By Dwiyanto Fadjaray
“That’s our kid!”
As parents, we feel so proud when we see our children’s funny behavior. When our older and younger kids get along, help each other, and avoid fighting over toys or stationery, we exchange smiles, taking credit for their sweetness. In those moments, they are “our children.”
But in an instant, kids who were playing nicely can start fighting and even hurting each other. When that happens, we might say, “Please, tell your child . . . ” or “Look, is that your kid?” in an annoyed tone while glaring at each other. It’s easy to shift from feeling proud when things are good to wanting to avoid responsibility when things go wrong.
Thankfully, our Creator God loves to see us get along and doesn’t lose patience when we don’t behave as He wants. We have a special relationship with our Creator.
Who are we, humans, in God’s eyes? The Bible says we are “God’s offspring” and “God’s handiwork” (Acts 17:29; Ephesians 2:10). Humans are the pinnacle of God’s creation, made on the last day of the natural creation process. Unlike other living creatures, humans were formed “from the dust of the ground” and given the “breath of life” by God Himself (Genesis 2:7). Our self-image is tied to the Creator who made us “in his own image” (Genesis 1:26-27). God wanted humans to exist in His created world, and the entire Bible shows how precious we are to Him. Even when we go astray, He seeks us out and rescues us.
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What does it mean that humans were created by God? First, it shows that the Creator is different from the creation. God is far superior to what He created. Even so, God chose to place His image and likeness in humans. 1 Corinthians 11:7 says that humans “is the image and glory of God.” Because of this, we should cherish and affirm human existence. Even when tainted by sin, humans still bear God’s image and should not be abused by others.
Second, God has dominion over His creation. Therefore, humans should submit to God, who holds their entire being. The Bible says that humans are tasked by God to cultivate and maintain the universe.
In other words, humans are not the owners of this world but stewards of what God has entrusted to them. Humans are accountable to God for the world and everything in it, including how they treat others.
Third, God declared that everything He made was “good” (Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31). When Adam’s solitude was “not good,” God created a companion for him (Genesis 2:18). In God’s plan, humanity was redeemed from sin, and the world will be renewed. However, we must realize that the world and we are not perfect. Sin, evil, and death have corrupted God’s good design.
Fourth, as God’s creatures in His image, humans have traits that reflect God, though not to the same extent. Just as a painting reflects the painter or a child resembles its parents, humans have something that represents God’s nature. One aspect of this likeness is the ability to relate personally to God. God revealed His will and purpose to humans, and they can thank, worship, and enjoy Him. When humans disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world and affected their relationship with God and others.
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So, what does the Bible say about God’s relationship with us? We believe that human dignity and worth come from God, who created us. The term “sanctity of life” means that our value is established by God, as described in Genesis. We are complex beings with rational minds and wills. We are given morals to know what is good and what is not. Our responsibility is to represent God, the King of the universe, as His ambassadors and servants to the world and others. Through God’s eternal love, we love others so they may know the God we worship. Everything we live for is connected to our existence as God’s creation.
C.S. Lewis, in his book “The Weight of Glory,” inspires us to view others differently. He says there is no such thing as an ordinary human being. The people we interact with are immortal beings. In the Christian faith, although sin has marred the image of God in humans, it has not destroyed it. Sinful humans can still think, reason, have a will for good, and feel for others. The image of God remains.
Believers in Christ become new creations, continually renewed to resemble the Master. By trusting Christ and being reshaped by Him, humans can return to the true image and likeness of God. Even in a sinful state, humans bear God’s image and can be transformed into a “new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10).
My wife and I see our children as “images” of ourselves through the values and teachings we pass on to them. But God is truly pleased to put His own image in us. What an honor and gift! Let us be children of God who proudly and humbly bear the image of our Father, so the world may realize His presence and know Him through our lives.
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Our Daily Bread Ministries in Indonesia is supported by the freewill offering of individuals in Indonesia, who through their gifts enable us to continue to bring the life-changing wisdom of the Bible to many here. We are not funded by any church or organisation.
