Man, the Image Bearer

It’s said that when God wanted to be seen on Earth, He created a man. He did exactly that when He came to walk the world as Jesus Christ, and back when He created the very first man, Adam.

Genesis 1:27 confirms, “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.”

Initially, that may feel like a slight at women (only man was made in His image?) Don’t worry, though, ladies— in the next post, we’ll examine God’s exact intent when He made woman in all her beauty. For now, let’s see how God made man in all his glory, to bear His image.

God holds jurisdiction over The world... In that order, He gave man jurisdiction over his world.

God granted man the role of “head“ in his marriage and family (Ephesians 5:23). While this comes with great honor and reward, it’s important we understand that headship is a heavy responsibility.

God, our ultimate Head, is dedicated to loving us unconditionally and doing everything in His power to ensure our wellbeing (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). That’s no hard task for God, because He’s God… but for a person? Caring that way for another human being comes with tremendous weight. It requires constantly putting someone other than yourself first. Ask any mother or father— it is not an easy job to take on. Yet, this was the job that God gave to man, even before he reaches parenthood.

Man represents God’s higher knowledge and wisdom.

There’s a reason Satan pulled up on Eve instead of Adam. Adam, the man, was the more knowledgeable of the two and less likely to be deceived into dishonoring God. Need receipts?

• He’d been walking with God first... since before God had even brought Eve into the picture.

• He knew God’s sovereignty first (the fact that this Being had the power to create Adam and everything Adam saw).

• He witnessed God’s loving character/grace first (again, this scarily supreme and mighty Being held all the power in the universe— yet, He decided to let Adam name everything).

Now, speaking of power...

Man reflects the image of God’s strength, power, and mercy.

God is the most powerful Being in existence. He spoke everything into existence, and could quickly obliterate it all without breaking a sweat. His strength is certainly unmatched by ours. Similarly, God made man the “stronger” partner (1 Peter 3:7). Based on Adam and Eve alone, we can speculate that that means emotionally or spiritually, but even just considering physical statures, men are typically noted to be the taller & stronger sex... Why would God pick this design for men?

The answers start and end with His Word, per usual. 1 Peter 3:7 (AMP) urges husbands to treat their wives with great gentleness and tact, as she is the feminine, weaker vessel. This is the exact same dynamic between God and us. God works always to prosper, and never to harm humans (the weaker being)... even though He clearly has the power to do it. He can easily hurt us, but He instead chooses to be kind to us. To take care of us. To protect us from the enemy. To make sure we have everything we need and lots of what we want. God, then, expects man to use his God-given strength in the same manner. It is an intentional exercise of mercy. It’s the act of using one’s power to extend care, even though it would be easier to just allow harm—and that is love. Ultimately, God gave man superior strength & power so he can first do just as the Father does: love.

Through these lenses, the way God made man is pretty heart-warming— but it does leave a question. “Love” requires a receiver... an object of affection. We know God’s love is directed at us, His people, but who exactly did God place man here to love? Just God Himself?

Glad you asked.

From God, man was made; from man, woman was made.

God created humanity to be the recipient of His undying love and affection. God then gifted man with his very own ‘creation’ to love for all of his life. That’s why Eve was made right from Adam’s rib, and Adam declared: “She is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.” It’s also the reason Paul instructs husbands in Ephesians 5 to love their wives as Christ loved the church; he says, “love your wife as you love your own body.” The same way God is simply driven to cherish man and value him as His own no matter what, God drives man to cherish woman and value her as his own. Because that’s what she is.

God specifically blessed man with leadership, knowledge, strength, power, and mercy to mirror that of His own. He purposed him to love, and for love. To first be created and then to create. He did this because He sees man as undoubtedly worthy and capable, just as He Himself is undoubtedly worthy and capable.

It pleased God greatly to make man this way— in His own glorious image. What, then, further fills our Lord with more pride & pleasure than we can even imagine? When He looks down and sees man coming face to face with the way He sees him, while striving to bear His image properly everyday.