THE IMAGE

I used to understand humanity being created in "the image of God" in the traditional sense, usually articulated something like this:

"To be created [in the image of God] means being endowed with an immortal spirit, a capacity to know and be known by God, a measure of autonomy and free will in the areas of thought and action, each of which separate us from the rest of creation." - Daniel Becker

There are problems with this sort of definition, though. 

And the main one is this: it is not grounded in careful word study and context of Genesis 1, where this concept first appears. 

In fact, the key words here - spirit, know, autonomy, thought - seem pulled out of thin air. 

[Side note: where does Scripture say humans are endowed with an immortal spirit?]

So these days I understand "image of God" quite differently.

Now I see something more in line with this author, Zachary Garris:

"It is often suggested that the “image” is tied with humans being personal, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and relational beings like God. Others suggest that the “image” is tied with humans being creative like God.

"While we are like God in these ways, they do not get to the central point of the “image” in Genesis 1. That central point is not hard to figure out. We just have to look at the immediate context. And what is mentioned in the context along with the “image” of God? Dominion. Sandwiched in between the two uses of “image” in Genesis 1:26-27 is the sentence: “And let them have dominion over . . . ” (1:26). This very concept is seen again in 1:28, in what is known as the Cultural Mandate. In the midst of God’s blessing, He commanded humans to do two things: (1) reproduce (“be fruitful and multiply”); and (2) rule (“fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion”). The word “dominion” is mentioned here in 1:28 for the second time, but now it is paired with having children and subduing the land.

"In other words, “the image of God” means that humans are like God and represent Him as rulers over creation."

It would be hard to overstate how profound this shift has been in my thinking and how this insight now shapes my understanding of what Christ came to accomplish.