[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Bible glorifies humans alone are created in the image of God. On the last day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Thus, He finished His work with a “personal touch.” God formed man from dust and gave him life by sharing His own breath (Genesis 2:7). Accordingly, man is unique among all God’s creations, having both a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit. However, some extremists such as, the Evolutionists and the Mormons try to defy this truth into their own rational interpretations. According to Rich Dean, the Mormons have equated the image of God as being the physical characteristics of our bodies that make up the way we look. In fact, the Mormons have taken this interpretation to extreme by saying that God is just an exalted man, who has “a body of flesh and bones.” Unless God were a hermaphrodite (having both male and female sexual organs) this phrase could not refer to just physical characteristics. Evolutionary biology proposes that humans evolved from ape-like ancestors. If this is true then we are nothing more than glorified apes. However, compared to our closest “relatives,” scientific research indicates that humans are unique on many fronts, including creativity, personality, abstract thinking and moral judgment.Besides the obvious differences, the Bible in Genesis 1 confirms about body, soul and spirit. The soul is best described as characteristics that make up the advanced brain, including mind, will and emotion. The spirit is that part of humans that is able to love and experience God directly.Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means, in the simplest terms, that we were made to resemble God and sets man apart from the animal world, fits him for the dominion God intended him to have over the earth, and enables him to commence with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally and socially – Humanity. Mentally, human was created as a rational, volitional agent – can reason and can choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Morally, human was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. Our conscience or “moral compass” is an evidence of that original state. Socially, human was created for fellowship. This reflects God’s triune nature and His love. A closer look on Genesis 1:26ff will give a larger view on humanity.
When we are being created with such specialty; a little lower than the angels, making us rulers over the works of His hands, putting everything under our feet (Psalm 8:4ff), then surely there is a purpose behind humanity. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God created man and that He created him for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, the ultimate purpose of man is simply to glorify God. What does it look like to glorify God? In Psalm 100, we are told to worship God with gladness, acknowledge who God is and praise and worship Him as such. We fulfill our purpose of glorifying God also by living our lives in relationship and faithful service to Him (1 Samuel 12:24 and John 17:4). Since God created man in His image (Genesis 1:27), man’s purpose cannot be fulfilled apart from Him. King Solomon tried living for his own pleasure, yet at the end of his life he concluded that the only worthwhile life is one of honor and obedience to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13ff).
Today, we still bear the image of God (James 3:9) but we also bear the scars of sin. With the fall of the human race into sin, the image of God in humanity was seriously flawed, but not totally destroyed. In spite of a bend toward evil, aspects of God’s likeness remain in humankind, glimpsed in such characteristics as creativity, generosity, and compassion. Nevertheless, it is only by God’s grace that people can respond to God’s gift of salvation. In our fallen state, sin separates us from God and makes it impossible to glorify Him on our own. But through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, our relationship with God is reconciled – our sin is forgiven and no longer creates a barrier between God and us (Romans 3:23-24). The more we get to know our Creator and the more we love Him (Matthew 22:37ff), the better we understand who we are and what our purpose is. We were created to bring Him glory. God has unique plans and purposes for each person (Jeremiah
29:11), but we can know that, whatever those plans look like, they will ultimately result in His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Mezito Zathi
Kohima
