#5-50 most important teachings of the Bible

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

26 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.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

1 Corinthians 15:49 ESV

49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 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.

Question: What exactly does it mean that we are made in God’s image?

Accepting the fact God is our Creator is a basic step of faith. The first words of any book are extremely important, for they set the theme for the book. When the Bible opens by saying, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), that lets us know immediately that God, as Creator, is a key focal point of everything that follows

Hebrews 11:3 ESV

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Question: Are you OK with that?

God’s image does not refer to physical qualities. God did not create us exactly like Himself—for example, God has no physical body.

Instead, we are a reflection of His character.

Like God, we have the ability to communicate, to reason, to love, to have patience, to be faithful, and to forgive others. Obviously we will never be totally like God because He is God—the Supreme Being—and we are not.

God’s image in us means we belong to Him

Jesus said the coin bearing the emperor’s image should be given to the emperor. But a life that bears the image of God belongs to God. Jesus defined what it means to belong to God when He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27

Luke 10:27 ESV

27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Question: Are you giving God all that is rightfully HIs?

God’s image is the basis for human self-worth

Psalm 139:14 ESV

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

God’s image is important in human relationships

This “image” gives man morality, reason, creativity, and worth. When we interact with other people, we are interacting with other beings made by God—beings to whom God offers the gift of eternal life.

God’s image in us is marred by sin

But with mankind’s fall into sin, God’s image in man became distorted—it became warped and twisted. The farther away man moved from God in his sinful behavior, the dimmer that image appeared. Jesus’ payment for sin on the cross made it possible for a broken relationship with God to be restored

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Question: Are you living up to the righteousness of God??

God restores man’s original image in Christ.

God created a perfect world, and He created man perfect in His own image. For reasons we cannot understand, God allowed sin to both mar His creation and distort His image in man. But all through the Bible we see that God has always had a plan to restore and “upgrade” man’s likeness to God

SO WHAT!!!!

What Does This Mean for You?Being made in God’s image is a great privilege.

Of all God’s creation, only mankind was created in His image.

Because you bear God’s image, He has a claim on your life.

Rejoice in your relationship with God. Embrace your likeness to Him. A

And purpose to learn more about your Creator.

Begin today by taking time to worship Him, and commit yourself to gladly living in a way that reflects His image.