WHY GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE

                                                                                                                                                                         By W. G. Guy

Genesis 1:26 –  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

          Why did God make man?  Why did God fashion man in His own image and likeness?  What is His image and likeness?  These are questions that when answered give us tremendous understanding of God and His purpose for us.  These questions are all simply answered and explained in His Word, the Holy Bible!

1 John 4:8 –   He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 

          The key to understanding all of this is to recognize that GOD IS LOVE!  This also explains the great commandment spoken of by Jesus:

Matthew 22:36-40 –  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

          The great commandment explained by Jesus is a summation of the well- known 10 Commandments.  The first four are about loving God and the rest are about loving others.

Romans 13:10 –  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

          Now as to why God made man in His own image and likeness:  Since God is LOVE, love needs an object to show love to; also, one who loves desires to be loved in return.  Thus God made man to be His love object; one He can show love to.  He made man after His own character and nature so that man can also show love to Him in return, resulting in a close and meaningful relationship.

          The image of God is revealed in His character and nature which can be referred to as His dignity; (also known as His Glory).  God placed His character and nature into Adam when He formed Adam from the dust of the earth.  We forget what Adam was like before the advent of sin.  Adam was just like Jesus; both men came from God and both possessed all God’s image in them.  Adam lost that image when he partook of the forbidden fruit that Eve offered to him after she ate.  That sin resulted in a carnal nature which has since passed onto all of mankind causing a lost fellowship with God.

Romans 6:23 – for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 

          Most Christians understand the, “for all have sinned”, part of this verse, but few understand the “come short of the glory of God” part.  The glory of God is His character and nature; because the word glory means dignity, and dignity refers to one’s character and nature.  Adam lost that holy and righteous character and nature of God which is described in scripture as the Fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 522-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

          Notice the very first fruit listed: it is LOVE!  Because of God’s great love, He sent His Son to save what was lost to restore that loving relationship. 

Luke 19:10 – For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
What was lost; that which is required for mankind to have a right relationship with God; having His righteous character and nature, that which we call the new nature.  This new nature is actually the renewed or restored righteous character and nature that is imparted to us through our acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9-10 –  that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

          This is the means of being restored to fellowship with God; which is His desired relationship.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

          Jesus paid for our total and complete restoration to God to have unimpeded fellowship with Him.  All we need to do is accept what Jesus did for us, sincerely ask forgiveness, and repent of our sinful lifestyle.  Then we develop, build and improve that relationship with Him through prayer and the knowledge of His Word in the Holy Bible.

          Now you know why God made man in His image, and also why God, in His love for man, sent Jesus to redeem and restore man back into fellowship with God.  This IS the gospel message that He wants sent into all the world!

John 3:16-18 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

          There is no other way to have a relationship and fellowship with God our heavenly Father.

John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

          Everyone in the entire world needs to hear and know this message!

​Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.