Doctrine of the Week - The Imago Dei (Image of God)

The Meaning of the Imago Dei

The Doctrine of the Week for this Sunday is the Imago Dei, which is Latin for the image of God. Genesis chapter 1, verses 26 and 27 say, Then God said, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. So what does this mean that God created man in his own image? Well, this has been the subject of great interest and debate, and really there's no one easy answer for this.

What the Image of God Does Not Mean

One thing we can say, one thing that it does not mean, it does not mean that God the Father has an image or a body like we do since John 4, 24, Jesus says that God is spirit. So what this likely refers to is that mankind, like God, has a will, we can reason, we can make choices, we also have emotions, we can relate, we can love, and we can worship and have fellowship with God because we are made in his image.

Human Dignity and Good Works

And therefore, as human beings, we have dignity. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 tells us that we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Reflecting the Creator in a Fallen World

So while the image of God in us has been marred by sin, we in this life, by God's grace, are to live in such a way to reflect the image and character of our Creator.