²⁶ “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; ….²⁷So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
Recently I was chatting to a friend and we were discussing how we are made in the image of God. As we were talking my friend asked me ‘’What does that look like, what does that mean for us?” Wow, what great questions! Maybe you have asked yourself something similar. Being made in the image of God is at the very core of your identity so what that means and how it impacts the way you live your life is incredibly important. So let’s take a closer look.
In Genesis 1:26 – 27,God says ²⁶ “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Emphasis mine) NKJV
The words,‘In our image, according to our likeness’ reveal the blueprint for your design.
When you consider the word ‘image’ in Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament) it is tselem. It is a noun that means resemblance or a representative figure and refers to your outward form or body that reflects God. It is like the concept of capturing an image in a photograph.
The word ‘likeness’ in Hebrew is dĕmuwth. It’s an adverb and describes your character. You are designed to behave, think and feel like God. It conveys the notion of a painting that captures the depth of who you are.
So you are designed on every level in body, soul, and spirit to be the image and likeness of God. That is amazing, but I know when I first started thinking about this concept I found it really difficult to wrap my mind around. I couldn’t imagine what it is to be like God when He is invisible. That’s something incredibly hard to comprehend, right.
As I searched further in scripture for a greater understanding, I found the answer to my question was Jesus. He is the ultimate human expression of God. In Colossians 1:15, the Apostle Paul describes Jesus saying“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (NIV) Even Jesus Himself says to Philip in John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the
Father.”(NIV)
If you want to understand what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God in human form then all you need to do is look to Jesus.
If you want to understand what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God in human form then all you need to do is look to Jesus. Share on XYou may be thinking well that is all very well for Jesus to be the image and likeness of God, He was the Son of God. Yes, that is true, but as a man, He had to learn how to live that out just as you and I do. Philippians 2:6-8 explains how Jesus as a man gave up His equality with God and didn’t use it to His advantage. He lived in complete dependence on God the Father and Holy Spirit. He is therefore the perfect example for us to live as the human image of God
Can I encourage you to read the Gospels and discover how Jesus lived His life on earth as a man in the image and likeness of God? How He did that will be the topic of the next few blogs and you will be surprised to learn how you can do it too.
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To your identity,
Robyn.