We're made in the image of God

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“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).

The prevailing philosophy of our generation is on a collision course with Christianity. Humanism asserts that man evolved, that he is a cosmic accident with no purpose, destined for annihilation. Christianity teaches that man was purposely created in the image of God, with a meaning and purpose rooted in that eternal God, with a human soul that will live forever either in heaven or in hell. Humanism maintains that death is the only certainty in life. Christianity teaches that God is the only certainty in life. Humanism leads to despair, Christianity to hope.

The conclusion of Ecclesiastes 1 is inevitable for the consistent humanist: “ ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!’ ” (NIV). If everything is meaningless, as the humanists say, then what value can be put on human life since humanity would have to be meaningless too? If each of us has no meaning, no purpose in life, then none of us has dignity or worth. The humanists teach that we evolved from the slime, and that we will return to the slime. Our beginning and our end possess no significance. Yet somewhere in the middle we are supposed to have dignity and significance. The humanists fight for human rights because they believe every person should be treated with respect, yet they cannot answer why human beings deserve respect. They deny absolutes, yet they maintain the absolute that every person has value and worth.

Humanism falls under its own weight because of its severe inconsistencies. Christianity, however, provides the answers humanism lacks. The Scriptures teach that all people have value because they are made in the image of God (Gen. 9:6). We treat one another with respect and dignity because we are the image bearers of the Creator. We are not simply machines with biological parts. We are moral, rational, emotional, and immortal creatures. Even in our fallen state, we still possess an innate value and dignity that exceeds everything else “under the sun.”

If you want to find meaning to your life, if you want to grasp the true value of humanity, you must reject the philosophy of despair propagated by humanism and embrace the truth of Christianity. Read Genesis 6:1–7; Exodus 20:1–21; and Mark 12:29–31. What do these passages indicate? Because we are made in God’s image, how are we to treat one another? Every time you see someone today, consciously think “This is an image-bearer of God.” This evening, consider how this caused you to treat people differently.

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