What about imago dei?

What about imago dei – fancy sounding words for “created in the image of God”?

I am not a theologian, though I like to study like one at times. I am just giving you my thoughts tonight, just a simple girl’s thoughts.

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

This has caused much speculation among humans for as long as this verse has been discussed – what does it mean to be created in the image of God?

I don’t think this can be understood at all outside of the context of Jesus, and I suspect that it is a mystery to be further understood when we move from this world into the heavenly realm. We like to theorize and doctrinize, but what of the mystery and beauty of God? We need to remember He is God and we are men. His ways are higher and better than ours.

I believe in the Trinity – that God consists of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe we as humans reflect a multi-faceted God-head in the way there are many parts to our whole being: heart, soul, strength (Deut 6:5) or heart, soul, mind, strength (Matt 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27). Perhaps this is one way in which we reflect God’s image.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:15-20

However, if Jesus is the image of our invisible God, and he was a man, then Jesus is the ultimate answer to Imago Dei. He is created in the image of God and He is the image of God. If God were a man, we don’t have to wonder what He would look like or what he would act like or what he would do.  In fact, that is part of the reason why God sent Jesus – so we could relate to Him and understand Him and be drawn closer to Him and so we could know what it means to be created in the image of God, to be special to God.

As I mentioned in the post about why we create personal images – perhaps we reflect the image of God when we create in the way that an artist puts colors together to form something awe-inspiring, in the way that a great speaker loves to string words together for an audience, in the way that we develop new concepts and designs that move us further along the path of technology.

It could be said that even animals think and have emotions, but what animal creates? Isn’t it so rare to find one that does? Although even some use tools.

But most of all, what other created thing is adopted as a son, a co-heir? Even angels who we think worthy of worship are created to care for men. (Read Hebrews 1).

We create images to find who we are, but who we are is found in the image of God. We need to know who Jesus was and who He is. “For in Him, we live and move and have our being.”

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:24-31

You are not an accident. You are a beloved creation of God. Everything about you was handcrafted by Him for Him. You don’t know who you are because you look in the wrong mirror. (me too, me too!) Jesus is the mirror. You are fully loved by Him and fully known by Him.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:23-25