Creation
God created us for relationship with himself.
The opening chapters of the Bible make one thing abundantly clear: life has everything
to do with God. We were created by the eternal God to know and enjoy him. The book
of Genesis tells us God made us in his image.
God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Being made in the image of God has to do with relationship with God and our very
existence in this world. As image bearers of God:
- Of all living creatures, we alone have the ability
for spiritual relationship with God. God has endowed us with a rational intellect
and a spiritual capacity to know and relate to him as God. Animals don't pray. We
can and do.^ Prayer reminds us of this
ability for relationship.
- Like a reflection in a mirror, an image finds its true
identity in the one whose image is reflected.^ As ones
created in God's image, we can answer the question, "Who am I?" only in relationship
to God.^
- Meaning in life for us is found in respect
to God. He gives direction and purpose in life.^
The image of God gives us understanding of why we are here and what life is all
about.
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The image of God we bear says that we belong to God and that our lives are understood
and lived in reference to him^. The
psalmist declares: Know that the Lord, he is God. It is he who made us and we are
his.^ God's design in creation
paints a picture of fullness and delight^ in
knowing, loving and serving our Creator.
But something happened…
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Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them.
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