In the previous two posts, I’ve discussed what the image of God is and what it means to have the image of God. In this brief post, I’ll be asking this question, “Who has the image of God?”
The short answer to this question is every single human being on the planet. All humans are created in the image of God.
It makes no difference whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat. Gay or straight. Male or female. Gender binary or gender queer. A US citizen or an illegal immigrant. Young or old.
All human beings bear the image of God. All human beings have been created in the image of God.
But I want to close with this thought. There is one person who breaks this mold. There is one person who wasn’t created in the image of God. Who is that person? His name is Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t created in the image of God because he IS the image of God.
The apostle Paul writes these words in Colossians.
Colossians 1:15
15 He [i.e., Jesus] IS the image of the invisible God (emphasis added).
Jesus doesn’t merely bear the image of God. He IS the image of God. And he came into this world to rescue us from ourselves. He came to rescue us from our sin and from our alienation from God.
Our sin had separated us from God, and he made “peace [with God] by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).
And now, those who have trusted in Christ are being transformed day-by-day into the image of the Son “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
So, remember this. We’re all created in the image of God, and we’re being daily transformed into greater and greater likeness to the Son of God.
If you haven’t done so already, find a Bible-believing and Bible-preaching church and join that church. Hitch your wagon to the other members of that church so you can join them in this wonderful journey of being transformed together more and more into the image of God.