Imago Dei (Genesis 1)

The imago Dei is Latin for God’s image. Genesis 1 teaches us that we’re made in God’s image. Genesis 1:26 reads,

“Let us make man/woman in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

This short sentence packs so much truth it’s overwhelming. What does it mean? What does it imply? What does it teach? Did we lose this image during the Fall? The book of Genesis is helpful in that it does offer an explanation of what it means to be made in the image of God. Here’s what it teaches:

1. God only created humans in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27)

2. After creating man/woman in His image, God tells them to rule over the earth, blesses them, tells them to be fruitful and multiply, and to fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:26-28)

3. If we read a little further into the book of Genesis (Chapter 5) we learn a little bit more about what it means to made in the image of God. We also see that man/woman haven’t lost completely the image of God (in them) during the Fall (Genesis 3). Genesis 5:1-3 reveal that Adam’s own son (Seth) was created in Adam’s image. So, we see a comparison of the divine/human image to the parent/child image.

What does all of this teach us? Here’s a short compilation of what we can deduct from Genesis about being made in God’s image and likeness:
- We are His representatives on earth
- We have a responsibility to rule over the earth
- We were created for relationships
- We can think and reason (can animals do this?)
- We can create (e.g., imagination, new life)

This is all I have time to write now, but we’ll continue this next week and prowl further into the implications of being created in the image of God.