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Bible Q & A
Q.
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I understand God made man in His own image
after creating all the animals and other
creatures. What does “in our image” mean
(Gen. 1:26)?
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A.
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First, notice that
God created all life after its own kind (Gen.
1:19-25). The fish in the oceans, lakes, and
streams, were created after the fish kind. The
birds of the air after the bird kind. The land fowl
after the fowl kind. The land animals, each after
its own kind.
Then God said, “let
us make man in our image after our likeness” (Gen.
1:26). God proposed to make man not after the
animal kind, but after the God kind! Man, then, is
not descended from an animal as evolutionists
believe!
The word “likeness”
in this verse refers primarily to facial
appearance. The word “image” signifies not only
form and shape as in other passages of the Bible,
but “stamped with character.” The word “image”
includes the potential of developing God-like
character.
Adam was
formed—shaped—out of material substance. In form
and shape he bore God’s likeness. (God reveals
Himself as having face, hair, eyes, ears, nose,
mouth, arms, and feet.) But Adam was made for the
very purpose of acquiring—during his mortal
lifetime—the character of God. Adam failed,
choosing to follow the ways of Satan rather than the
ways of God.
God is now
fulfilling His purpose in those He has called and
chosen through His son Jesus Christ. It is through
Jesus Christ that Christians shall—by a resurrection
to immortality (I Cor. 15:50-54)—bear the “image” of
God. That is, be composed of God’s very own
character! |
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