOD IS CREATOR

God is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, PERFECT- good!

God is loving, gracious, kind, patient

God is creative, joyful, personal

God is provider, orderly

In Genesis 1, God's blessing on humans has multiple meanings, including:

Purpose in life: God revealed humans' purpose in life through the "three great blessings" in Genesis 1:28. These blessings are to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion over creation. Relationship with God: The core of God's blessing is a right relationship with him. Creation mandate: God gave humans the creation mandate, which is the responsibility to fill the earth and care for it as stewards. Authority over the earth: God gave humans the authority to rule and subdue the earth. Image of God: God created humans in his image, which means that humans are unique and have the ability to bless the world. Sexual reproduction: God created humans with the capacity for sexual reproduction, which means that sex is not sinful in and of itself.

We have been created on purpose and for a purpose!

God blessed us to be a blessings!

Inherent Dignity:

Being created in God's image grants us inherent dignity and worth, regardless of our circumstances or achievements.

Relationship with God:

This concept allows us to have a personal relationship with God, as we are designed to connect with our Creator.

Male and Female:

emphasizes that both men and women are created in God's image, highlighting the equality of genders.

How does this relate to our identity in Christ?

Redemption:

While we are created in God's image, sin has marred this image. Through Jesus Christ, we are redeemed and restored to our true identity as God's children, allowing us to fully reflect His image.

New Creation:

When we accept Christ, we are considered a "new creation" where our old sinful identity is replaced with a new one in Christ.

Genesis Foundations for Our Identity

But what if we flip the script? What if we seek God’s revelation on the matter? What if we seek that which is objective and fixed rather than subjective and fluid?

As in most cases, that takes us straight back to Genesis—the book of foundations. Genesis is where we find so many of the firm foundations of God’s truth.

The first thing we learn in Genesis 1:26 is that we are created by God. In other words, we do not get to create ourselves. The identity movement is a lie. There is objective, fixed reality that defines us.

Second, we learn that we were made to bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27). In other words, we were to image or reflect the glory of his character in creation. He is holy (morally perfect) and righteous (always doing good). These are the features of his image that defined us in creation (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24).

Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—”

Ephesians 4:24 “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Third, we learn that we were made from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). That is to say, we are not gods—we are created by God! We can’t create ourselves. And there are things we simply lack the power to do, like defining gender or changing the ultimate destiny of the planet with climate change. We learn that these things are in the hands of the Creator, not the created (Genesis 1:27, 8:22).

Fourth, we learn that we are made male or female (Genesis 1:27). There is a gender binary in humans, not a fluid spectrum. And while everyone is human, there are shades of emphasis in our constitution, in God’s creation design. For example, females are made with special gifts to help and mother (Genesis 2:20, 3:20), while men are made with special gifts to work and be responsible to protect (Genesis 2:15).

But the fifth lesson is a sad one. We learn that we are fallen in Adam, bearing his image and likeness (Genesis 5:1–3). That means our identity as humans contains something that was never meant to be there in creation. It contains sin, and it contains death (Romans 5:12). We are sinners, and we are damned.

That explains something of the tension that we experience as people living in God’s world. We see what people are made for when they seem to resemble their created glory—when they seek to do good, civilize, love their neighbors, and come up with all kinds of ways to do the right thing. We were made as image bearers of God! But we also see a human history filled with oppression, violence, strife, sadness, and every manner of evil thing. And our own lives fall so short. We realize that we are fallen in Adam.

Both of these things are true. We were made great, and we fell.

Our Identity in Christ

The rest of Scripture reveals the solution to us. Jesus is repeatedly described in the New Testament as the image of God (Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3). He is God’s glory in the “dust” of human flesh. He is what we need to become, but we have fallen short in Adam.

He not only has what we need, but he also has the victory over what we need to destroy. He has the victory over sin, and he has the victory over death. He conquered both of these foes for us.

In salvation, we are being transformed from Adam’s fallen image to Christ’s glorious image (1 Corinthians 15:49).

See how wise God is? He reveals to us that which makes sense of our human nature and condition. It is his wisdom we need, not the false wisdom of a world that seeks to decide what’s right in their own eyes.

Answers in Genesis is calling a generation back to God’s wisdom on these contemporary issues that are causing so much confusion. My recent book and a forthcoming identity exhibit at the Creation Museum are just the beginning!

Your prayers and financial support are crucial to enable the life-changing work of reaching millions of souls with God’s wisdom and the gospel message. Would you prayerfully consider a gift today to help us continue to make an eternal impact?

Thank you for joining us in this important ministry to reach, equip, and influence so many lives around the world for Christ!

—Martyn Iles

What does it mean for us to be made in the image of God, and how should this influence our daily actions and relationships?

How can understanding our inherent dignity as image bearers of God affect our self-worth and how we see others?

What are some practical ways we can show respect and dignity to all people, recognizing they too are made in God’s image?

How does knowing we are created in God’s image influence the choices we make as young adults today?