THE IMAGE OF GOD
It is not that long ago that we celebrated Easter and the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus. You will remember that the text we studied on
that Sunday was the Road to Emmaus event. This was where Jesus came upon two
disciples who were still grieving the death of Christ and did not recognize who
it was that asked them such crazy questions. They were incredulous at this
stranger’s lack of awareness concerning the death of Jesus.
Then
Jesus, still incognito to the two disciples, rebuked them for their lack of understanding
that the Christ did indeed have to suffer. Then Luke records, “And beginning with Moses and all the
Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning
himself,” (Luke 24:27).
I said
it ten weeks ago and I say it again; I would love to know what Jesus told them.
I would love to have been a part of that conversation and to know the
connections Jesus made to himself in Moses’ writings. In a way it is good that
we don’t know, because now we have the thrill of discovering those connections
for ourselves in the OT.
The
first connection we will focus on this morning is found in the story of
Creation. Specifically, we will look at the 6th day and the creation
of humankind. I wonder if this is where Jesus started with Cleopas and his
friend. Did Jesus go right back to the beginning and start with the image of
God?
To
understand a very important truth about the coming of Jesus and what his life
means to us today, we cannot but help going back to this point in the story.
The point we want to impress upon ourselves this morning is this: The image of God in humankind that was
distorted by the Fall is restored to us in Christ.
Let’s
look at Genesis 1:26-31 and what it means to be made in the image of God. Then
we will study the implications of the image in the light of Christ.
1. We were created in the Image of God
a) What it means
to be created in God’s image – “Man is neither angel nor beast…”[i]
Some of the ancient cultures imagined that humankind was part god and part
beast. Even for Christians to say that we are made in the image of God can be
somewhat mysterious. So what does it mean to be created in God’s image?
The
Genesis account makes three things very clear about our being made in the image
of God: First, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our
likeness…” (1:26a). Who was God talking to – angels? Isaiah 40:14 says that
God does not consult with anyone else concerning his plans. What we have in
this text is a hint of the Trinity. God in three persons discussed this plan
within the Godhead. What is unique about this decision is that it is not said
of any other creature. God creates the fish, birds and animals with a mere
word. But with humankind he stops and makes a declaration, “Let us make mankind
in our image…”
Second, a purpose is given to the
creature called man. God creates humankind “…so
that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the
livestock and all the wild animals…” (1:26b). Man is a creature; he is made
by God. But he is a unique creature, made in the image of God. Part of that
image is found in his role. Man is to rule over creation. Some of this dominion
is seen in 2:20 where the man gives names to all the other creatures. There is
power and authority in the naming of something else.
Third, humanity stands at the pinnacle
of creation. “So God created mankind in
his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created
them,” (1:27). Repeating the word “created” God puts an exclamation point
here to say there is something special about this creature. It is important to
note that both male and female are created in the image of God.
What
these three things imply is enormous. That God creates humanity in his own
image makes humankind his representative to creation. “Man” is responsible for
the ecosystems of this planet as a steward for God. The glory of God to
creation is seen first of all in humanity. Through “man” God deals with his
creation personally. “Man” represents God to creation.
On the
other hand, “man” is a created being and that qualifies him (or her) to
represent creation to God. With human lips “man” speaks on behalf of creation,
of which he is the head, to God.
So
humankind has a dual purpose in being created in the image of God: to represent
God to creation as its ruler, and to represent creation to God as a creature.
Humanity is like a mediator, a conduit through which God and creation
interface. It is kind of like being a priest in the OT sense, an intermediary
between God and creation.
b) The image was
shattered – The event where Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God is called
the Fall. Although men and women were made in the image of God, the image has
nevertheless been marred or shattered as result of their sin. A remnant of the
image remains – it is not completely lost – but we are not what God intended.
We are fallen creatures and the effects of the Fall are seen at every level of
our being.
British
essayist G. K. Chesterton once remarked, “Whatever else is true of man, it is
certainly true that man is not what he was meant to be.” Man is not what he was
meant to be because he was meant to be something better than he is.
Ironically,
the serpent tells Eve, “you will be like God.” Weren’t Adam and Eve already
like God having been created in his image? Theologically speaking, Satan
wrested the role of ruler of creation out of the hands of humankind in that
moment. The world is messed up because of sin and Satan. We think we are in
control of our world but we are deceived in that regard.
Even
though the image was shattered, it was not lost. God continued to give commands
based on the image. He said to Noah that the shedding of human blood was
forbidden because humankind was made in the image of God (Gen 9:6). He told
Moses in the Ten Commandments that Israel was not to make idols or images of
anything representing heaven or God (Ex 20:4-6). Underlying that commandment is
the fact that God reserves the right to choose for himself how he will be
represented.
Nevertheless,
the image was shattered. Our role as representatives of God and creation has
been damaged beyond our control.
2. Restoring the Image through Christ
a) The Son is the
exact representation of his being - Recently I went to visit my dad at
Menno Home. When we were about to leave he introduced me to one of the staff
“as my oldest son – he’s a pastor.” The staff lady looked at me and immediately
recognized the relationship. I was the image of my father apparently.
A
concrete image that represents the original, stands face to face with him, and
resembles him by nature – is that not what a son is to his father?
After
the Cain and Abel mess, Adam has another son, Seth. The Genesis accounts says, “…he had a son in his own likeness, in his
own image…” (5:3). In the same language as 1:26 where God created man as
sort of an earthly son, Adam has his own son. If God had said “son” instead of
“image” there might have been a misunderstanding that mankind possessed some
sort of divinity. That could not be allowed. The word “son” had to be reserved
for the closer relationship or communion that God the Father has with Jesus,
the Son.
Interestingly,
however, the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 we see a connecting thread. John
baptizes Jesus and a voice comes from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased,” (Lk 3:22).
What follows is a lengthy list of relatives beginning with Joseph and ending
with these words, “…the son of Seth, the
son of Adam, the son of God,” (3:37b).
What
does this mean? It means that Jesus belongs to the line of humanity created in
the image of God. Jesus is fully qualified to represent humankind as a Son of
Adam, whom Luke brazenly calls a son of God.
Then the
Apostle John, as he begins his gospel, writes, “No one has even seen God, but God the only Son, who is at the Father’s
side, has made him known,” (Jn 1:18). John is very careful to make sure
that his readers know that Jesus, the man, is the Son of God. Later, when one
of his disciples, Philip, asks to see the Father, Jesus replies, “Don’t you know me, Philip…?” (14:9),
implying that Philip is looking at God.
The
implication of both the genealogy and the testimony of John is a return to
Genesis 1. Jesus is a son of Adam and therefore qualified to represent Creation
to God, and he is the Son of God, qualified to represent God to Creation. He is
the perfect representative; Jesus shows us God and he shows us true humanity.
Jesus is what the image of God was meant to be. As such, he is the Alpha (a
restoration of the image-bearing man) and the Omega (the goal of every human
being).
“He is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,” (Colossians
1:15).
b) Transformed
into his likeness – Have you ever heard of Kintsugi? It is the Japanese art of fixing broken
pottery with lacquer resin dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or
platinum. Legend says that a Japanese shogun shattered a Chinese tea bowl and
sent it back to China for repairs. When it came back it was stapled together in
one ugly mess. So Japanese artisans came up with this method to make the
repairs more aesthetic. It became so
popular that many collectors were accused of purposely smashing pottery just to
have it repaired.
The
philosophy behind kintsugi is that one does not try to hide the damage but to
highlight it with the repair. In this way the cracks and repairs are seen as
simply an event in the life of an object rather than allowing its service to
end at the time of its damage or breakage.
As human
beings, we are a fractured, broken race. Our goal is to be made whole and to
find meaning in life, a peace for our souls. Only through Christ can we find
wholeness, meaning and peace.
Paul
explains this transformation as a process in Colossians 3. We are to put off
the old self, characterized by the shattered image of selfishness, and “put on the new self, which is being renewed
in knowledge in the image of its Creator,” (Col 3:10). This knowledge is
not academic, but personal knowing, as in a relationship. We seek to know
Christ who is the true image-bearer so that we can begin to fulfill our purpose
as human beings. On the one hand, we make an effort in this regard, as putting
off the old self. But on the other hand, the Spirit helps us: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect
the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit,” (2 Cor 3:18).
This
definition of humanity, mankind as the image of God, illuminates the harmony of
Scripture. Jesus joins the first and greatest commandment with the second which
“is like it” – ‘You shall love the Lord
your God…you shall love your neighbor…’ (Matt 22:37-40). The logic behind
this is the likeness between God and his image. If you love God then you should
love his image too. All Scripture that exhorts us to “love our enemies” or
“pray for those who persecute you,” or promotes love for others, is grounded in
the truth that every person you meet is made in the image of God. Even the
unbeliever was created for the purpose of glorifying God.
We are
being transformed into the likeness of Christ, fractured as we are. Instead of
gold, we are made whole by the blood of Christ, that precious token that
exemplifies just how important humankind is to God.
What this means for us
“In Jesus Christ, who is both the Son of God and the
Image of God, we are restored to our humanity, as true images of our Creator,
and more than images, we become God’s sons (and daughters) in his Son, by the
bond of a new covenant.”[ii]
In Christ
we are restored to our roles as representatives: for God to creation; for
creation to God. We are mediators again praying for our fellow humans and for
creation. We become a “priesthood of all believers.” That’s why we are here. If
you do nothing else but pray for your family, your friends and your world, you
are doing a fantastic thing – you are doing what you were created for.
We are
image-bearers. We live to show how God can take broken vessels and make them
whole again. Our weakness reveals God’s strength, how he can take the lowliest
human being and redeem him or her for his own glory.
And
finally, as men and women created in the image of God, we take on a new ethic.
If we believe that every living person regardless of mental capacity or
physical ability is made in the image of God, we will see that capital
punishment, abortion and euthanasia or any other kind of murder, are abhorrent
to God because it destroys his image on the earth. We believe in life because
God made us for life. Each person is precious. Bullying and domination are not
Christian; favoritism and discrimination blasphemes God’s order; slander and
gossip defaces what God said is good. Therefore these things have no place in
the life of holiness.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, we are created in the image of God. What a privilege that is.
AMEN
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