What is God’s ‘image’?

In Genesis 1:26-27, the Bible says God created man in his own image. This means irrespective of skin colour, race, ethnicity, tribe or facial complexions, we are all images of the creator.

Says the chapter in question: “God said, Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.”

From the days of creation to date, man has found it extremely difficult to live in harmony and coexistence in a world of sharp contrasts where the majority lives in abject poverty while only a few live in opulence.

Others have found it difficult to coexist with neighbours of different skin colours, political affiliations as well as ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.

Amid different skin colours, races, heights and the shape of our faces, do we have reason to believe that we are really created in the image of God?

Gerry Leijen, a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses supports the idea that people were created in God’s image.

“Man has qualities reflecting, or mirroring, those of his heavenly maker, qualities that positively distinguish man from the animal creation.

“This means that man was made in the likeness of his grand creator through divine attributes of love, wisdom, justice, and power; hence, he possessed a sense of morality involving a conscience, something altogether new in the sphere of earthly life,” he said.

Leijen said all people living today belong to a single species—Homo sapiens—and are derived from a common stock.

He said the biological differences in people are due to hereditary factors and the influence of the environment.

“The paradox which faces us is that each group of humans appears to be externally different yet underneath these differences there is fundamental similarity,” argued Leijen.

Andrew Nyondo, who participated in the debate on Facebook, said the word ‘image’ does not mean physical appearance.

He said it is a connotative word reflecting the spirituality of man.

Nyondo said it is only the spirit that God planted in man that equates people to the creator.

“God is a spirit, so are you. When man sinned, his spirit was stained. But when he repents his sins, God restores his spirit,” said Chirwa.

Media relations officer for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, Edward Matale, said irrespective of skin colour, all people are “an exact picture of God.”

“Man is made in the image of his maker. He is God’s exact image, having eye for eye, forehead for forehead, eyebrows for eyebrows, nose for nose, cheekbones for cheekbones, mouth for mouth, chin for chin, ears for ears, precisely like our Father in heaven,” said Matale. n