Created in His Image

Out of all of God's creation, man was created last of all, on the 6th day of creation. He was made the same day the beasts were and from the same earth. He was also made to inhabit the earth with them, yet to rule over them. Man was created to be a different creature from the animals. He had flesh and spirit and was made to be dedicated and devoted to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. God said, "Let us make man in our image." God then proceeded to create Adam, the first man, from the earth. He then created Eve, the first woman, from the side of Adam. The first man and first woman were made in the image of God. This was before the fall of man, (before the serpent talked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and she twisted Adam's arm into doing the same [the devil made me do it]) but the Bible tells us in
1 Corinthians 11:7 that man is still created in the likeness and glory of God.

So how does man reflect the image of God? How can that be? God is infinitely above anything man can hope to attain. God is perfect and man is imperfect. It is the soul of man that bears God's image. The soul is an intelligent, active, immortal spirit resembling God, the Father of spirits, and the soul of the world. God’s image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We know from John 4 that God is Spirit and does not reside in a physical body. We exist currently as body and soul together which are intertwined to make us the persons we are. While our bodies do not resemble God, our bodies are called the temple of God in 2 Corinthians 3:16-17, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." This truth is also found in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." What an endorsement for a healthy diet and lifestyle!

God gave man free will which also reflects God’s image. Man has the ability to choose his own actions. He understands good and evil unlike Adam and Eve before the fall, although Adam and Eve did understand they should obey God’s commands. God did not create mankind to be robots, but to think and make decisions based on principles He has set in place.

Because we are made in God’s image, we are able to fellowship with Him. Through this fellowship we should daily be more and more like Him in everything we do. Thanks to progressive sanctification, we can be made more into His likeness day by day. My responsibility as a Christian is to let the light and love of God shine through my life to everyone I come into contact with. My prayer daily is for the Holy Spirit to assist me in doing just that. God wants me involved in His work here on earth. He loves me and has called me to serve Him. The highest compliment I have ever been paid and the biggest responsibility I have ever been given was for the God of all creation to tell me that I am created in His image!