Unpacking Genesis 1:26-27: Made in God's Image

The Climactic Creation of Humanity

This moment in Genesis 1:26-27 stands at the peak of God’s creation week, where everything before it prepares the stage for the arrival of human beings.

God says, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,' using plural language that hints at the divine council or the mystery of the Trinity - though the full picture unfolds later in Scripture. The phrases 'image' and 'likeness' were powerful in the ancient world, where kings were often called 'images' of gods, representing divine authority. Here, *every* person carries that dignity. And right away, God gives humans a shared mission: to steward the earth, care for animals, and multiply as His representatives.

This high calling sets the foundation for how we understand human value and responsibility throughout the Bible.

The Image of God: Dignity, Dominion, and Divine Design in Male and Female

This passage marks a significant turning point. Humanity is a being uniquely crafted in the very image and likeness of God, distinct from other creatures formed from dust.

The Hebrew words *selem* (image) and *demut* (likeness) carry royal and relational weight - *selem* often referred to a statue or representation of a king, signaling authority and delegated rule, while *demut* implies resemblance or functional correspondence, suggesting humans are God’s living representatives on earth. Unlike the rest of creation, which was made 'according to its kind,' humans are made in God’s 'kind' - not physically, but morally, spiritually, and vocationally. This divine image includes our capacity for reason, creativity, moral choice, and especially relationship - with God, with each other, and with the created world. It also implies a shared sonship, where humans, like later biblical figures called 'sons of God' (e.g., Adam in Luke 3:38), are in a unique father-child relationship with the Creator.

The text emphasizes that God created them 'male and female,' affirming that both genders together fully reflect the image of God - neither alone is sufficient. This pairing is not about hierarchy but complementarity, echoing the relational nature of God Himself, who says 'Let us make man' in a plural form that hints at the communal life within the Godhead. In a world where women were often treated as property or lesser beings, this declaration is revolutionary: both are equally imaged, equally blessed, equally commissioned.

Every person - regardless of role or status - bears God’s image, not as a privilege to exploit, but as a sacred trust to reflect His care and character in the world.

This understanding reshapes how we view identity, gender, and human worth. It also sets the stage for the rest of Scripture’s story - when sin distorts the image (Genesis 3), redemption works to restore it (2 Corinthians 4:6 says 'God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ'), and one day, we will fully reflect it in glory.

Living Out the Image of God Today: Identity, Calling, and Equality

Because we are made in God's image, our value isn't based on success, appearance, or status, but on our Creator's design.

This truth reshapes how we see ourselves and others: every person has dignity and purpose, regardless of background or role. Our vocation - whether parenting, working, or serving - is not secular but sacred when done in line with God's character.

Every person has inherent worth not because of what they do, but because of who they reflect - God Himself.

The command to 'have dominion' (Genesis 1:28) means caring for the world like a good shepherd, not exploiting it like a tyrant. And the equal creation of male and female reminds us that God's image is fully present in both, calling for mutual respect and partnership in every area of life. As 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, 'God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' showing that Christ Himself is the ultimate image of God, restoring what was broken and revealing how we were meant to live.

The Image of God Fulfilled in Christ and the New Creation

This original design of being made in God’s image finds its ultimate fulfillment not in humanity’s effort, but in Jesus Christ, the one who perfectly reflects God and restores what was broken.

Colossians 1:15 declares, 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,' showing that Jesus is God, revealing the Father fully and embodying the divine image without distortion. Where Adam and Eve failed in their calling to rule wisely and obey God, Jesus succeeds, not only as the true human but as the rightful King over all creation. His life, death, and resurrection launch a new creation, reversing the chaos and brokenness introduced by sin.

2 Corinthians 4:4 speaks of Christ as 'the image of God' in whom 'the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ' shines, and verse 6 adds, 'God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' - connecting the original creation light with the spiritual light we now see in Jesus. Ephesians 4:24 calls believers to 'put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,' showing that following Christ means being reshaped into the original design, not by our strength but by the Spirit’s work. This restoration is both personal and communal. The church - male and female, from every nation - grows into the fullness of Christ, reflecting God’s wisdom and love to the world. We are being renewed in the image of our Creator to serve, love, and bring life, as Jesus did, rather than to dominate.

Jesus is the perfect image of God, the one true human who fulfills the calling Adam and Eve received - and through Him, we are being remade to reflect God’s glory anew.

As we look to Jesus, we see what humanity was always meant to be: fully alive, fully loving, fully in tune with God’s will. And as we follow Him, we participate in God’s ongoing work of making all things new.

Application