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God Created Us In His Image

God created us in his image. Surely this must have something to do with why we are here. His purpose in making us must have something wonderful to do with the fact that we are not frogs, or lizards, or birds, or even monkeys. We are human beings in the image of God, we alone and no other animal.

But what a mess we have made of this awesome dignity. Are we like God? Well, yes and no. Yes, we are like God, even sinful and unbelieving there is a likeness. We know this because in Genesis 9:6 God said to Noah, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.” In other words, even in a world where sin abounds (with the likes of murder), human beings are still in the image of God. They may not be killed like mice and mosquitoes. You forfeit your life if you murder a human being (see James 3:9).

But are we the image God made us to be? Is not the image marred sometimes almost beyond recognition? Do you feel that you are like God in the way you should be?

So, here again, the belief that we were created in God’s image begs for a completion — in this case, a redemption, a transformation, a kind of re-creation.

And that is exactly what Christianity brings:

By grace are you saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works . . . Put on the new nature created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 2:8–10; 4:24)

God created us in his image, but we have marred it almost beyond recognition, and Jesus is the answer.

He comes by faith, he forgives, he cleanses, and he begins a reclamation project called sanctification that will end in the glory that God intended for human beings in the first place.

Therefore, since we know that we were created in the image of God, our sin and corruption begs for an answer. And Jesus is the answer.

- John Piper

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