To be made in God's image means every human being reflects God: we have personality, reason, creativity, moral awareness, and the capacity for relationship, and we were made to rule the earth as God's representatives. The image is marred by sin but restored in Christ, who is the true image of God.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
1
Humanity was created to mirror God
Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion. Male and female he created them. You crowned him with glory and honor and made him ruler over the works of your hands. We were made to reflect God and represent Him on earth.
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 sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood will be shed, for God made man in his own image. We bless God even while cursing those made in His likeness, which must not be. Every human being carries this dignity, without exception.
Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the fall distorted but did not destroy the image. God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Even fallen humanity still bears the imprint and the dignity.
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves.And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.”Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Christ is the perfect image, and in Him we are restored
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Put on the new man, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. We are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit.
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
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 sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.