More than once on Sunday mornings and at Thursday evening Bible study the question has arisen: "what does it mean that we are created in the image of God" ?
The Bible states that humanity is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). The implication of Genesis one is that in order to know how we are created in the image of God we must first know ourselves in relation to God. Our "godliness" then lies in right relationship to God and not in ourselves. Moreover, the Scriptures say that God breathed the Spirit into us - an action that draws us beyond our "creatureliness" into the very relationship that makes us bearers of God's image.
The heritage of our faith affirms that even though our life is short when compared to the generations of the universe, we have nonetheless been created FOR God. Although we are made from dust ( a symbol of our insignificance in the universe rather than a literal creation from dust) we are clearly objects of God's love. This reality doesn't give us "dominion" over all things, on the contrary, all things have been created for God and God is the God of all creatures. The goal for humanity then is to "steward" creation and care for it in the way that God cares for creation (thus exhibiting our nature as divine image bearers) with the knowledge that we have been created FOR God and will one day share full fellowship with God.
To be authentically human then is to have knowledge of our smallness (dust) and our destiny (fellowship with God).
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