The Original Man and God’s Image and Blessings (Genesis 1:26-28)
Intro
-In our field, there are many people who know or believe in Jesus Christ. However, some of them have no exact spiritual knowledge of who Jesus Christ is and what Jesus Christ has done for them.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
-The fundamental problems of human beings are sin by disbelief and disobedience towards God’s Word (Gen.3:1-6), separation from God (Rom.3:23), and the slaves of Satan (John 8:44). Jesus Christ is the one and only way to meet God (John 14:6), to resolve the problem of sins (Rom.8:1-2), and to destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8).
Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
-If you know, believe in, and accept Jesus Christ, you have salvation and become the child of God (Rom.10:9-10; John 1:12). Only Jesus Christ can give you true freedom, healing, change, and happiness.
1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
-After we believe in Jesus Christ, we restore the blessings of the original man. What are these?
1.The original man as the image of God
1)Human beings were created in God’s image
①This is not the image of animals or likeness of things (stuffs), but the image of God.
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
-Compared to other creatures, only human beings were created in the image of God. This is the unique characteristic of humankind.
②If we were created in the image of a pig, we would worship the pig through the shamanistic ritual.
-However, Adam and Eve were not created the image of an animal. After the fall, people do not know the spiritual truth. They worship idols through the images of animals and things.
Romans 1:23 and [they] changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
③We were created in God’s image in order to seek and look up at Him.
-Because God is Spirit (John 4:24), mankind as the image of God have a spirit. Originally, human beings worshipped and had fellowship with God. Human beings were worshippers of God the Creator.
2)Human beings were created according to the well-ordered plan.
①God created male and female (Gen.1:27)
-Both male and female were created in God’s image (Gen.1:27). Male and female as human beings have same quality. The family and marriage that God made is the unity between one male and one female (Cf. Rom.1:26-27). They are helpers to each other.
Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
-However, there is an order in family. Adam named this female as Eve (Woman). The naming of Adam testifies that Adam has an authority over her.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
②When fish lives in the water, trees put down roots into the ground, and birds fly, they are happy.
-This is the principle of creation.
③Likewise, humankind was created to be happy when they were with God.
2.The original man who receives God’s blessing.
1)God blessed the original human beings
Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
-God blessed human beings who had the image of God. He gave the cultural mandate and the role of the deputy king to human beings. They ruled over the universe.
2)The similar blessings between human beings and animals
Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
-Human beings and animals have blessings of fruitfulness, multiplication, and fullness. However, human beings have the blessings to teach and relay the covenant of Jesus Christ to their children and next generations to fill this earth.
3)The different blessings between humankind and animals
-Only human beings can conquer and reign over animals. They were created and called as the deputy king in this earth.
4)The original man was very good beings in God’s sight
Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
①The image of God was severely distorted after the fall of Adam and Eve
Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
②If people lose the gospel, they will become beings who are conquered and ruled by the world, Satan, and others
③If people lose the gospel, they will be caught up, chased, and oppressed by music, drug, alcohol, game, internet, celebrates (singers, actor/actress), sex, and so on.
④Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ We should restore the original state of people who have the severely distorted image of God.
-Jesus Christ who is the perfect image of God became the flesh and died for us (John 1:14; Mark 10:45). Only Jesus Christ is the unique method to restore the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Conclusion
1)Have the time to stay in the Word Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.