You were told correctly. We are indeed made in the image of God.
We see this in Genesis 1:26-27.
Genesis 1:26:
And God said, Let us make
man in our image, after our
likeness: and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:27:
So God created
man in his own image, in the image
of God created he him; male and
female created he them. (KJV)
We see that God's image was placed into His creation of man. Notice,
when the term "man" is
used it refers to both the male and the
female (vs. 27). In verse 26, God declares his intention
to make man in His image and in
vs. 27, He declares His intention to create man in his own image. God wanted us to know this fact so much that
He spoke it four times in these two verses: "…make
man in our image,” "…after our likeness,”
"…created man in His own image,” "…in
the image of God created He him.” It is paramount for
our daily lives to understand we are made in God's
image and are unique from the animals roaming the earth.
It is interesting to note the differences between verse 26 and
verse 27. In verse 26 the word for "make"
is the Hebrew word, asah. The Hebrew
word for "create" in verse
27 is the word bara. The Hebrew
word for “make” (asah) means to mold
or make something from existing materials. The word for “create”
in verse 27 (bara) means to create something
new out of nothing. Out of all God created and made, man
is both molded from existing material, and also created from no
known existing earthly material. How can both be true? Well, man
is made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. Man's body was
made of the dust of the ground:
Genesis 2:7:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (KJV)
God molded man's body of the clay of the Earth. It was made from
the existing material of the Earth. Scientists tell us that the
human body is made up of exactly the same number of elements that
make up the dirt! Our body is a clay sculpture. Some of our sculptures
are bigger than others! This is true of our outward man; however
our inward man, comprised of our spirit and soul, was created out
of nothing found in this physical realm. It was a direct creation
of God Himself. He is the Father of spirits:
Hebrews 12:9:
Furthermore we have had fathers of our
flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we
not much rather be in subjection unto the Father
of spirits, and live? (KJV)
After God molded man's body from the clay of the Earth, He breathed
into him the breath of life:
Genesis 2:7:
And the LORD God formed
man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became
a living soul. (KJV)
Here we see the two acts of God in making and creating man “in
His own image.” He formed man of the dust of the ground
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The actual Hebrew
says that God breathed into man the breath of “lives”
(plural). Man became a living spirit that had a soul.
So, we see God made us in His image. Both our
outward and inward man were made in God's image. (see again
Genesis. 1:26-27)
What does it mean to be in God's image? The Hebrew word for “image”
is tselem, which means an
image, a likeness, a statue, a model, a drawing, a shadow.
We are in God's likeness in all three parts of our make-up. We are
a spirit like God is a spirit:
John 4:24:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
If you are a born again believer, you are in union with God in
your spirit and commune with Him in spirit. (1 Corinthians. 6:17)
We have a soul that has the same qualities God has: We think, decide,
and feel just like God. There are many verses in the Bible that
confirm this, but time and space are limited to show that God has
thoughts, makes plans and chooses courses of action, and has a whole
wide range of emotions.
Most Bible scholars believe man is created in God's image in his
spirit and in his soul (the mind, will, and emotions), but not physically.
But as we have seen in Genesis 1:26, the part of us that was made
of existing materials (dust and clay) was also made
in God's likeness. I believe the Bible speaks clearly that
our human body was made in God’s own image. I can only surmise
that some feel it would minimize how people view God to say man
was physically made in His likeness. But this does not lower God.
Instead, it rightfully places man in a position superior to the
animals and demonstrates how fearfully and wonderfully made we really
are! (Psalm 139:14)
Here are some scriptures support this truth:
Psalm 34:15:
The eyes
of the LORD are upon the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psalm 34:16:
The face
of the LORD is against them that
do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Notice, God has eyes, and ears, and a face!
Psalm 138:8:
The LORD will perfect that which concerneth
me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth
forever: forsake not the works of thine
own hands.
God has hands!
Exodus 24:10:
And they saw the God of Israel: and there
was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the
body of heaven in his clearness.
God has feet and if He has feet, he must have legs!
Isaiah 53:1:
Who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
God has arms!
Psalm 33:6:
By the word of the LORD were the heavens
made; and all the host of them by the breath of
his mouth.
God has a mouth!
Daniel 7:9:
I beheld till the thrones were cast down,
and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his
wheels as burning fire.
God has hair and a head!
John 1:18:
No man hath seen God at any time; the
only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
God has a bosom or chest. The Greek word for “bosom”
here means the area between the arms. This would be the chest.
All humans (both male and female) are made and created in God's
image spiritually, in soul, and physically. Mankind is set apart from every other creation ever
made or created by God. We are of great value to God. From a young
age our children need to be taught that they are made in God's image
and that He has a divine design and purpose for their lives.
Rick McFarland bio
Director/Singles Director
Real Answers bookstore
Grace Church
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