We learn from an examination of the Scriptures that God created man in his own image. “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:26-27). What does it mean that man is made in the image of God? There have been a variety of ideas put forward in the literature as to the meaning of this concept. I don’t want us to think about the various ideas different scholars have put forth, but I want us to think about the most likely meanings. Some believe that the divine image sets man apart from the rest of God’s creatures by emphasizing his dignity, which must be recognized and respected by one’s fellows. While there can be no doubt that man’s bearing the divine image should cause us to view all people with dignity, this is not what I believe is the main idea of the text.
Some believe that this refers to man’s being the apex of the creation. Man stands above the other creatures God has made. The reasoning for this idea comes from Psalm 8:5-8: “You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beast of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim in the paths of the seas.” The word translated “heavenly beings” in verse 5 could be translated “God.” Thus, the idea could be that although man is lower than God, he is only a little lower than God. Being the apex of creation, man has dominion over all other living things. I still, however, remain unconvinced that this is the main idea in the text.
It is my conviction that this refers to man’s moral, cognitive, and social attributes.
Persecution Live 