The Image

In its most basic sense, to be made in the image and likeness of God means to look like God. God created us to be finite pictures of himself.

He knows all things, so he created us with knowledge. Our abilities to think and know and love and communicate are part of what it means to be in the image of God.

But our bodies also reflect something about God. God does not have a physical body, but he gave us eyes as physical pictures of his infinite sight. He gave us hands and arms to remind us of his power. He gave us ears that we might hear – even as he hears the cries of all who call upon him.

But even if you put all the abilities of body and soul together, you have not even begun to answer what it means to be in the image of God. After all, chimpanzees have hands and arms and eyes. They think and know and love and communicate – at least to some degree.

So what does it mean to be created in the image of God?