In His Image and Likeness

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'” Genesis 1:26

Despite the fact that we are always searching for our origins, it is difficult for some to imagine that we are, in fact, created beings.  Further, we are literally created by the hand of God.

Most believers understand that we are created in the image and likeness of God but do we understand what that means?  The word "likeness" comes from a Hebrew word that involves our make up and content.  Otherwise put, we know that God is Spirit.  We also were made of Spirit.  It is true that we were formed by God's own hand from the dust of the ground but our most important component is the breath that he blew into that dust (Genesis 2:7) that caused us to be living souls.  In so doing, part of Him became part of us.  Further, it is written in Ephesians 4:24 that we are to "put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."  Is God not holy and righteous?  We are not gods but we were created to consist of some of the "stuff" of God.

Regarding image, the Hebrew word used here speaks to the fact of our appearance.  It is important to note once again that God is Spirit and cannot be confined to any boundaries or manifestations.  That said, we are told throughout Scripture that we resemble Him.  Though it is done as much for our ability to mentally grasp as anything else, He is always spoken of in anthropomorphic (of or having to do with humanity) terms.  And of course, when he took on flesh in the person of Jesus (John 1:14), it was not as a plant, or beast, but as human.  Though He spoke everything into existence, the one being created by His own hand was the human.  Man and woman were formed by Him and resemble Him.  Thus, the definition of the Hebrew word revealed, "resemblance; representative figure" comes into focus.

Beloved, as we go about our lives, it is critical that we understand from whence we come.  We are nothing less than the creation of God with some of the consistency of God, made to look like God.  It is similar to our own children.  They have the same make up as we do and they look like us, but they are not us.  However, they are ours just as we are His.  And when you know who you are, what you are and from whom you come, that ought to affect your life.  Amen?

Increasing in faith,

Lee