In what ways is humanity created in the image of God?

Ishmael LaBiosa: Welcome to the You Ask Podcast, where the goal is to answer common questions about Christianity. Let's listen in as Pastor Rusty answers today's question. Today's question is In what ways is humanity created in the image of God? I can think of a few concepts that are more talked about in the public square that have a relationship with Christian teaching. Than the doctrine of the image of God. What I want to do today is actually give you five principles that I think summarize the biblical teaching on what it means to be made in the image of God. Here's the first principle out of the five: humans are made in the image of God. Well, that's a pretty basic principle. I do think sometimes that we don't let the scripture speak clearly enough on this topic, because the concept of the image of God is actually found in the first chapter of the Bible. Genesis chapter one, verse twenty-six through twenty-eight, I read it. It says, Then God said, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth. So God created man in his own image, he created him in the image of God, he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it, rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. A super important text because it's the first mention of the image of God in the Bible, and it is bound up. In our creation. I think it's important to just let the text speak for itself. I mean, I think when I just read Genesis 126, it says, Then God said, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness. And guess what the next words are? They talking about humanity will rule. And then they rule over creation. And then after it says that in verse 26, that they're created to rule. Then they're created to reproduce. God created them male and female so they could be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth. Theologians have attempted to answer the question: what does it mean to be made in the image of God? Because our first principle is humans are made in the image of God. And I would say there are kind of four ideas that float around. And I think all of these ideas are right to some degree. The first idea is this. That being made in the image of God, I wish I had a better word. Maybe some of you could help me come up with one, but being made in the image of God is ontological. You say, ⁓ Rusty, what does that mean? Well, here's the definition. It's kind of intricately bound up in the fabric of what it means to be a human, meaning we're made in the image of God, and all people in every place are made in his image. Period, and we can do nothing to lose the image. Okay, that's what it means. It's kind of the essence of who we are. This is sometimes called the substantive view of the image of God, but it's what it means is this is not something that we do, although it is expressed in things that we do. First and foremost, the image of God is something that we possess. It's in us, it's in the fabric of what it means to be. a human. This is actually important to understand this because even in the history of Christian thought that has not been fully appreciated. And some thinkers very unfortunately have said, well, some people don't possess the image, some people do possess the image, and all people in every place possess the image of God, not because of what they do, but because of who made them, period. Okay. That's that's very important. I'd say that's the most important one, but there are three other ideas that kind of float around. I I like the idea that what it means to be made in the image of God is that we are vice regents. Again, another term you may not grasp. Well, maybe another better term is that we're stewards over God's creation. We are made to rule over the creation well. And we are made with the ability to procreate, male and female, the union of male and female to procreate. And so we are both to rule the world well and to populate the world well. We're supposed to do all of this well under God's authority. And the question is, how well have we been able to live out the image of God and rule over his creation well? ⁓ not so well. One could see. There's a few other ideas here. Some people say to be made in the image of God points to a relational capacity. I don't disagree with that. God made us for relationships. It says it's not good for man to be alone, and God created them male and female. And also our image bearing also has a function, the function in these texts of ruling and procreation. I think all of that is a i is part of reading Genesis 1 26 through 28 well. Now let me give you some bad news. Principle number two of five here, that the fall of humanity does not fully erase the image of God in man. If you read through the Old Testament, you come across this text in Genesis 5, verse 3. Now you need to listen carefully since you probably don't have a Bible in front of you. It says, Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a child. Listen to this text. In his likeness, and according to Adam's likeness, according to his image and named him Seth. It seems that after the fall of humanity something's up with our ability to live out the image. Either the image has been distorted or it's been mixed or convoluted with sin in some way. It's hard to get the verbiage here correct, but bottom line is what we were, a pure reflection of God's image, has now been tainted by sin. Now listen carefully, it has not been lost. It has not been lost. All people, even after the fall of humanity, possess the image of God. And Genesis nine six tells us this. Genesis nine six actually talking about capital punishment in the Old Testament, but it says, Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his image. So Genesis nine six is a clear affirmation that even after the fall of humanity into sin, that there is a clear affirmation that we're still made in God's image. Now, maybe the most surprising New Testament development about the image of God is my third principle. Listen carefully. That Christ is the purest expression of the image of God. It's a very interesting idea. See, we are made in the image of God, but the image of God has been distorted in us. And so we say, well, how are we supposed to be fully human? How are we to fully express the image of God? And guess what? Jesus is the purest expression of the image of God. You say, Are you sure, Rusty? Well, sure. Second Corinthians chapter 4 says, Regarding them, the God of this age has blinded the mind of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ, comma. Listen, who is the image of God? I mean, that is about as plain as it gets. Or You get Colossians 1.15, for he, talking about Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Now, I just preached a Colossians series, all of Christ over all of life, and this Colossians 1.15 and following passage is central in that book. And I I want to point out that Jesus makes God reveal to us. Jesus makes God plain. And Jesus also reveals to us what humanity should be because Jesus is the God man. And so if you say, Well, I wonder what God is like, look at Jesus. I wonder what humanity should be. Look at Jesus. Why? Because Christ is the purest expression of the image of God. We reflect God's image, and Christ gives us the ultimate expression of that which should be reflected through. Us. Now notice this. My fourth principle is our Christian journey is to become more like Jesus. We say we want to become more like Jesus, but part of this process, listen carefully, is to restore the image of God in us. It says, I think about some passages here of 2 Corinthians 3 18, it says, We all with unveiled faces are reflecting the glory of the Lord. That's image of God language. And are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. I think the right translation here is from one degree of glory to another. This is from the Lord who is the Spirit. Or listen to this passage in Colossians 3 do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man. Listen to this phrase who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his creator. Or if you don't think The image of God language is still there. Ephesians 4, 24. You put on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness and righteousness and purity of the truth. Here's the simple ideas here. The simple idea is this: we're made in the image of God. The image of God has been tarnished by sin. Christ has come. He's done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He is the purest expression of the image of God. We put our faith and trust in him. And through participating with Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are able to put to death the deeds of the flesh, to live in light of the Spirit, and we are doing nothing less, ladies and gentlemen, than restoring our own humanity that has been distorted and covered up and burdened with sin. The last principle here is this: our ultimate salvation will be. To become like Jesus. And First Corinthians 15 says, just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, talking about we have borne Adam's image, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man. In eternity, when you are raised, you will not become something fundamentally different than what you are. God created you in his image. You still have that in the fabric of who you are. It's been distorted, it's been ⁓ maligned by sin. But as you've come to Jesus, as you cooperate with Jesus, as you lean into the Holy Spirit and allow him to control your life, you are in the process of putting on, being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. You're being transformed in Christ's likeness, but in eternity in the resurrection. You won't be less human, you'll be fully human. You'll possess the image of God in a resurrected body, and you will finally be all that God wanted you to be. The concept of the image of God is something that gives every human dignity and worth, but the image of God also points to us about how the image of God has been diminished. How it can be recovered, and it will be ultimately realized in its fullness in the future. And so I hope you take these truths. By the way, one of the fundamental differences of Christianity in the history of thought is Christianity believes in the dignity of every single human person. And that is something in a world where we demean and malign each other so greatly. It would be nice for us as we look across the room or look across the world at any person. We say this is one who is created by God, who possesses his image, and who has inherent dignity and worth. I hope that's on your mind today as you interact with people. Thank you for listening to the You Ask Podcast. This is a ministry of Liberty Baptist Church. And we pray this podcast enables you to more faithfully live out your Christian life.

Genesis 5:3 2 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention