imago Dei
The older I get, the more I see life as a gift—God’s gift to humanity. When God created the world, humanity was not like anything He had made before.
“Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 NLT
“the fact that man is in the image of God means that man is like God and represents God” (Grudem, 2020)
This means that we are valuable. Our life is worth something because of who created us. We have dignity and significance. Every person ever born is an image-bearer of the most high God. So every person should be treated with dignity and respect.
This should take away all the fear and insecurities about who were are as a person. We were all created for a purpose.
As followers of Christ, we are to bring glory to God. This is our purpose in life.
“Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’” Isaiah 43:7 NLT
“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31 NLT
This is why we were created!
We are not gods, but in our being, we represent God. It is why we were created. “Jesus is the perfect image of God, so we can know both God and what God’s design is for us by knowing Jesus’ character, relationships, and activities from Scripture” (Allison, 2018)
Christ shows us a new way to live as His followers. “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand……Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” Colossians 3:1;10-11 NLT
Remember that all life is significant. When you feel hopeless and unworthy, you are created for a purpose. Every person in the world is significant because of who created them. As believers, our purpose is to glorify God in all we think and do. And when you start to feel sad or depressed, think about who and whose you are—a creation of the Creator.
References
Allison, G. R. (2018) 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding and Teaching Theology
Grudem, W (2020)
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine 2nd Edition
We are all created for a purpose!!!