What is imago Dei?

from the old testament

• In Latin, imago Dei means “image of God,” and refers to Genesis 1:26–27, which reads, “Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26–27).
• The word for “man” is the generic word for humanity (similar to how “mankind” refers to all of humanity). The statement ends by noting that both men and women are created in god’s image. Since all of humanity is in God’s image, all humans are of equal worth.
• Theologians have wrestled with what it all means to be in God’s image. However, they are clear on at least three points. First, it does not mean that humans are like God or will become gods in the future. That runs contrary to Scripture, which says that God alone is God (Deuteronomy 6:4), and contrary to what an image was in the ancient Near East. Kings would set up images in their kingdoms to represent themselves and demonstrate their dominion over the land. God created humans to be His living images; thus, we are created to represent God.
• Second, because we represent God and are in His likeness, being God’s image-bearer means that we have His attributes embedded in us. It is from this that we all have innate, shared understandings of concepts such as justice, love, and mercy. Before the Fall, as perfect image bearers, the rest of creation could have known about God through us. However, when Adam and Eve sinned and plunged humanity into sin and death (Genesis 3), we became corrupted. Speaking of our situation now, David said, “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3).
• Therefore, we no longer rightly image God. However, the third point is that we remain in God’s image, even though it’s a perverted image. After God destroyed most of humanity with a flood, He instituted the death penalty for murder, saying, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6). The reason murder is different than killing an animal comes down to humans being in God’s image while animals are not. This is why some theologians also argue that being in God’s image is what gives us the capacity to be in relationship with God, unlike animals. Note that being perverted images also explains why, though having shared understandings of God's attributes, things like justice, love, and mercy are often perverted or wrongly expressed.

from the new testament

• Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, every man and woman born since has inherited a sinful nature (Romans 5:12) and thus no one has perfectly imaged God. To provide salvation for humanity, the Son of God took on human nature to be like us (Philippians 2:6–7). He thus is like us in every way but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). It is because He is the perfect image that we read, “He is the radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus, in His humanity, is the perfect image-bearer, being what we were created to be.
• When God saves someone, He first changes their nature so they can fight sin (2 Corinthians 5:17) and then gives them the Holy Spirit who is transforming them to be in the same image “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). While believers will never be perfect images before Jesus returns (cf. 1 John 3:1–3), when He comes, in a moment all will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). At that point, believers will be the perfect images of God they were created to be, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).
• Being created in God’s image means one is inherently valuable. Killing, as the Old Testament section showed, came with the penalty of death because it was an indirect attack on God by attacking one of His images. However, all sins against someone else devalue them. James commented, “With [the mouth] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:9–10). We are to treat other humans as we do God, not through worship, but with honor and respect, as all humans are of equal worth and value.

implications for today

Being created in the image of God means every human has inherent worth, and any intentional damage or destruction of human life is an assault on one of God’s image-bearers. This is why practices such as abortion or euthanasia are evil practices. They are designed to destroy image bearers when inconvenient to another image bearer.

However, murder is just one extreme way we can damage the image of other image bearers. When we belittle someone or put them down for their skin color (or elevate ourselves for our skin color), we say that we are superior and they are inferior. But God created us all with equal dignity and worth, and He hates any injustice done against another human (Proverbs 17:15).

But you are not better than anyone else. However, that also means you are not less than anyone else. Being made in God’s image means that you are valuable. You exist because God brought you to life (Psalm 139:13–16), and your worth comes from Him. Regardless of what society or even you yourself tell yourself, you are of great value. Your life is worth living.

However, being in God’s image means even more than that. God set humans apart from other creatures to uniquely represent Him. Though you are valuable, you are also a sinner (Romans 3:23). God is holy, and He relates to sinners through judgment and eternal death (Romans 6:23). However, He sent His Son, Jesus, as the perfect image of God. He died in the place of sinners to pay sin’s punishment. If you repent of your sin and trust in Him, then you are given eternal life. That means that one day, you will be the perfect image-bearer you were created to be, and you will be with God for eternity (1 John 3:2)!