Made in God's Image. Really?

By GR8 Relationships

Who do you resemble?

As kids, we may remember people telling us that we looked like or acted like one of our parents. Since we spent so much time with them in our formative years, it would make logical sense for us to then emulate their behaviors, attitudes, and mannerisms.

As children of God,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Equip Press
• Release date: Sep 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9781958585467

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Copyright © 2023 GR8 Relationships

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

Published by Equip Press, Colorado Springs, CO

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV® Text Edition: 2011. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Bible. Accessed on Bible Gateway at www.BibleGateway.com.

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Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

First Edition: 2023

Made in God’s Image, Really? / (GR8 Relationships)

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-958585-45-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-958585-46-7

Contents

Introduction

God’s Purpose for Creating

Image of God – Foundational and Prevalent

Predominant View

Another Option

God’s Attributes and His Image

Tentative Conclusion: The Image of God

The Image of God in Scripture

God’s Image in Your Life

God’s Image in Men and Women

God’s Image in the Workplace

Summary

Reflecting or Distorting God’s Image

Reflecting His Image

Distorting His Image

Are You Reflecting or Distorting God’s Image?

Study Guide

Tools

Introduction

The book of Genesis states clearly we are all created in the image of God.

God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them,

Genesis 1:27, NKJV

The fact that we are created in God’s image drives everything about the design of human beings, both men and women. God had a specific objective for creating, and it’s interesting to see how that objective plays into His relationship with us. It proves that He is not just a big bad God sitting in Heaven waiting to pounce when we make a mistake. He created us in His image. When we see that He created us to be a reflection of Him, it floods us with light and an understanding of why we are on the planet and what our relationship with Him should be.

So, to understand what all this means, let’s start by exploring God’s objective with creation.

God’s Purpose for Creating

Battles between the camps of Creation and Evolution prompt the question, Did God create Adam and Eve from nothing, or did man evolve from apes?

Genesis 1 and 2 are part of that battleground but the importance of the facts in these chapters goes beyond that difference in the origin of man, Creation or Evolution.

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; 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. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 1:26‐28, NKJV

Anything in God’s Word is valuable and important for us and our journey as Christians, but most of us don’t think of these verses as the theological foundation of the Bible’s