So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27 NLT
You may have heard the phrase made in the image of God many times before, but what does it actually mean? It’s a truth that informs how we view God, ourselves, and others, and how we relate to the world around us. Understanding the depth of this reality, that God made us in His own image, is vitally important for our flourishing.
The Imago Dei
The imago dei (Latin for “image of God”) is unique to human beings. God made animals, flowers and plants, the sun and moon, oceans and dry land, outer space. All of these things are full of His goodness and a reflection of His majesty, to be sure, but none of them was made in God’s image.
But human beings are made in God’s image, which gives us a unique connection to Him. All of the characteristics that are present and perfected in God Himself are present (though imperfectly) in us. God instilled in us a particular spiritual essence—His essence—so that we could serve, represent, and personally connect with God on earth.
Though sin entered the world through man’s disobeyal of God in the garden (Genesis 3), separating us from intimate communion with Him, God made a way for our relationship to be restored: the sinless life, sacrificial death, and miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we are able to live in loving relationship with God right now on this side of eternity, and forevermore in the Kingdom to come.
A Skewed Identity
Unfortunately, even after we’re forgiven of our sins and made right with God, we are not immune to the continual effects of sin on the earth. One of those effects—and arguably one of the most harmful, far-reaching effects—is that we forget who we are (see James 1:23). And instead of looking to God, we look to the world, or to ourselves, to tell us. This leaves us susceptible to all manner of negative influences, fear-based decision making, and the adoption of false beliefs about our identity.
Our True Identity
But when we fix our gaze on Christ, the truth of our identity is so much easier to see. No matter what happens, no matter how we feel at any given moment, no matter who or what tries to convince us otherwise, we are God’s beloved children. Romans 8:38-39 says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NLT). We have inherent value and worth and we are deeply, eternally loved because He made us so; nothing will ever change that.
We are also made uniquely, with our own individual personalities, interests, proclivities, strengths, and weaknesses. We’ll dive deeper into how our uniqueness can be used to serve God and build His Kingdom in chapter 2.
Live Like It’s True Until You Believe It’s True
This is the amazing reality that we get to live in, but it can be hard to accept it and even harder to believe it. In a time when so many people are so confused about their identity, it sounds almost too simple, too good to be true. Thanks be to God, though, that our ability to comprehend God’s grace and love toward us does not in any way inhibit that grace and love. It’s true whether we believe it or not; the only thing left up to us is how much we let that truth positively impact our lives.
In moments when you start to doubt your identity or question how God made you, try praying to help recenter your heart on God. The prayer can be as simple as, God, help me to believe what You say about me. And then live like what He says about you is true—until you start to believe it for yourself!
Here are a few truths from God’s Word to meditate on when you need to be reminded of your identity:
- We are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- We are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).
- We are friends of Christ (John 15:15).
- We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
- We are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
- We are children of God (1 John 3:1-2).
When we keep our eyes on Christ, we’re able to counteract lies and detect counterfeit voices of authority that try to speak into our identity. We are able to fully live as the sons and daughters God has made us to be, ultimately bringing glory to His name through everything we are, say, and do.
