What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God (imago dei)?

Response

On the final day of creation, God declared, “Let us create man in our likeness, in our image” «And 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 air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. », (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He completed His work with a unique touch. God shaped Adam from the dust and breathed life into him «And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. », (Genesis 2:7). Consequently, humanity stands out among all God’s creations, possessing both a physical body and a spiritual soul.

Bearing the “image” or “likeness” of God means, essentially, that we were designed to reflect God. Adam did not resemble God in the sense of having flesh and blood. The Scriptures state that “God is spirit” «God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. », (John 4:24) and therefore exists without a physical form. Nevertheless, Adam’s body did reflect the vitality of God as it was created in perfect health and was not subject to death.

The image of God (Latin, imago dei) pertains to the non-physical aspect of humanity. It distinguishes human beings from the animal kingdom, equipping them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth «And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. », (Genesis 1:28).

God said unto them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28), enabling them to commune with their Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.

Mentally, humanity was created as a rational, volitional agent. In other words, human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Whenever someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.

Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. God saw all He had made (humanity included) and called it “very good” “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”, (Genesis 1:31). Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state. Whenever someone writes a law, recoils from evil, praises good behavior, or feels guilty, he or she is confirming the fact that we are made in God’s own image.

Socially, humanity was created for fellowship. This reflects God’s triune nature and His love. In Eden, humanity’s primary relationship was with God “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”, (Genesis 3:8 implies fellowship with God), and God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the”A man should not be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18). Whenever someone gets married, forms a friendship, embraces a child, or attends church, they are showing that we are created in the image of God.

Part of being created in God’s image is that Adam had the ability to make choices freely. Despite having a righteous nature, Adam and Eve chose to rebel against their Creator. In doing so, they tarnished the image of God within themselves and passed on that flawed likeness to all their descendants. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Today, we still reflect the image of God, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness” (James 3:9), but we also bear the marks of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we display the consequences of sin.

The great news is that when God redeems an individual, He starts to restore the original image of God, creating a “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). This redemption is only possible through God’s grace by having faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from the sin that separates us from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Through Christ, we become new creations in the likeness of God, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”Things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).