March 24, 2024

Of creation

I’m reflecting here on Genesis 1:26-27, where mankind is made uniquely out of all creation in the image of God, or the imago Dei. Souls are bound to eternity, in as much as once created they will never cease to exist unto eternal life or eternal damnation. In my post “of God, and the Holy Trinity” I focused on God’s transcendence, on His otherness, knowing that He is utter perfection and holiness; which creates a distance, and yet our story with Him is redemptive. So there is a way of closeness and intimacy that is graciously provided where we can connect with God through the work of Christ. Here we see that part of our human design has enough overlap or similarities to God, enough likeness that we can meaningfully connect with Him. Certainly, that connection is God lowering himself to communicate to us, God making some room in us, in our design, to know Him and be known by Him.

In what tangible ways do we see that we are like God? Or one could also ask, in what ways do we have a basis for communion with God? Communion, after all, is the reason we’re made in His likeness. Much of how I answer this has been shaped by Dr. Larry Crabb, and now I see that his thinking aligned with Reformed theology. The personhood of man, which is to say our likeness to God, is that we are rational, emotional, volitional, and personal beings. In “Truths We Confess”, Sproul writes: “we have the capacity to think rationally, to make deductions. We are not limited to responding to external stimuli but can work through syllogisms and think in a cognitive, logical manner. God has a mind; we have minds.”[i] So God is clearly rational, but He is also emotional and here are some examples: “God saw that it was good… very good” (Genesis 1:25, 31) God was delighted in what He made, He enjoyed His creation – including man. He also experienced contrasting regret, “The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on earth, and His heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:6), deeply troubled and saddened by making mankind – clearly an emotional response. Scripture consistently attributes emotions to God such as jealousy (Exodus 20:5), anger (Jeremiah 30:24), love and kindness (Jeremiah 31:3), compassion aroused (Hosea 11:8). Likewise, Jesus expressed the full range of emotions; sorrowful and troubled (Matthew 26:37-38), distressed at stubborn hearts (Mark 3:5) and full of joy (Luke 10:21). He too is volitional in making choices, such as those who are predestined and chosen as well as those who are not. He is also personal, or you could say He is relational – relationship is fundamental to His nature – the Triune God having perfect self-giving love within Himself. So, we are made in His image because mankind is in part, imperfectly similar in that we are rational, emotional, volitional, and personal (relational) beings.

Point to Ponder: The fall of man certainly distorts the depth of similarity, the inherent meeting place we had with God, in as much as sin has made our thinking faulty, our choices are marred, our relationships are more self-centered than self-giving, and our emotions are often loaded and wounded. So what of the image has survived the fall? What is the Spirit’s regenerative work in regard to the image of God?

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[i] Sproul, R.C.. Truths We Confess: A Systematic Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith (pp. 118-119). (Function). Kindle Edition