40 Favorite Scriptures
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 FAVORITE Scriptures
Day 27 | THE UNIQUENESS OF PEOPLE
40 FAVORITE Scriptures
Day 27 | THE UNIQUENESS OF PEOPLE
THE UNIQUENESS OF PEOPLE
Genesis 1:26
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (NKJV)
So much happens in the book of Genesis, and we learn some KEY principles right here.
First of all… God is an “Us.” “Let US make,” “Our image,” and “Our likeness” are all statements consistent with our understanding that although we have One God, that God exists in three Persons – aka the Trinity – the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. And that fact – the Trinity – is a unique, awe-inspiriting truth.
Next, we must realize that only mankind is made in God’s image, Imago Dei. This makes us unique and different from every other created creature on the planet. We have unique moral, spiritual, and intellectual capabilities not shared by any other life on earth. Nor are we like the angels, for nowhere are we told that angels are made in the image of God. We are unique because God decided it would be so.
Then, mankind is to have “dominion” over the other created beings on the earth. Here, in Genesis 1, God puts us in charge. Of course, our ancestors blew it by sinning in chapter 3, but we should still remember that we are the pinnacle of God’s creation, made in His image, and – with His help – must strive to live UP to it. We should, of course, show care for all of the creation that God made, but especially for other people who – whether they acknowledge it or not – are also made in the image of God.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for putting Your image on me. Help me to remember that everyone I meet is also one your creations and made in Your image, Imago Dei. Amen.
Genesis 1:26
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (NKJV)
So much happens in the book of Genesis, and we learn some KEY principles right here.
First of all… God is an “Us.” “Let US make,” “Our image,” and “Our likeness” are all statements consistent with our understanding that although we have One God, that God exists in three Persons – aka the Trinity – the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. And that fact – the Trinity – is a unique, awe-inspiriting truth.
Next, we must realize that only mankind is made in God’s image, Imago Dei. This makes us unique and different from every other created creature on the planet. We have unique moral, spiritual, and intellectual capabilities not shared by any other life on earth. Nor are we like the angels, for nowhere are we told that angels are made in the image of God. We are unique because God decided it would be so.
Then, mankind is to have “dominion” over the other created beings on the earth. Here, in Genesis 1, God puts us in charge. Of course, our ancestors blew it by sinning in chapter 3, but we should still remember that we are the pinnacle of God’s creation, made in His image, and – with His help – must strive to live UP to it. We should, of course, show care for all of the creation that God made, but especially for other people who – whether they acknowledge it or not – are also made in the image of God.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for putting Your image on me. Help me to remember that everyone I meet is also one your creations and made in Your image, Imago Dei. Amen.