Humans are uniquely created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27) — bearing his likeness in rationality, moral capacity, creativity, relational personhood, and dominion. This image grounds human dignity, the sanctity of life, and the equality of all persons. Sin marred but did not erase the image; Christ restores it.
The 'image of God' (Latin imago Dei) is one of the foundational doctrines of biblical anthropology. Several biblical truths. (1) Humans are uniquely image-bearers. Genesis 1:26-27 — 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created man in his own image.' No other creature is so described. (2) Both male and female bear the image. Genesis 1:27 — 'in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.' The image is borne by humanity as male and female together — and by every individual of either sex. (3) The image grounds human dignity. Genesis 9:6 — 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.' Murder is uniquely heinous because it destroys an image-bearer. James 3:9 — even those we curse are 'made after the similitude of God.' (4) The image includes rationality, moral capacity, creativity, relational personhood, and dominion. Humans think, decide, create, love, and rule the created order under God. These reflect God in ways no animal does. (5) Sin marred the image but did not destroy it. Genesis 9:6 (after the Fall) still affirms the image. James 3:9 (in the NT) still affirms it. The image is damaged, not erased. (6) Christ is the perfect image. 2 Corinthians 4:4 — 'Christ, who is the image of God.' Colossians 1:15 — 'the image of the invisible God.' Hebrews 1:3 — 'the express image of his person.' Christ shows what the image was meant to be. (7) Christians are being restored. Romans 8:29 — 'predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.' 2 Corinthians 3:18 — 'changed into the same image from glory to glory.' Salvation includes image-restoration. (8) The image will be perfected. 1 John 3:2 — 'we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.' Implications. (a) Every human has inherent dignity — including the unborn, the disabled, the elderly, the criminal, the unbeliever. (b) Racism is anti-image-of-God — all races share the same image. (c) Sexism violates the image — both male and female bear it. (d) Murder, abuse, dehumanization are uniquely sinful — they assault God's image. (e) The Christian life is image-restoration through union with Christ.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
“Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
“Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”
“Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
Honor every human as God's image-bearer — born and unborn, abled and disabled, of every race, status, and belief. Reject racism, sexism, and dehumanization as assaults on God's image. Pursue image-restoration through union with Christ. Live in the dignity God gave you and recognize it in others.
Genesis 1:26-27 — humans are uniquely created 'in our image, after our likeness.' This image includes rationality, moral capacity, creativity, relational personhood, and dominion over creation. It confers inherent dignity on every human — born and unborn, abled and disabled, of every race. It is the foundation of human rights and Christian ethics.
God is spirit (John 4:24), so the image is not physical features. However, humans are body-soul unity (Genesis 2:7), and the body is part of being human. Some theologians argue the body participates in the image as the means through which we exercise dominion and relate to others. The image is comprehensive — including the whole person.
No — marred but not destroyed. Genesis 9:6 (post-Fall) and James 3:9 (NT) both affirm humans still bear the image. The image is damaged: rationality is corrupted, moral capacity is bent, relationships are broken. But the image remains, grounding human dignity even for the unredeemed. Salvation restores the image through conformity to Christ.
Christ is the perfect image (Colossians 1:15). Through union with him, believers are being conformed to his image (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). This happens progressively in sanctification and is consummated at glorification (1 John 3:2 — 'we shall be like him'). The image was marred in Adam; it is restored in Christ — the second Adam.