CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Genesis 1:26 (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."

                What does it mean for us to be created in the image of God? Usually when we think of the word “image” we think of the outward appearance of something. Obviously God was not referring to our physical appearance when he said let us make man in our image. If that were so we should all look alike, but we do not. Besides, God is spirit and does not reside in a physical body. So He must have been thinking of something else. To find the answer to our question we need to look past our outward appearance to what is on the inside of us. I don’t mean our internal organs. I mean our soul.

                The primary way that we are created in the image of God is that we have an eternal soul. We were created to live forever. Because of sin our lifespan on this earth has limits, but our soul does not. The Bible tells us that when our physical body dies our soul survives and enters eternity. Because we have been created with a soul that is shaped in the image of God we have been blessed with some qualities unique to humanity. Each of these are expressions of the image of God in us.

                One of the things that sets us apart from the rest of creation is our ability to think and reason. We are able to take in information and process it in a variety of ways. We can reflect upon the past and learn from it. By storing information from the past we can build a data base that allows us to progress. We are not limited to doing the same things over and over. We have the capacity to analyze information and change our behavior accordingly.

                We can think about the future. The future is an abstract concept. It does not yet exist, yet we can visualize what it might be. Even the fact that we realize there is a future reflects the image of God. Our ability to think in abstract terms allows us to think about God.

                We have the ability to make choices that are adjusted to our circumstances and our needs. We are not controlled by the survival instinct alone. We can choose to make sacrifices now in order to attain a greater good in the future. We can even choose to disregard our safety for the sake of others.

                We have the ability to learn new things. We can learn new skills. We can learn new applications of information.

               

                 We also reflect the image of God by our ability to be creative. God has given to us the ability to take the raw materials of this world and create new and beforehand unknown things. 100 years ago who could have imaged the internet or an IPad? Yet they are a reality today because God has given us the ability to be creative.

                This ability was demonstrated from the very beginning. Genesis 2:18-20 (NIV)
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

                God gave the task of naming all of the animals to Adam. I cannot even imagine how Adam did that, yet he did. He was reflecting the image of God. In fact scientists carry on Adam’s legacy today. When they find a new organism they name it.

                There are many ways that we exhibit this aspect of the image of God. Some people do it through music. Although some animals have songs, no animal has the breadth and variety of music that humans do. For all other animals songs are functional; mating or warning. For humans music is transformational. We attended a band concert the other night. The variety of instruments in a concert band reflects the creativity of God and the uniqueness of humanity. I have never seen an animal play a French horn or a flute.

                Some people are gifted in art of various forms. Art is an expression of the creative image of God. Art serves no purpose in the survival and propagation of the human race, yet it enhances and enriches it. It can take the form of painting, sculpting, or forming things out of clay and other materials. Animals do not paint pictures or create statues, but we do.

                Some demonstrate the gift of creativity through writing. Writing combines our ability to think and reason with our creative nature to produce something that did not exist before. We can create a world that is totally different from anything we know. For example; the worlds of Middle Earth from the pen of JRR Tolkien and Narnia from the pen of CS Lewis. There is a wealth of stories, both short and long, fiction and non-fiction that express the breadth and depth of our creative possibilities in writing.

                Some of us are creative in practical ways, such as architecture or making furniture. How many animals do you know live in a three story brick house and sleep on a four poster bed with night stands at the side? In all of creation humanity is unique because of our ability to be creative.

                One of the most amazing ways that we reflect the image of God is our ability to feel and express emotions. Animals seem to demonstrate this quality on a very simple level, but only humans have a breadth of emotions. An example is our ability to love. This comes directly from God. 1 John 4:7-12 (NIV)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

                We can feel love, hate, anger, frustration, joy, delight, sorrow, happiness and the list can go on. Not only do we feel these emotions but we can express them in both words and actions. We are, at our core, emotional beings, even when we try to hide it. All of these emotions come directly from God. We don’t often think of God as having emotions, yet if we look closely at the Bible we will discover that He does. Not only does God express love, He also expresses anger, delight, joy, frustration and more.

                The greatest reflection of the image of God is our ability to enter into relationships with other people and with God. If you notice carefully, Genesis 1: 26 says “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” “Our” is a plural word. For all of eternity God has existed in perfect community; Father, Son and Spirit. When God created us he did it with the understanding that we too would live in community. First we are to live in community with God and then with one another.

                When Jesus was asked what the most important command was he answered, "'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, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27 (NIV)

                Animals may live in herds or family groups but they don’t live in community like we do. They may interact with the members of their group but they don’t develop genuine relationships like we do. They may communicate basic information to one another but they do not communicate the depth of information we do. A wolf or a monkey may be able to express fear but not sadness over the loss of a friend. The whole concept of friendship is a human quality not matched in the rest of creation. We are unique in our ability to develop meaningful relationships.

                There is much more to being created in the image of God, but I hope this has raised your awareness of just how unique you are. As we approach Thanksgiving take some time to celebrate that you are created in the image of God. Reflect upon your life and then express your gratitude to God.