What is man?
Is man a mere "tool making animal"? A random gathering of atoms? A machine? In the course of human history, few have found such mechanistic answers satisfying. Evidence and intuition nudge us in a different direction in our search for self-understanding.
We really are unique among the creatures of earth. Part of what makes humanity unique is our astounding capacity for good or evil. W
e rise above and sink below other creatures. Mr. Gacy’s behavior lends support to the idea that man is an animal. But, what of Mr. Rogers? Many other examples could be given of people who have lived generous and good lives – lives that reveal that humans can sublimate and control their animal appetites. How do we make sense of the paradox of human nobility and depravity?
Revelation is needful
The human has been called a religious animal. John Calvin began his Institutes of the Christian Religion with the proposition that "The knowledge of God and of ourselves [is] mutually connected." If it is true that we cannot know ourselves without knowing God, whom we cannot know without knowing ourselves, then it would seem that we are caught in an inescapable spiral of ignorance.
God be praised -- we are not left in our ignorance. God reveals himself. The heavens “declare the glory of God” and “his righteousness.” God has given humans the capacity to interpret messages in the heavens. We can discern his “eternal power and divinity” from creation, by looking both inward and outward. By looking within we can discern that we are self-conscious. Nothing in nature explains this. We must then look up. There we see the starry heavens. What splendor! By looking around us we see that there is a universal sense of “oughtness”. Only humans make moral judgments. There is something within the human heart that either condemns or approves of our actions. Once again, we are compelled to look up. Where do our feelings of guilt and moral repugnance come from?
Genesis 1:26-27 “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 creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
In this text the Holy Spirit reveals to us, through the prophet Moses, that humans were created in God's "image".
What does it mean to be in the “image of God”?
Scriptural references to the image of God in man are few. We do learn that man was made “in the likeness of God” in Genesis 5:1. Just a few chapters later it becomes clear that the fact that man was created the image of God has continuing ramifications for the value of human life (Genesis 9:6). The New Testament epistle of James indicates that all of humanity is made in the “likeness of God” (James 3:9).
A number of theories about what this imago Dei consist in have been put forward. The image of God has been said to be Substantive, Relational, and Functional. The substantive view, the predominant view of historical theology, contends that the image of God abides within humans.[1] Ancient theologians (Irenaeus most famously), made a distinction between the image and likeness. Image was supposed to refer to the rational and volition in humanity. Likeness was said to refer to the “gift of supernatural communion with God” or moral likeness.[2] Modern theology has emphasized the relational image. Brunner used the analogy of a mirror. As image bearers, we only reflect God by being in relation with him. Barth said the image was like a mother and fetus. Later, he saw the capacity for relationship as essential to image bearing. God made man in his image – male and female. Those two become one in marriage. Barth also emphasized starting with Jesus to discern true humanity. The functional view emphasizes dominion – something humans do. Genesis 1:26 and Psalm 8:5-6 are key texts.[3]
What can be said with certainty concerning the image of God in man is that we are in some way like God. An exploration of the ways that humans are like their Creator might never end. Let us then consider just a few of the more prominent and clear ways that we are like God.
God is relational. 1 John 4:16 says “God is love”. So is man. Man is male and female – and the two become one through love. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and these three are One. Humans are built for communion. We are all come into this world in and through relationships. Ideally, these relationships are marked by self-giving love, like the relations within God. In order for such fellowship to be possible humans must be capable of meaningful freedom.
Genuine dynamic relationships cannot take place between robots. God is relational by definition, and so are we.
God is also “light” (1 John 1:5). He is utterly holy. One aspect of holiness is transcendence. Humans transcend all other earthly creatures. Adam and Eve were instructed to subdue and ruled over creation because they were fit to rule as reflections of the transcendent God. The term
holy also relates to morality. Here too, man is similar to God. Humans make significant moral choices.
Though man was created “in the likeness” of God, we are certainly not God. In many ways, humanity is quite unlike God. From the time of Adam’s rebellion every facet of human life (mental, volitional, ethical, relational, and governmental) is obviously less than what it was intended to be. Nevertheless, the image of God remains with us. Even in the most perverse of humans there remains some trace of the
imago Dei. The Bible tells us, referring to the human race, that “we are the offspring of God.” Clearly, we fall short of his glory. It is abundantly clear that we are not God. Even if we were made created…
“…a little lower than God, And dost crown him with glory and majesty! Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet...” Psalm 8:5-6 (NASB)
The distinction remains clear. We are the branches. He is the True Vine.
What can we learn about humanity from Jesus?
In Jesus we see the “express image” of God. From Jesus we also see the clear and perfect representation of humanity. Jesus is like God because he is God. He is like us because he is one of us. He is our example in everything. God’s will for every man, woman, boy, and girl is that we become like Jesus. The image of the invisible God is to be displayed in us.
Christ taught us that humans are to exercise dominion over sin and demons. There is nothing sinful inherent in humanity. Jesus taught us to love, humbly serve, and exercise authority. In so doing we make known that we are the children of God.
Jesus is the “only begotten Son”. He is also the firstborn among many “brothers”. The New Testament is filled with metaphors concerning God's plans for humanity. He makes us join-heirs with Jesus, his brothers, his bride, his body, and his branches. We humans are invited to become “partakers of the divine nature.” We are like him at birth and become more like him through the new birth. Finally, “we shall be like him” when we are resurrected.
Jesus taught us about God’s deep love for humankind. Though that love was sometimes revealed in his holy hatred for sin, Jesus demonstrated that God longs to forgive sinners. Jesus compared God to a father who rejoiced when his wayward son returned home (in spite of the shame the son had brought upon his father). The New Testament makes use of judicial, familial, marital, biological, and horticultural metaphors – all of which are relational – to tell us about God’s plan for humanity. The relationship God desires to have with his people will finally lead to a marriage between Christ and his holy bride – us. We were created for intimate communion with Jesus. We bear his image.
Application to daily living
Even though sometimes it may be hard to tell, all humans do bear God's image. This reality has profound implications for our daily lives.
The Scriptures admonish us to refuse to speak evil of any human, because in cursing a human we are cursing someone who was made in the image of God. Respect for God demands respect for humanity – since we all bear his image.
If all humans are the “offspring of God” and created “in the image of God” racism has no place in God’s plan for humanity. God made us all like himself. When we hate and berate those who are different from us we are attacking the image of God. When we treat those who are poor and rejected kindly we are serving God.
It is apparent that in most of the human race the image of God largely consists in unrealized capacity. That does not mean that these individuals do not bear God’s image. Fetuses, infants, the elderly, stroke victims, the sick, the weak, the blind, the mentally ill, and the mentally challenged are all human. The nobility and sacredness that comes with being human (i.e. being in God’s image) is something that cannot be forfeited in this life.
Part of being in God’s likeness and image is our power of moral choice. Because we are free persons, created with the capacity for fellowship with God, we are justly held accountable. Along with our freedom comes responsibility. Every human person will stand before God and give an account.
As partakers of God’s image, we are never to bow to sin or Satan. We can exercise our God-given (grace-enabled) freedom to reject every temptation and overcome sin and Satan through faith and prayer. You and I were made for something better than sin, sickness, and even death. We were created for communion with the one in whom is no darkness at all. Through communion with him we will be victorious!
Doxology
Praise to God. He shows us what it is to be human. Let us continue to become increasingly conformed to the image of his dear Son, Jesus!
