There’s a funny, and likely untrue, story about Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, visiting a retirement community. As she made her way through, shaking hands with the residents, she encountered a woman who didn’t seem to recognize her. Thatcher asked, “Do you know who I am?” The woman replied, “No, but if you ask that nurse over there, she usually knows.”
This humorous exchange highlights a deeper truth: many of us go through life asking, “Who am I?”
It's not uncommon to feel lost or uncertain about our identity. Our culture constantly pushes us to conform, to find our worth in achievements, appearances, careers, or possessions. In the midst of this, we can lose sight of who we really are.
Thankfully, there is One who knows exactly who we are: the God who created us.
The Questions We All Ask
Life’s big questions—Where did I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? How should I live? Where am I going?—highlight our search for identity. Trying to find the answers to these questions drives much of what we do. Whether it’s searching for meaning in careers, relationships, or even hobbies, at the root of it all, people are trying to discover their identity and ultimately their place in the world.
Thankfully, we have good news: the Bible provides answers. In a world where people are searching for identity, the Bible tells us who we are, why we’re here, and what our purpose is.
Beginning at Creation: You Are Not an Accident
The answers we are searching for are found at the beginning, in Genesis, with creation. It’s important to remember that we are not here by accident. God created us intentionally and with purpose. We can discover answers to life’s biggest questions as we come to understand the very reason God created us.
The account of creation found in Genesis is not just a story about how the world came to be; it's a declaration of who created the world and why. God made everything—space, skies, water, land, animals, and plants—and then, in a deliberate and special moment, He created us.
Let’s look at Genesis 1:26-27:
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
So God created man in His own image;
He created him in the image of God;
He created them male and female. (CSB)
What It Means to Bear God’s Image
Everything we see around us was created by God. But what makes human beings special? According to Scripture, it is the fact that we are created in the image of God.
But what does it mean to be made in His image and likeness?
1. Representation: The term "image" in Hebrew is the same word used for "idol." Just as idols in ancient times were meant to represent gods, we are meant to represent God. In the ancient world, people believed that the gods worked through idols. In the same way, God works through us. We are His representatives on earth.
2. Authority: In many ancient cultures, kings were considered to be in the image of the gods, representing them and exercising their authority. Similarly, we are given the authority to act on God’s behalf. We are to rule over creation, taking care of it as stewards, reflecting God’s character in all we do.
3. Ambassadors: Kings would place statues of themselves in conquered lands to show their dominion. As God’s image bearers, we are like these statues, evidence that this is God's world. Our presence declares His sovereignty and points others to Him.
Dominion and Responsibility
To be made in God’s image also means we are given dominion over creation. This isn't about exploitation but about stewardship. God didn’t finish all the work in the Garden of Eden—He left some of it for us. We are to arrange, cultivate, and care for the world by wisely using creation’s resources and loving those around us.
The story of the Bible starts in a garden and ends in a city. This reality shows humanity’s role in continuing God’s work of bringing order and life to creation. In order to rule well, we need to align our hearts and minds with God’s wisdom and character — His love, generosity, compassion, and mercy.
Created Male and Female
Both men and women bear God’s image. While God is not gendered, He created humans male and female to reflect different aspects of His nature. As we come together, in marriage and in community, we are able to represent God even more fully. Each of us, individually and collectively, is responsible for reflecting God's image in the world.
Our Fallen Image
Unfortunately, sin has marred the image of God in us. In Genesis 3, we see that instead of being content with being like God, Adam and Eve wanted to be *equal* to God, deciding for themselves what was good and evil. This is the essence of sin: trying to replace God with our own wisdom. As a result, the image of God in people has been corrupted.
Today, we see the evidence of this everywhere—people redefining good and evil based on personal desires. This is why we desperately need the Holy Spirit to restore us to who God created us to be. Only through His guidance can we reconnect to God and live out our purpose.
Living as God’s Image Bearers
To bear God's image is more about purpose and responsibility than it is about a special quality that we possess. To bear God’s image means to live as His representatives in the world. To do this well, we need God’s character, wisdom, and guidance. We need the Holy Spirit to help us live out the values of love, justice, and mercy that reflect God's heart. The Bible is essential in this process because it reveals God’s will and wisdom to us.
The Challenge
God created us to exercise dominion over creation. To do this well, we must reflect His character and wisdom. This is our calling, our purpose, and our identity. We are to represent God wherever we go and in whatever we do, from the way we interact with others to how we care for the world around us.
Here is a challenge for you: Honor others as fellow image bearers. To do this, you need to pray and ask God to help you see people as He sees them. Let’s represent God well in all that we do.
We are God’s representatives, created in His image to reflect His character. Our calling is to show the world who God is by demonstrating His character. But because sin has corrupted that image, we need God to restore us. That is why we put our faith in Jesus and let the Holy Spirit guide us so we can be people who represent God in the world.
** I used ChatGPT to take my sermon notes and generate a blog post. **
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