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So what does it mean to be made in the image of God? What am I here to do? What’s the point? I think we usually get this only partially right. The Bible talks about this – a lot! In Genesis 1:26-28 we have three short verses that speak volumes about our purpose – in a very pragmatic, practical way. Here Scripture talks about that issue when it uses the term, “image of God”.

Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷ So 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 said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

So, what does it mean to be made “in the image of God”? I think we most often define our being in the image of God around the attributes that we share with God – we can love (sacrifice our welfare for the good of someone else), we have emotions like joy and anger, we can appreciate beauty, we’re creative, we’re social. While this answer is right, it is far short of the full answer. Today, however, I’d like to define humanity being “in the image of God” from these verses. It might give us a different understanding of God’s will for our lives. The challenge is going to be in our willingness to actually listen and obey.

It is important to know that the climax of God’s creative activity was to reproduce his image. After dealing with matter and energy, and plants and animals, God desired to create something more like himself – us.

I’d like to talk about three from the passage we read about the image of God:

First – in verse 26 we read something very interesting, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image’”. While there are different opinions about the “us” there, I think this is a reference to the godhead – the trinity. Then we read, “in the image of God he created him; male and female.” It seems that the relationship men and women have (Adam and Eve in this context), probably in the context of marriage, was patterned after the Trinitarian relationship – the relationship between God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. This reality can give us insight both into how marriage should look and how we might understand the trinity. The emphasis should probably be on how the perfect relationship – the Trinity – can help us think about marriage, rather than how our imperfect understanding of marriage can help us think about the Trinity. I think this helpful concept would in essence show us how, just as Jesus and the Holy Spirit function in complete harmony to carry out God’s perfect will, a husband and wife should function together.

The marriage relationship should be one of harmony, mutual support, and unified vision. A relationship where the personality and giftedness of the individuals merge so as to, in a powerful way, participate in the God-glorifying mission God has in mind.

If you are not yet married, I have a question for you, “When you think of the possibility of a marriage partner; is living for God’s mission together, the primary goal?” If you’re already married I have a different question I hope you’re asking, “How can we better reflect God’s vision for us?”

The church should also function with this relational reality in mind – different Jesus-following people with different personalities and gifts working in harmony toward God’s purposes.

Let’s look and the second point – verse 26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

In this verse the Hebrew word we translate as “image” is important. This word is only used 16 times in the Old Testament. In almost every case it refers to a physical representation of some underlying reality – like how a statue is a representation of someone or something thing else. Idols are often understood as physical representations of a pagan god.

The culture 3,400 years ago – when Genesis was written – had a pretty good connection with the concept being communicated here. Ancient kings would set up images of themselves in distant lands over which they ruled in order to represent their sovereign presence. In Egypt the ruling monarch was described as the image of the likeness of a god. Tutankhamen literally means ‘the living image of the god Amun’. He was thought to be doing the work of Amun’. In the use of the concept of “image” this passage is telling us that we were made to be God’s representation here. We were made, at least in part, to manage God’s creation – not as owners, but as a stewards.

Psalm 8:3-9 (NIV)
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? ⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. ⁶ You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: ⁷ all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, ⁸ the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. ⁹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The third point – we are to fill the earth with others who image God – verse 28a

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth…

It seems that the more God-imagers, the better.

So, working in relationship, we are to make more God-imagers, and manage his creation as stewards.

So does this look different now that sin is part of the equation? What is God’s vision in the midst of destruction, chaos, and death – in a world where humanity understands “self” to be its highest calling – not God? God’s vision has not changed. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT – We are still here to, in relationship with each other produce God-imagers and manage, as stewards, the creation God will one day fully heal (redeem).

Now however we can make God-imagers in two ways – we can raise children that image God and we can be the instruments through which God rescues the lost (and thus make images that way too).

John 17:15-18 (NIV)
My prayer is not that you take [those that follow me] out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them (set them apart) by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The first Adam did a miserable job as the representative of humanity. His failure became our failure. His sin led to our sin. He chose to reject God’s design and live for self. God, however, did not leave the death and chaos that followed Adam with the final word. The second Adam – Jesus has come and he did not fail the way Adam failed. In fact Jesus, this second Adam, has come to give us new life and put us back on course.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Hebrews 1:3a (NIV)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…

For those who claim Jesus as their only hope – in life and in death, Adam no longer defines us – Jesus does. Adam is no longer our model – Jesus is. Life no longer ends in death – Jesus gives us life. We are no longer destine to worship God’s creation – we are here to worship the creator.

Romans 8:29 (NIV)
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed (made into) to the likeness (image) of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Colossians 3:10 (NIV)
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

1 Corinthians 15:49 (NIV)
And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

In Jesus we have mankind as God intended – in the image of God. In Jesus we have the 2^nd Adam. Just as Adam represented us originally, and failed, now Jesus represents us – and he will not fail. Jesus is that perfect man who Adam was suppose to be. Jesus is the one who was sent to save and re-focus humanity – filling earth with God-imagers. Do you see this as your purpose?.