Key Scriptures
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Genesis 1:26 KJV)
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27 KJV)
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:4 KJV)
As we continue our study of God's creation and man's place within it, we come to one of the most profound statements found anywhere in Scripture.
When God created the stars, He spoke.
When God created the seas, He spoke.
When God created the animals, He spoke.
But when God created man, something different happened.
The Bible records a divine conversation:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
No such statement is made concerning angels.
No such statement is made concerning cherubim.
No such statement is made concerning Lucifer.
Only humanity is said to be created in the image of God.
That truth alone gives human life a value beyond anything else in creation.
Yet many people today have no idea what it means to be made in God's image.
Some think it refers to our physical appearance.
Others believe it simply means we are intelligent creatures.
The truth is far deeper than either explanation.
To understand who we are, we must first understand what God meant when He said, "Let us make man in our image."
What Does It Mean to Bear God's Image?
Let me begin by saying what it does not mean.
God is Spirit.
"God is a Spirit." (John 4:24 KJV)
Therefore, being made in God's image does not mean we physically look like God.
The image of God refers to qualities God placed within humanity that reflect His nature.
God created man with the ability to think.
The ability to reason.
The ability to choose.
The ability to create.
The ability to love.
The ability to worship.
The ability to know right from wrong.
Unlike animals, man can look into the heavens and ask, "Why am I here?"
Unlike animals, man can pray.
Unlike animals, man can worship.
Unlike animals, man can have fellowship with God.
There is something unique about humanity.
God stamped His image upon us.
That image was marred by sin, but it was not completely erased.
Even fallen humanity still bears the image of God.
That is why every person possesses dignity and worth.
Why Angels Are Not Said to Bear God's Image
This is one of the most fascinating truths in Scripture.
The Bible tells us angels are powerful.
Angels are intelligent.
Angels dwell in the heavenly realm.
Some angels stand in the very presence of God.
Yet nowhere does Scripture say angels were created in God's image.
Why?
The Bible does not fully answer that question, but it does reveal something remarkable.
God never became an angel.
When humanity fell, God did not send His Son to become a cherub.
God did not become a seraph.
God became a man.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:14 KJV)
That alone tells us something extraordinary about God's purpose for humanity.
The Son of God took upon Himself human nature.
Not angelic nature.
Human nature.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us:
"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." (Hebrews 2:16 KJV)
That should humble us.
The Creator stepped into His creation and became one of us.
Not because we deserved it.
Not because we earned it.
But because He loved us.
Human Uniqueness
The more I study the Bible, the more amazed I become at God's design.
Think about Adam for a moment.
He was formed from the dust of the earth.
Yet he was created in the image of God.
In one sense, man is connected to the earth.
In another sense, man is connected to eternity.
We are creatures of dust who possess eternal souls.
We live in physical bodies, yet we long for spiritual realities.
We walk upon the earth, yet our hearts look toward heaven.
Ecclesiastes tells us:
"He hath set the world in their heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV)
The idea is that God has placed eternity within us.
That is why wealth never completely satisfies.
That is why success never completely satisfies.
That is why pleasure never completely satisfies.
There is something within every human being that longs for God.
We were created for fellowship with Him.
That is part of what it means to bear His image.
The Tragedy of Sin
When Adam sinned, something terrible happened.
The image of God in man was damaged.
The fellowship was broken.
The innocence was lost.
The relationship was fractured.
But the image itself was not destroyed.
Even after the Fall, humanity continued to bear God's image.
James writes:
"Men, which are made after the similitude of God." (James 3:9 KJV)
Even fallen people bear God's likeness.
That truth should affect how we treat one another.
Every person you meet carries the imprint of God's creation.
The older woman in the nursing home.
The child in the womb.
The homeless man on the street.
The wealthy businessman.
The prisoner behind bars.
The person who disagrees with you politically.
The person who belongs to a different race or nationality.
All bear the image of God.
That does not mean everyone is saved.
It does mean everyone has value.
Why Every Human Life Has Value
We live in a culture that often measures people by their usefulness.
Can they work?
Can they contribute?
Can they produce?
Can they make money?
Can they benefit society?
But God measures people differently.
Their value comes from being created in His image.
A baby has value before taking its first breath.
An elderly saint who has dementia has value.
A disabled child has value.
A person who uses a wheelchair has value.
A person struggling with illness has value.
Their worth is not determined by what they can do.
Their worth is determined by who created them.
That truth becomes even more precious as we grow older.
I have reached the stage of life where my body reminds me daily that I am not as strong as I once was.
Many of my readers understand exactly what I mean.
The years pass.
The body weakens.
The eyesight fades.
The joints ache.
Yet our value has not diminished.
Why?
Because our worth was never rooted in our strength.
It was rooted in the fact that God created us in His image.
The world may value youth, beauty, and productivity.
God values people.
A Lesson From an Old Family Photograph
Several years ago, I found an old photograph of my mother.
The picture was worn and faded.
The edges were torn.
Time had taken its toll upon it.
Yet I would not throw it away for all the money in the world.
Why?
Because the value was not in the paper.
The value was in whose image it carried.
That photograph reminded me of someone I loved.
Similarly, every human being carries the imprint of God's image.
Sin has faded that image.
Time has worn upon it.
The Fall has damaged it.
But the Creator still sees His handiwork.
That is why every life matters.
The Greater Adam
One of the most beautiful truths in Scripture is that Jesus came to restore what Adam lost.
The First Adam brought sin.
The Last Adam brought redemption.
The First Adam damaged the image.
Jesus came to restore it.
Paul writes:
"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." (Colossians 3:10 KJV)
Through Christ, God is restoring His image within His people.
One day that work will be complete.
The scars of sin will be gone.
The effects of the Fall will be removed.
The redeemed will stand before God transformed into the likeness of Christ.
What Adam lost will finally be restored.
Final Thoughts
Of all the truths we have studied so far, this may be one of the most important.
You are not an accident.
You are not the result of blind chance.
You are not merely a highly evolved animal.
God created you.
You were created in His image.
That image has been damaged by sin, but it has not been erased.
And because every human being bears that image, every human life possesses value, dignity, and worth.
The world may judge people by wealth, power, education, or achievement.
God sees something deeper.
He sees His image.
In our next chapter, we will examine the dominion God gave Adam and explore whether humanity was entrusted with responsibilities that may once have belonged to another ruler before the Fall.
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