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NASB | Genesis 1:26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth." [Ps 104:30; Heb 1:2; 11:3] |
Bible Question: In Genesis 1, Adam is created in the image of God. What does this mean exactly? |
Bible Answer: Is God still creating man in His image? Answer Gen 5:3 Lionstrong Thu 09/13/01, 9:24pm Dear Bill, Is God still creating man in His image? Part One I understand your question even though your wording isn’t quite right. If I were to answer your question as it is written, I would say no, God’s work of creation ended on the sixth day. But your question is, is fallen man still the image of God? Man, though fallen, is the image of God. Granted, the image is thoroughly corrupt, but it is still the image. Again I emphasize that what defines man as man, what distinguishes him from the animals and the rest of creation is that he is the image of God. No matter how tainted, man is the image of God. He has lost his holiness and righteousness in the Fall, but he did not cease to be what he is. He became a sinner; he did not become non-man. God defines man, even after the fall, as his image, “Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God he made man.” (Genesis 9:6) Let me put it another way. The image of God is not something that is part of man, something that man houses in his being. The image of God is WHAT MAN IS. It’s not part of man; it’s what man IS. I Corinthians 11:7 says that man “is the image and glory of God…” It is dangerous to deny to any man the image of God, no matter how evil he is or heinous his crimes. It is on the basis of the denial of the image of God that American slavery, worldwide abortion and stem cell research are justified. If man is a species of animal, it IS justified! But he’s not. He is not a species; he is not an animal; he is not a machine; he is the image of his creator, though the image is spoiled. The value of man, the only basis for the real value of man, is that he is the image of God. And the image of God is not only the basis for the value of man, but it is also the basis of justice (Genesis 9:6). And, most crucial, it is the basis for our redemption in Christ Jesus. At the Fall, man did not cease to be man; he ceased to be holy. At the Fall, man sought to satisfy his desire for knowledge and wisdom illegitimately. It plunged our race into sin and darkness. Our redemption in Christ restores that image to its original holiness, righteous and truth. Col. 3:10, 11 says, “…and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-- a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” Eph. 4:24 says, “…and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” continued... |