Teaching Students About the Image of God

There are some who say humans are simply another creature among animals. They say we’ve evolved and risen to the top of the evolutionary pyramid. 

Except we aren’t the strongest, fastest, or the most powerful. So what is it about humanity that makes us stand out as unique and different from the rest of creation?

According to the Scriptures, we were created “in God’s image,” and that sets us apart. The fancy Latin term for this that is common in theological writing is imago Dei. Many Christians “know” we have been created in God’s image, but they don’t know what difference it makes in real life. I’m convinced that many of the biggest issues we are facing in our society today reflect our misunderstanding of the imago Dei. 

Here are a few important elements to teach and discuss with students in your ministry. 

Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26-27

We are Mirrors

Who we are reflects who God is. In this sense, our very being flows from what it means to be created in the image of God. Our ability for reason, love, creativity, etc. come from the ways we bear God’s image. Anthony Hoekema beautifully expresses it this way,

“Man’s rational powers, for example, reflect God’s reason, and enable man now, in a sense, to think God’s thoughts after him. Man’s moral sensitivity reflects something of the moral nature of God, who is the supreme determiner of right and wrong. Our capacity for fellowshipping with God in worship reflects the fellowship that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have with each other. Our ability to respond to God and to fellow human beings imitates God’s ability and willingness to respond to us when we pray to him. Our ability to make decisions reflects in a small way the supreme directing power of him ‘who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will’ (Eph. 1:11). Our sense of beauty is a feeble reflection of the God who scatters beauty profusely over snow-crowned peaks, lake-jeweled valleys, and awe inspiring sunsets. Our gift of speech is an imitation of him who constantly speaks to us, both in his works and in his word. And our gift of song echoes the God who rejoices over us with singing (Zech. 3:17).” (Anthony Hoekema, Created in God’s Image, p.71)

In short, the imago Dei has to do with those attributes of God that humanity also shares. The theological term for these are the “communicable attributes” of God - because they “communicate” and correspond with humanity as his image-bearers. For example, “God is love” and therefore people seek to love and be loved. God is creator, and we delight in filling the earth with our own creations (children, most of all… but also art and productivity in general). The imago Dei has to do with the ways we (even imperfectly) reflect the character and dignity of God in this world. In this way, we are mirrors, shining out God’s character for one another the behold.

We are Ambassadors

What we do flows from our identity as God’s image-bearers. It is our moral compass (in a general sense) and it guides our understanding of what we’ve been created to accomplish. The primary question of the study of anthropology is this, “What does it mean to be human?” Those who believe in the imago Dei will live with a very different framework than those who believe we are rational animals or self-governing individuals who have learned to build societies in order to survive. 

Biblically anthropology involves four relationships that are at the heart of the human experience. Discussing these with students has always led to significant and helpful conversations. 

Human & God – All creation was intended to proclaim the glory of God. If we are to be faithful mirrors (who reflect God’s image into the world as his representatives) and ambassadors (who are here to carry out his purposes), then we must be faithful worshippers. As image-bearers, worship is an unquenchable aspect of what it means to be human. Living for the glory of God makes people whole. When we don’t worship God, we will find other things in this world that reflect glory - and we’ll begin to worship and pursue those instead. 

Human & Human – All people and ethnicities were created in the image of God and thus should be treated with dignity and honor. By our compassion, we express God’s love. By our humility and patience, we model God’s mercy. By our generosity, we demonstrate God’s grace. Through our parenting and leadership and a host of other relationships, we have the honor of showing one another what God is like. 

Human & Creation – Among fellow evangelical Christians, this is probably the least recognized relationship in creation. Adam and Eve were given the task to care for creation. As God is the sustainer and provider of life, so we ought to reflect the sovereignty of God over creation (remembering that he rules in order to bring fullness of life). 

Human within himself - Each person also develops their own self-understanding. One of the driving questions of our day is whether or not we will understand ourselves as God created us, or if we determine our own self-identity. This works itself out in ways that shape our gender and sexual and ethnic identities. 

The Gospel Restores the Image of God

It doesn’t take long to look around and realize that something has gone seriously wrong. We cannot pick up the newspaper without reading about racial violence, sexual sin being glorified as freedom, and the worst types of religious hypocrisy. What went wrong?

Sin marred, tarnished, and corrupted the image of God within humanity. Human dignity and our God-given mission on this Earth remain, but because of our sinful nature we reflect and represent a twisted version of him. Rather than living to serve as his ambassadors, we strive to set up our own kingdoms where we are lords. Much of the Old Testament was written to demonstrate this corruption, and then to point towards the one who would come to restore the image of God within us.

The Gospel does more than give us eternal life. It gives us a new heart. God replaces our heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). We are given a new identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Simply put, because the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ, the image of God within us is renewed. This is often referred to as “Sanctification,” the ongoing process by which we are made more like Christ.

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:9-10, ESV

“But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24, ESV

Teaching it to Students: Mirrors and Ambassadors

Being created in the image of God means that humanity serves as a mirror and as ambassadors. As mirrors, our very being and abilities show the nature and character of God (love, compassion, justice, creativity, etc.). As ambassadors, our actions represent God’s rule over creation by providing rulers to care for the earth as we carry out his mission to declare his glory among all the earth. 

Sin has broken the image of God within humanity, but not completely. Instead, we now rule in a way that promotes ourselves as gods instead of rightfully pointing to the one whom we reflect and represent. We’ve even forgotten what it means to be human by believing that we can create our own self-identities, apart from who God made us to be. Through faith in Jesus Christ (the gospel) we receive a new heart and are united with Christ, which causes the image of God within us to be renewed.

Note: Anthony Hoekema’s book, Created in God’s Image is the best book I’ve read on this topic. He crafts a biblical anthropology, asking “What does it mean to be human?” while remaining readable and pastorally insightful. Carmen Joy Imes’ recent book Being God’s Image is also a great resource to dig into this important doctrine. This article uses Amazon Affiliate links, which provide a small financial benefit that helps YPT provide the content we do.