Sermon: The Imago Dei

“The Imago Dei”

Genesis 1:26-31

August 29, 2021

Pastor Tony Felich

Sermon Application [file]

 

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Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” [29] And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. [30] And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. [31] And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.     

Human beings were created in God’s image in order to have the capacity to be His representatives on the earth and over the rest of creation. Being in “the image of God" gives human beings great worth and purpose.     

What does it mean to be in God’s image?     

Rationality

Relational capacity

Moral discernment     

What is the purpose for being created in God’s image?     

To represent God

To rule as God’s vice regents     

How does God grant the capacity to carry out this purpose?     

He creates us in His image

He makes us male and female, to procreate and spread out     

The problem –