The Basis of Human Value and Respect For One Another!

“So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them”. Genesis 1:27.

We learned yesterday that Bible affirms in Genesis 1 that God created all things around us. Today we will think about the creation of mankind by God. God is the creator of all is the fundamental truth the Bible declares. Science and people who refuse the fact that God is the creator of all can try their best to argue and make their baseless points. However, the truth is that God created all. Nothing came into being apart from God. It is not the big ban that made the universe come into existence. On the contrary, it was the word of God that brought all into existence (Genesis1). However, our children are forced to learn the unproven and baseless hypotheses like the big bang and evolution in their schools.

Beloved, even people’s conscience attests to our innermost being that there is a God and He created all. When we look at the sky, stars, and the sun coming everyday morning to give us light and setting everyday evening as we go back to sleep, we know there is a God who planned and organized perfectly all this all for us. Appearance and disappearance of the sun are like turning on the light and turning off the light in your house.

Now the Bible says “God created mankind in his own image.” Then it repeats for a re-affirmation of this truth and says a second time, “in the image of God he created them.” God created mankind in his own image sets us apart from the animal and other creatures world. Image means something looks like or represents another one. In this sense, God created humankind to look like him on this earth and to represent him as his vice agent to rule over the earth. The very next verse underlines this idea, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28). First man and woman were created by God -Adam and Eve were commanded by Him to fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over all living creature that moves on the ground. This is a big responsibility that God gave to mankind. To successfully and righteously rule overall and to accomplish this purpose, we need to be the image-bearers of the creator God.

When it says ‘God created mankind in his own image,’ it means all other creatures on the face of the earth are not created in God’s image. This is something unique only in people. Psalm 139:14 says God fearfully and wonderfully made us and His work in us are magnificent, and we know that truth, fully well. Humankind has the intellectual capacities and moral qualities which is part of God’s image in us. The man has material and immaterial parts in him. God’s image is mainly implanted in our immaterial parts. This includes we can think intellectually, capacity to choose, etc. Man’s wonderful discoveries in aerospace, medicine, the internet, and ability to birth new and great ideas, and the ability to implement those great ideas victoriously are all part of the fact that we are created in the image of God. Besides, we also have a spirit inside us by which we can communicate with God and understand His plans and purposes for our life and fulfill it. God does not have a physical body like us because God is spirit. (John 4:24).

Moreover, the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) KJV. And one day when we die, our spirit leaves our body, returns, and lives with God (Ecclesiastes 12:7 and 2 Corinthians 5:6-8) with a glorified, heavenly body in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21) if we accept God’s offer of salvation and forgiveness in and through Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. (John 3:16).

My friends, your value and respect come from the truth that you are created in the image of God. The other person also bears the same image of God that you carry. This knowledge motivates us to respect and honor one another regardless of race, color, language, poor/rich, or any such differentiating thing.

Got a moment for today’s prayer?
“God, I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made by you. I acknowledge you are the creator of God. I also know you are a holy God and I am sorry for my sins. I know the Bible says Jesus Christ died, was buried, and risen again for my sins. I know I can be created as a brand new person in Christ when I trust in Christ Jesus as my savior. I worship you and praise you, My wonderful Lord. Please talk to me every day and guide me in your truth. My Lord, help me to respect and love others who are also created in your wonderful image. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”