Created in the Image of God: A Scriptural Exploration of Creation, God's Divine Character, and Our Sin and Need for a Savior

By Roger Richey

Our journey through life was never meant to be a mystery. 

In our current age, we have almost unlimited access to information, but it has done nothing to answer our deepest

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspire Books
• Release date: Apr 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9781961065116

Roger Richey

Roger Richey learned the value of hard work growing up on a farm in rural Northeast Arkansas, and he continued that dedication serving in the US Air Force, pursuing postgraduate education, and working as a family nurse practitioner until he retired in 2016. His deepest hope is that through reading the Bible and the truths contained in this book, God will speak to you as He has spoken to him.

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Created in the Image of God

Copyright © 2024 Roger Richey

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published by Inspire Books

www.inspire-books.com

Print ISBN: 978-1-961065-10-9

e-book ISBN: 978-1-961065-11-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024905826

Printed in the United States

Contents

Introduction

In The Beginning: Man and Time

Evolution

Big Bang Theory

Naturalism

Common Descent

Other Theories

Creationism

God Is above All Creation

Creation Is Subject to God’s Plan and Order

What Sets Man Apart from All Other Creation

Our Quest for Understanding

Questions for Reflection

For I Am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: God’s Design

Body, Soul, and Spirit

The Human Soul

The Human Spirit

The Human Body

The Sanctity of Life

The Body with Physical Limitations

Uniquely Created for His Glory

Questions for Reflection

From Immortality to Death: Sin’s Cost

Disobedience

Prosperity, Fullness of Bread

Questions for Reflection

Before the Foundations of the World: There Was a Plan

Whosoever

Prophecy

Questions for Reflection

For Unto Us, a Child Is Born: Man’s Redemption Begins

God in Human Flesh

Eternal One

Wise Men

Question for Reflection

It Is the Blood That Makes Atonement for the Soul: The Cross, It had to Be

Atonement

Question for Reflection

I Am Come That They Might Have Life: Hope and Eternity

Savior

Redeemer

High Priest

Intercessor, Mediator

Servant

Friend

Door

True Vine

God and Jesus

The Bread of Life

Shepherd of the Sheep

Teacher

Advocate

Obedient to the Father

Counselor

The Way

Truth

Sanctified

Hope

Deliverer

Refuge

Guide

Peace

Example

Questions for Reflection

I Am the Resurrection and the Life: Restoration

Life and Death

There Is a Time

Resurrected: A New Body

Questions for Reflection

I Will Give You Another Comforter: Forever with Us

Free From the Bondage of Sin

Eternal Presence

The Wind

Free Will

Questions for Reflection

In the Beginning Was the Word: Compass and Guide

God’s Word Is Steadfast and True

God’s Word Is Inspired by Him

God’s Word Is Purposeful, Powerful, Perfect, and Pure

God’s Word Is Seed and Light

God’s Word Tells Us What Is to Come

Questions for Reflection

Does the Devil Really Exist? What About Angels: Temptation and Deception

Angels Invisible, but Among Us

The Serpent, Satan, and the Devil

Questions for Reflection

Who Is Man? The Heart and Flesh of Man

The Heart of Man: His Rebellion

The Heart of Man: His Pride

The Heart of Man: His Conscience

The Heart of Man: Peace and Despair

The Flesh of Man: His Goodness

The Flesh of Man: Knowledge, Truth, and Foolishness

The Flesh of Man: Temptation and Deception

The Flesh of Man: Sex and Lusts

The Flesh of Man: Man’s Attempt to Escape Reality

The Flesh of Man: His Idols and His God

The Flesh of Man: Selfishness

The Flesh of Man: Vanity and Folly

The Flesh of Man: Hungry and Unsatisfied

The Flesh of Man: Male and Female, Marriage

The Flesh of Man: Money and Pleasure

The Flesh of Man: Murder

The Flesh of Man: Abortion

The Flesh of Man: Stealing

The Flesh of Man: Lying

The Flesh of Man: Abominations

The Flesh of Man: His Speech, His Tongue

The Flesh of Man: Quick to Sin, Just One Sin

The Flesh of Man: Blaming Others—It’s Not Your Fault

The Flesh of Man: Living in the Valley of Decision

The Flesh of Man: The Judgment of God

Questions for Reflection

Who Is God? The Character of God

God Is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient

God Is Holy

God Is Love

God Is Righteous

God Is Pure

God Is Truth

God Is Light

God Is Mercy

God Is Kind

God Is Meek

God Is Longsuffering, Patient

God Is Forgiving

God Is Gentle

God Is Good

God Is Faithful

Grace: God’s Unmerited Love to Man

God Saves Whosoever

Only God Can Change Your Heart

God Is Perfect

When God Hides His Face from Man

Chastisement

God Always Warns Man

God Is No Respecter of Persons

Questions for Reflection

Our Father Who Is in Heaven: Is God Your Father?

Questions for Reflection

The Earth Is Filled with the Knowledge of the Lord

Questions for Reflection

Created in the Image and Likeness of God

The Steps of Man

Likeness: The Traits of Real Life

Mankind Uncovered

Obedient: Willing to be Used

Who Are You

Questions for Reflection

It Is Written: Nothing is Hid, There Is No Mystery

Every Person Knows

The Sum Total: Man’s Rebellion Against God

Questions for Reflection

Resources

About the Author

Introduction

Where did life begin?

Did mankind evolve from some other life form?

Was there some massive explosion in the atmosphere, and all the pieces randomly came together? If that is true, where did all the pieces come from?

Did mankind evolve?

If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, this book was written for you. Our schools teach that evolution is how we came to be in this world, and there are several other theories of how life began, which I will cover in the first chapter. Science tells us that the earth has existed for billions of years, but it cannot tell us the origins of life. Furthermore, recorded history only goes back approximately 6,000 years. That time frame corresponds to the teachings of the Bible.

Regardless of what you may believe, there is no scientific way to prove any theory of how life began. In order to be scientifically verified, something has to be observed and reproduced in a laboratory. Men claim that they have cloned animals in the likeness of the original; however, the reproduction of another human has not been done. The beginning of human life cannot be observed, nor can it be reproduced in any laboratory. Therefore, science cannot tell us with any certainty where life began.

If you are like me, the thought of where we came from would be interesting to know. We should at least examine the information and not completely accept what we are told through our educational systems and multimedia sources. The Bible says in Proverbs 20:27 that the spirit of man searches all things, seeking to know the why and how of things. Have you ever thought about what sets mankind apart from all other life forms on Earth and why humans are so different? Science tells us man is just one step above monkeys, yet there is a vast difference in the life and environment of animals and man.

Educated man will tell you that if you believe the Bible, you have to have faith in what it states. Furthermore, they will label you as someone who is uneducated. The Bible is foolishness to mankind because it does require faith for you to believe it. If you have a solid foundation for what you believe to be true, what is the basis of that belief? If you are told something over and over again, do you then accept it as true? Do you ever check for the validity of what you are told, or does it matter? Evolution has become the accepted way in which life began, yet, when you research the matter, there are other theories for the origin of life.

Regardless of what you accept, you will believe by faith. By man’s nature, he is led to believe in something; he is not forced to accept anything. The truthfulness of the matter is irrelevant. So then, when you believe something that is not proven to be fact, what is the basis of that belief—is it not faith, or is it man just picking and choosing what he wants to believe, whether factual or not?

I am very thankful for my education and the opportunities it gave me in life. However, Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction." America has thrown God out of our schools, and I feel that true knowledge no longer exists in our public education system. The beginning is the first step in attaining knowledge. Where do you go to get your true knowledge?

If you are open-minded enough to look at the different theories of life, whatever you choose to believe will require you to believe by faith, not science. Man claims to be knowledgeable, yet he drifts along, following an idea that is not proven. You will choose what you want to believe, and all mankind will follow in some way. Often, man will go down a path of life not knowing where he is going just because it requires some form of effort to change. However, throughout life you will make decisions that will affect the rest of your life, so it should matter whether or not it is true. The choices you make now will affect the decisions you will make for the rest of your life.

If you believe that life originated by evolution, there is something you need to know. If you put a single-cell organism in a lab and try to recreate it, you will get another single-cell organism. How, then, does something with one cell become a human body that has millions of cells? Consider all the multiple events that would have to happen over time for man to be as he is today—the different races, colors, and languages all over the world. There are many questions man should be asking about human life. The human body and mind are so complex that no one has the answer to those questions. Man does not have the answers, even though he claims he is knowledgeable. If the consensus is that nothing can be proved, will you believe something based upon what you are told, or are you willing to look for other answers? Whatever you choose to do, will it be by faith or science that leads you to your conclusions?

Through reading the Bible, I have found what I believe about God, creation, and mankind. If you are not aware of what the Bible says about creation and the character of man, know that God created all people with a purpose in life, and man was created to live forever, somewhere. You may say that you don’t believe the Bible. In the depths of your heart and mind, does God exist? If God does not exist, there is nothing more to life than a vapor that appears for a short while and then disappears. If God does not exist, life has no meaning. But God does exist. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible are all ONE. Therefore, you cannot say you believe in God but do not believe in Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. It is all or none; you cannot pick and choose what to believe. You cannot draw a line and separate one from the other.

I have used the Bible to formulate my beliefs. The Bible tells us the real story of mankind, who we are and when life started. There are many theories of when life began, and I will present a limited evaluation of some of those theories in these pages. The Bible, the world around me, and the behavior of all mankind tell me I was created in the image of God. To understand where I get the basis of my belief, you will need to get out your Bible and follow along because I will use almost all of it. I know that in some situations, I may take the scripture out of its implied meaning. Usually, when this happens, man is trying to justify his actions and behaviors. My intent is to show how holy and righteous God is and how sinful I am, as well as all mankind. I know who Jesus Christ is. He is my Savior and Lord. When you get out your Bible, also get out a mirror and take a good look at yourself. The Bible will tell you who you really are, not how you perceive yourself to be. Hopefully, through seeing what is written in the Bible, you will know that you were created in the image of God and come to know Jesus Christ as well.

I have used a lot of scripture verses in this book to reveal the true heart of man and the nature of God. My intent is not to do a Bible survey but for you to know what the Bible says, as there are many people and some Christians who do not know what is within the covers of the Holy Bible. It is very clear that man did not evolve. Man today would destroy every person who did not conform to his way of life. Something loving and good had to exist in this world for it to have existed as long as it has.

In The Beginning: Man and Time

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

—Genesis 1:1

When was the beginning?

Was it when heaven and earth were formed or when human life began?

Could creation have happened in six days, as the Bible describes?

There are many theories about where we came from and the formation of our universe. Every person may have his own opinion; however, I will look at some of the more prevalent theories and a few others you may not know about.

Before we get into the theories of life, let’s see what is in a theory. A theory is systematic, organized knowledge applicable to a wide variety of circumstances. It is especially a system of assumptions accepted as principles, rules, and procedures devised to analyze, predict, and explain the nature or behavior of a specified set of phenomena. Such knowledge and systems are distinguished from experiment or practice. Other terms used are abstract reasoning, speculation, hypothesis, or supposition.¹ When you believe man’s theories, you are using assumptions or speculations to analyze what is considered true. Furthermore, the system of knowledge used cannot be proven. Therefore, you will choose what you want to believe.

Evolution

The theory that we see and hear about the most is evolution, which is taught to our children in schools as fact when it cannot be proven as such. What is evolution and its concepts that make mankind want to accept it as fact? In Mosby’s Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary, evolution is defined as a gradual, orderly, and continuous process of change and development from one state to another. It involves a progressive advancement from a simple to a more complex state through modification, differentiation, and growth. It tells of the origin and propagation of all plant and animal species, including humans. It further states all life develops from lower to higher forms through natural selection, mutation, and inbreeding. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language states there are significant, different, and more complex changes from the original. With all the violence and mass killings in our country today, are we progressing and developing to a higher form of life? The theory of evolution states changes may occur over time so that descendants will differ from their ancestors.

This theory may sound okay to the masses of people, but somewhere there had to be some kind of life form. Where did it come from? Furthermore, life, when put in a laboratory, does not change from simple forms to more complex ones. Also, inorganic matter does not turn into organic matter; rocks do not come to life. Nothing has changed in time; we are born, we grow from an infant to sometimes old age, and then we die. Does man think that as he grows, he is evolving? Where did man acquire morals, feelings, guilt and become responsible? Man seeks answers to life, but he often follows a path that has no basis in truth. He follows because everyone else believes it, or that is what he is told, and he accepts it as fact.

Big Bang Theory

The big bang theory states the whole universe evolved in a single moment. Everything fell into place after the explosion and has expanded ever since. We could ask, where did the energy come from for the explosion to take place? Furthermore, where did all the pieces come from that formed our universe? Also, would you not want to know what holds the universe together and keeps it functioning in an orderly manner? Events before the big bang are not defined because there is no way to measure what was before the explosion. Time began with the big bang.² There are many people who feel that life began after a big explosion. Does this philosophy have any basis in your beliefs? Whether it is reason, knowledge, or superstition, this theory is well-accepted by many people today.

Naturalism

Naturalism is another theory some people believe today. You may be more familiar with the term humanism. Naturalism conforms to nature and is defined as a factual or a realistic representation. It is a philosophy that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws. It cannot be attributed to moral, spiritual, or supernatural significance.³ Humanism means the quality or condition of being human, but humanism is equated with naturalism in that it rejects all supernatural reasons for man’s existence. It relies on reason, science, democracy, and compassion. According to the tenets of humanism, there is nothing supernatural about who you are. Your moral values are formed in human nature and experience alone. Humanism is a positive attitude about the world centered on human experience, thought, and hope. Honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and responsibility all have a rational basis to guide you in life.⁴ But where can you find honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and responsibility in our world today? Furthermore, if your morals are formed by human nature, why should your conscience bother you in anything you do? If everything you do is positive, why do people have bad feelings? We all have a conscience. We know right from wrong, and bad feelings do affect how we live.

In the vein of naturalism, natural selection is the evolutionary process by which organisms adapt to their environment to survive and propagate the species, and those unfit are eliminated.⁵ You have certain characteristics that give you an advantage for survival in your environment. This is another term for survival of the fittest. If that is the way man has evolved, you would think that there would be some perfect people by now. Furthermore, people born today are of all colors, shapes, and sizes, and others are born with diseases and disabilities. If only certain types of people survive, this should not be happening unless we are still in a transition period of development, and it will happen sometime in the future.

Common Descent

The theory of common descent states that all organisms have a common ancestor. Charles Darwin proposed this theory by an evolutionary process, suggesting that all organisms had a common ancestor and that they diverged through random variations and struggled for existence. Similarly, universal common descent states all known forms of life are based on the same fundamental biochemical organization. The species living today are but a small part of those species that blind destiny has produced. Perhaps all living animals originated from one living filament.⁶

When words like blind destiny are used to justify a concept, it should tell you that it does not have a fundamental basis for you to believe. As I get older and see what is happening in the world today, I think people do not have a foundation in which they believe. They just go with the wind, whatever direction it blows. One thing that can be taken from the theory of universal common descent is that we are offsprings of our ancestors.

Other Theories

Even with the theories of evolution, the big bang, naturalism, and common descent, scientists continue to debate the origins of life. Some believe life began three billion years ago when an electric spark caused different molecules to become larger and larger, and life began. Life could have begun when molecules of life met on clay and, over time, organized themselves. There is also the possibility of a deep-sea vent, with life developing underwater. Another possibility is that ice covered the ocean at one time. The sun was not as bright, thereby allowing life to somehow begin under the ice. We do know that human life has RNA and DNA formations, but how did it get there? Could life have evolved with simple beginnings when smaller molecules interacted with each other and life began? Last of all, life may have come here from space. These theories use a lot of terms such as may, could, might and possibly telling us it is only speculation.⁷

Science does tell us that genetics (or heredity) is seen in all human life. Genetics is the science that studies hereditary traits or characteristics passed from parents to offspring.⁸ Heredity is the process where traits and conditions are passed or transmitted from generation to generation, resulting in resemblances through descent from both parents. Those traits are both male and female. It