Man Is Made In The Image Of God.

The Bible tells us that we are created in God's image.

Genesis 1:26-27: 26And God (the Trinity) said, Let us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in our IMAGE,
after our (spiritual and triune) 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. 27So God created (implies that man did not exist at some point in time) man in his (God's) own
image (spiritual and triune), in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Although this event happened before the fall of man, we know that we (humans) are still (being) created in
the image of God because 1 Corinthians 11:7 in the New Testament reaffirms this fact. Also Genesis 9:6 in
the Old Testament imposes the death penalty because of the fact that man is made in the image of God. Since
the New Testament reaffirms the Old Testament, we can readily see that the idea of being created in God's
image still applies to us today.

1 Corinthians 11:7 : 7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory
of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. (Woman was created from man. Man was created directly by
God).

Genesis 9:6: 6Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the (sacred) image of God
He made man. Note that thou shall not kill was a fact before the Ten Commandments were carved in stone.

The words "image" and "likeness" used in Genesis 1:26-27 express the idea of the whole man (with both
material and spiritual (soul and spirit) components) being created in this way. Now, we know that man's
physical body is not patterned after the physical appearance of God because we are taught in John 4:24 that
God is Spirit and does not reside in a physical body. However, this does not exclude the physical body from
having characteristics or attributes of the image of God. We exist currently as a single unit having a body,
soul and spirit. Although these component parts are individual in nature and purpose (reason for being), it is
pointless to talk of us as just a body, just a soul or just a spirit while we are alive on earth. All three are
intricately intertwined to make us the person we are.

John 4:24: 24God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.

The human body reflects God's image firstly by being one in substance. God as a trinity is one being, acting
with as much unity as our soul and spirit acts with our body. Our bodies are living, and Paul emphasizes in
Acts 17:29, that we serve a living God, not one of gold or silver or stone . In fact he says that those idols
cannot be God because it takes a living being to create a living being, i.e. Inanimate objects cannot give life.

Acts 17:29: 29Since then we are God's (living) offspring (creation), we ought not to suppose (shouldn't
think) that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, (which are natural occurring substances that
can be made into) a representation (image) by (man's design and skill through the processes of) human art
and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.

Paul's ability to appeal to reason, which is a function of the soul, demonstrates another way that man is made
in the image of God. God by His nature is a rational being. He operates by the laws of logic. He is not
constrained by them because they are some kind of "higher force", but they are the natural outflow of His
will; they are His nature. He is as much a rational being as He is a loving being. Because only man has the
true capacity for rational (reasonable) thinking, he is in this way also made in God's image. Also, man is
intelligent; aware of his surroundings and capable of changing them. He does not act on instinct, but should
be able to control his natural drives for higher purposes.
 God has given man free will, which likewise reflects God's image. Every man has the ability to choose for
himself his actions. He is morally aware. Man understands that certain things are good and certain things are
evil. Before the fall, Adam and Eve had no experiential knowledge of good and evil, but they most certainly
understood that they should obey God's commands. If this were not so, God warning them about punishment
if they disobeyed Him would have no meaning to them, and the fall could be viewed as entrapment on God's
part. Adam most certainly did understand that disobeying the will of God was wrong, and there could be dire
consequences to his actions. Although we now must struggle against our evil nature to obey God, we still
have moral understanding and comprehension of good and evil.

Lastly, one of the ways the image of God manifests itself in man is that only man can be aware of God and is
capable of fellowshipping with Him. This part of man was exercised freely in the Garden before the fall. All
men still are able to comprehend God's existence, but none are able to fellowship with Him unless they have
been born again in Christ. Obviously, the universality of religion shows that awareness of God and some
need for a relationship with Him is common to man.

God is both Triune and Spirit and since man is made in His image, then man must have spiritual and triune
components within his being and indeed he does.

The Bible states emphatically that man was created a trinity of spirit, soul, and body even as the eternal God
is Himself a trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The trinity of man is an indispensable part of the image
relationship between him and God. Life is not ultimately physical and the body is not the whole man. We
might add that neither the body in itself, nor the soul in itself, nor the spirit in itself makes up the whole man,
but he is "spirit and soul and body."

1 Thessalonians 5:23: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and
soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and (it) is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The spirit (the hidden man or person) and the soul (the inward man) are not physical and cannot be viewed.
The body (the outward man) is physical and can be easily seen.

1 Peter 3:4: 3Let not yours (womanly beauty) be the (plain) external adorning with (elaborate) interweaving
and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; 4But let it be the (spiritual) inward
adorning (embellishment) and beauty of the hidden person (spirit) of the heart (where it resides), with the
incorruptible (honourable) and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which (is not anxious or
twisted but) is very precious in the sight of God.

The personality of the Christian woman is made attractive by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in glorifying the
Lord Jesus and manifesting Him in and through her life. Beautification must be spiritual or inward, not
physical. Personality (an attribute of the soul) directed by God (via an individual's spirit) is far more
important than either physical beauty or the ornamentation which simple clothing affords.

The hidden person of the heart is the spirit of man. The spirit of man lies within each individual heart.
The heart is the home for the spirit of each living person.
Ephesians 3:16: 16May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced
with mighty power in the inner man (soul) by the (Holy) Spirit (Himself indwelling your innermost being
and personality).

We need mighty power in our soul because it is here that decisions are considered and finalized which are
carried out by our physical bodies. It is important that we be reinforced with God's power in order to make
wise choices.

2 Corinthians 4:16: 16Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied
out through fear). Though our outer man (body) is (gradually) decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self
(soul) is being (ever more) renewed day after day.

Although our body naturally gets old and breaks down as a matter of course it cannot rob us of faith and a
dynamic knowledge of God. Our soul is immortal and can continually be made strong through God's grace,
even if we have decrepit bodies.

The order in which these components are listed is significant in that God intended for the spirit to occupy the
premier or central position in an individual's life.