Made in the image of God

Genesis 1:26-27, 2:1-7 (click the link to read the passages)

Although Adam and Eve were created at different times and by different methods (Adam from dust – Eve from Adam’s rib) both were created in God’s image and likeness, thus signifying their equality. ‘Image’ means ‘representation’, and ‘likeness’ means ‘resemblance’. Adam and Eve’s likeness to God was not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

They were like God in the sense that they could think like Him, feel like Him and love like Him. No other part of creation bore this likeness. It is because of the image of God in man that murder is such a heinous crime (see Gen. 9:6). Note also the first hint of the Trinity as seen in the plural expressions: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”

For thought and contemplation:

Through sin, the image of God in man has been damaged and defaced, but not destroyed. Every person you meet carries within them a likeness to their Creator. Learn to look at people from this point of view, and see if it doesn’t add a new perspective to your relationships.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him and for him.” (Col. 1:15-16, NIV)

“Be fruitful, and increase”

Genesis 1:28-31, 2:8-25

God’s twofold command to Adam and Eve to (1) be fruitful and increase, and (2) to subdue the earth and have dominion over it, indicates the great privilege and authority with which God endowed the first human pair. Privilege because they were invited by God to become co-creators with Him in the task of perpetuating the human race; authority—because they were given the task of ruling over the entire earth. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, then doubtless they would have produced offspring ‘in their own image’—children in whom there was no inherited sin, and who, under God, would have had dominion over the whole of creation.

For thought and contemplation:

Although God’s purpose of creating a people through whom He could reflect His love and oversee His creation was temporarily frustrated by sin, that purpose will yet be fulfilled. It will be achieved through God’s redeemed people, the Church, who are destined not only to reflect His wisdom and grace, but also to rule the world.

“Every day they continued to meet together…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-7, NIV)

Temptation presents itself

Genesis 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:13-14

In the original temptation which Satan brought to Eve, we see a strategy which the devil uses, even to this very day. Firstly, he cast doubt upon the word of God: “Did God really say?” Secondly, he caricatured the word of God: “None of the fruit in the garden? God says you mustn’t eat any of it?” (v. 1: TLB) Thirdly, he contradicted the word of God: “You will not surely die”. Fourthly, he appealed to self-centredness and pride: “You will be like God, knowing good and evil”. Despite the strength and power of Satan’s temptation there was, however, a way of escape. God had given clear instructions concerning the tree of life (see Gen. 2:16-17); if Eve had believed God’s word instead of believing Satan’s word, then the temptation would have been conquered and overcome.

For thought and contemplation:

Remember how Jesus dealt with Satan’s temptations in the wilderness? He resisted them through God’s word. No matter what temptation faces you today, remember God’s infallible way of escape is through His word. Hide His word in your heart, cling to it when under attack, and you will be more than a match for any of Satan’s temptations.

“Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him…” (Matt. 4:10-11, NIV)

Guilt and fear arise

Genesis 3:8-20; Job 31:33

After the fall, Adam and Eve experienced for the first time the negative emotions of guilt and fear. In almost every instance, these negative emotions can be traced to a wrong belief and wrong behaviour. Eve believed Satan’s lie—“You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5)—and then engaged in an act of disobedience: she took some fruit and ate it (Gen. 3:6). When this happened, guilt and fear were the natural consequence. Guilt arises within us when we believe that what God says is not in our interests, and we step outside His will to get what we want. Fear comes when we believe that God does not love us and no longer has our highest interests at heart.

For thought and contemplation:

Feeling guilty or fearful about anything today? Then don’t do as Adam and Eve did and run away from God; stop and see if you can trace those negative feelings to a wrong belief or wrong behaviour. When you have identified the culprits, confess them at once to God. This way you’ll be sure of keeping the lines of communication open with Him.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2, NIV)

Separation results

Genesis 3:21-24, Romans 1:20-32

Sin inevitably produces separation. When Adam and Eve sinned, they not only experienced a separation in their relationship with God by being expelled from the Garden of Eden, but their transgression adversely affected the whole of their posterity. At least four separations can be traced to Adam and Eve’s fall:

Man is separated from God—a spiritual separation.

 

Man is separated from himself—a psychological separation.

 

Man is separated from others—a social separation.

 

Man is separated from nature—an ecological separation.

 

Notice how God began at once to heal the breach that sin had made: He “made garments of skin” (Gen. 3:21). From the beginning of time, something had to die to cover sin.

For thought and contemplation:

“We will never understand conversion,” said someone, “until we see it in terms of relationships.” Through the death of God’s Son, we are not only rightly related to God, but to ourselves, to others and to the whole of creation. And that’s not all—this new relationship will never know a separation. Hallelujah!

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38-39, NIV)

The family feud

Genesis 4:1-26

The word ‘Genesis’ means “beginning”, and here we have the beginning of family life. Adam and Eve had no children prior to the fall, but no sooner, so to speak, do they produce their offspring than the taint of their original sin can be seen. Cain, the firstborn, becomes jealous of Abel his brother, and in a fit of temper commits the world’s first murder. Adam and Eve lost both their sons that day: one to death and the other to darkness and disillusionment: “So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence” (Gen. 4:16). Adam and Eve had many other children, and presumably because the effects of sin had not yet taken their toll on the human frame, lived to a great age. Adam died at the age of 930! (Gen. 5:5)

For thought and contemplation:

As a result of Adam and Eve’s original transgression, hardly a family has escaped the problems of jealousy, misunderstanding and suspicion. The root problem of disharmony in today’s homes is the same as that which afflicted the first human family—a refusal to let God be God.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” (Psa. 127:1, NIV)

The first and last Adam

Romans 5:6-21

In the New Testament Christ is sometimes referred to as the last Adam, and many comparisons and contrasts are made between Him and His Old Testament counterpart (see, for example, 1 Cor. 15:45-47). The most powerful contrast of all is the one drawn by Paul in Romans 5 in which he shows that the whole story of the human race can be summed up in terms of what happened because of Adam, and what has happened, and will yet happen, because of Christ. There have been two federal heads of the human race—Adam and Christ. The first Adam, by reason of his sin, plunged us into ruin and despair; the last Adam, by virtue of His victory on Calvary, has given us an entrance into a new humanity.

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Gen. 2:17 Adam introduced… DEATH — Heb. 2:9 Christ dealt with…DEATH

Gen. 3:7 Adam introduced… NAKEDNESS — Jn. 19:23 Christ dealt with… NAKEDNESS

Gen. 3:14 Adam introduced… CURSE — Gal. 3:13 Christ dealt with… CURSE

Gen. 3:17 Adam introduced… SORROW — Isa. 53:3 Christ dealt with… SORROW

Gen. 3:18 Adam introduced… THORNS — Jn. 19:5 Christ dealt with… THORNS

Gen. 3:19 Adam introduced… SWEAT — Lk. 22:44 Christ dealt with… SWEAT

Gen. 3:24 Adam introduced… SWORD — Jn. 19:34 Christ dealt with… SWORD

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For thought and contemplation:

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones put it powerfully when he said: “Can there be any greater truth in Scripture than this—that as I was in Adam, I am now in Christ?” Let the truth which the hymnist wrote thrill and flood your whole being this day:

“In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.”

“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:21-22, NIV)