The Image of God in Man

An understanding of the image of God in man is significant for at least two reasons.[i] First, Genesis 1-3 are the introductory chapters to the Bible and set the stage for all of redemptive history as it unfolds in the pages of Scripture.  To have a full and accurate understanding of redemptive history, we must have an accurate understanding of the introductory material to Genesis. Second, it is clear from Scriptures that God places a high degree of value on humans precisely because they are created in His image (Gen. 5:1-3; 9:6; Ps 8; James 3:9).  To know God in a fuller sense, we must develop a concrete understanding of God’s image in man.  To know God's image better is to have a better comprehension of the one who created it.  Thus,  humans are the image of God in that God has willed them to be his image, and has instilled in them all the necessary elements to be an accurate image (spirit, intelligence, emotions, dominion, etc.), and although these elements are unique and integral to humanness, they do not fully constitute the meaning of the image of God.

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