The Week in Review

The Image of God: Why Did God Create Me (part 3)?

Written by Minister Jewel D. Williams

December 11, 2008

Jesus: Restoration of the Image

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:18-19


McGrath argues, “the doctrine of creation in the image of God was also seen as being directly related to the doctrine of redemption. Redemption involved bringing the image of God to its fulfillment, in a perfect relation with God, culminating in immortality.”[1] Greathouse and Dunning affirm God’s love for humanity when they state, “Because God made man for himself and loves him, He cannot leave man in his sin and despair. How God works to bring man out of his predicament is known theologically as the doctrine of the Atonement.” They argue the whole meaning is that God has not left humankind to save ones self because Christ offers redemption.

Berry and Jeeves assert that humanity cannot be seen apart from God. This also calls for the discovery of how in Jesus Christ humanity sees who they are and therefore they see God. Howard reminds the reader that Jesus died for man. “He took man’s place and suffered the consequences of man’s sin. Christ suffered for what should have happened to man. He died the death that sinful man faces.”[2] Howard affirms that sin alienated man from God (distorted the relationship). The provision that Christ made on the Cross was to bring man into fellowship with God. This is reconciliation. This term is occasionally used with reference to man with man, but it also depicts the restoration of relationship between God and man.

The New Testament passages give perspective of Christ as the image of God. Jones states, “First, that Christ is the image of God (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3). Second, that we Christians are being renewed in the image of God day by day (Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:10, 2 Cor. 3:18).”[3] Christ’s purpose was to come and die for mankind so that man could be changed into the “image of his Son.” (Rom 8:29).

Norman states, “the New Testament materials add another perspective to this. Jesus Christ is called the ‘image of God’ and we are to be recreated in his image.”[4] Norman reminds the reader that creation and salvation are integrally related. “In the incarnation of the word, God’s image was finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ through his submission to the way of God in crucifixion and resurrection, he manifested the fullness of the image.”[5]

Walter McConnell in his article, In His Image: A Christian’s Place in Creation, writes, “The New Testament provides us with an even more pointed example of what it means to be God’s image because of its focus on Jesus Christ, ‘the last Adam’ (1 Cor. 15:45-47)”[6] Jesus demonstrates for mankind what it really means to be in the image of God. Jesus is the unique image of God in that he is God in the flesh. McConnell states, “the point is, if we want to know what God is like and how he would act, we will find out as we discover Jesus Christ, the Word of God.”[7] For Jesus to be the image of God meant that he was “exactly like God.” Jesus reflects God’s glory in the earth and he also takes the pre-eminent position in creation. McConnell states, “It should not go unnoticed that Jesus’ death does more than just reconcile humans to himself. He came to reconcile ‘all things,’ including the physical universe, to himself.”[8] McConnell’s premise is that Jesus came to mend all the damaged relationships due to sin. This would include the relationship between God and humans, but it would also include the relationships between different humans and between humans and the natural world.[9]

Greathouse and Dunning sum this section up with this statement, “Sin has stabbed the heart of God with holy grief, because it has separated us from His loving fellowship. Not only has sin separated us from God, it has defiled our human nature and existence.”[10] They further state God was the offended party who took our sin and guilt into his own heart by becoming our reconciler in Christ. The relationship was distorted and man’s sin called for the judgment of God. Instead, God offered forgiveness through Jesus Christ. They pose, “The Cross that was erected on Calvary has been from eternity in the heart of God.”[11]

This study briefly examined how Jesus restored man to a rightful relationship with God. A recap of the study thus far is the image of God in man is not physical or man’s ability to think. One could state these are attributes or benefits of how the image exhibits itself in man. If man is in a distorted relationship one is not able to see the full manifestation of the godly attributes in man. However, if man is in a restored relationship through Christ one is better able to see the benefit of that on how man thinks and how he responds in relationship to others. The study now moves to the final portion of what does it look like to have a restored relationship with God. The study thus far has shown how the relationship with God, other humans and the creation itself are changed. Jesus is the restorer of the relationship between God and man. Now the study turns to examine how that is exhibited in the life of the man or woman that has accepted this restored union. The question, “why did God create me” can now be answered (come back next week for part 4, God: His Purpose For Man).

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[1] McGarth, Christian Theology, 442.

[2] Howard, Newness of Life, 71.

[3] Jones, Theology of Holiness and Love, 109.

[4] Norman, “God our Savior”, 103.

[5] Ibid, 116.

[6] Walter McConnell, “In His Image: A Christian’s Place in Creation.” Asia Journal of Theology 20, no 1 (Apr 2006): 114-127. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 12, 2008), 124.

[7] McConnell, “In his Image,” 124.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid, 125.

[10] Greathouse and Dunning, An Introduction to Wesleyan Theology, 67.

[11] Ibid.