One of the fundamental truths of Christianity is the idea of Imago Dei, which is Latin for the "image of God.” The first example of this truth is found in the first chapter of the Bible. Genesis 1:27 states: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them ( New King James Version). This verse has many implications but the mere fact that this idea is mentioned in the very beginning, attests to its vital importance.
What does the fact that mankind is made in the image of God exactly mean?
Obviously, this verse doesn’t suggest that we are identical copies of God, clones made in physical likeness of the Lord. Rather, this verse is suggesting that human beings possess certain inherent qualities that are derived from God. In fact, these qualities that our Creator bestowed upon us are simply indicative of the relationship that we have with God. He is our Father and we are His children.
What are these qualities that God gave us?
Some of these qualities are undoubtedly characteristics of the immutable personality of God. For example, the ideas of mercy, kindness, patience and love are given to us by God and are indeed reflective of God’s holy nature. However, our innate qualities that are derived from God are not simply these generalized attributes. God gave each of us talents, skills, and abilities that allow us to excel at a plethora of different things. For example, people blessed with a proficiency to be creative are simply reflecting God’s infinite capacity for creativity. While our Creator did not equally distribute natural gifts among his children, each of these qualities given by God are characteristics and qualities of Himself. Since God allowed us to have free will, it is up to us whether or not we use our gifts to glorify God or use it primarily for selfish purposes and thus, ignore the plans and intentions that He has for our utilization of His gifts. Unfortunately, the majority of people use their talents for selfish purposes. Some of the most talented people have used their gifts for the most malevolent purposes. For instance, we can look at undeniably one of most evil men in history, Adolf Hitler. He utilized his natural rhetorical skills and immense charisma to incite hate among the German people, which then culminated with the genocide of virtually the entire Jewish population of Europe, as well as the murders of millions considered to be subhuman in the minds of Nazi leaders. Of course, this is merely an extreme example that illustrates how humanity utilizes the talent that God gave them for evil. However, there are still an abundance of examples that illustrates how people used their God-given talents for the good of mankind.
Previously, I mentioned that the mere fact that God has created all of mankind in His image means that essentially every person is indeed a child of God. Thus, regardless of whether or not a person believes in Jesus Christ as their savior or professes a faith in another religion or even denounces the existence of God or any other religion, we are all His children. Even if we turn away from Him, our relationship with him is not completely severed for there is always the possibility for reconciliation and redemption. He is still our heavenly Father. Thus, when we act out against him we are merely his rebellious children. I believe truly understanding this concept of Imago Dei will help us make better sense of the world that we live in.
There is this misconception among Christians that I have encountered in my experience that I will attempt to rectify but I will not necessarily attribute to the entirety of Christendom. Some Christians that I have known are entirely sanctimonious, believing that they are solely the children of God. Also, they subscribe to this idea that Christians are the only people capable of doing good works. They consider unbelievers as pagans writhing around in the cesspool of their immeasurable sin. Thus, they fail to carefully understand the true implications of Imago Dei. Yes, Christians are enlightened in that they have a better grasp of the world and society around them and yes, they should, if they truly have a personal, committed relationship with God, live out their lives in a strikingly different way than other people. However, these Christians fail to realize that everyone shares some characteristics with God. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise when nonbelievers commit tremendous acts of generosity or goodness because in all actuality, this is merely a reflection of what God has implanted in them. All of humanity is fallen and everyone of us has a natural inclination to succumb to the seemingly infinite and relentless temptations that surround us. Yet, the innate qualities of God that are embedded in us are crucial in combating against these temptations. Therefore, Christians who have this sort of self-induced sense of moral superiority do not truly understand the concept of Imago Dei. They only alienate other people and in doing so, they push people away from Christianity in general.
It is my strong belief that this concept of Imago Dei is fundamentally necessary in helping others accept Christ. We must understand that we are children of God and that we can see the various elements of goodness that exist in all people as merely a reflection of God. I believe that having a firm understanding of Imago Dei and the implications of this fundamental truth is extraordinarily vital not only in establishing a connection with other people but also with helping them surrender their lives to Christ.
