According to Genesis 1:26 the human race was designed by God and given a mandate to exercise dominion over the rest of creation. Man was intended by God to be the sovereign of the plant. He was literally instructed to subdue the planet, to take dominion, and rule over everything God had placed on earth. This means that we are different from animals not just in design, but also in position before God. For it is only mankind, that was given life, by the imparting of “the breath of God.” That makes man an eternal being. While we are created at one point in time, that life does not cease to exist simply because the body ceases to function. In light of the position that God grants man in the creative order we see that mankind is the highest of all the created realm, and therefore, everything is subject to their rule. When man chose to sin, all of creation was subject to the power of that sin and is cursed by God. It is for that reason, when God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, He took upon Himself the form of man. He did not become … READ MORE

As we think about the fact that Genesis 1:26-30 tells us that we are created in the image of God, we are reminded that God created us to have a relationship with us. God is not far off, distant, elusive, and hidden. Rather, what the story of Scripture reveals is that God is the one who is always searching for us. This was true from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden it is not Adam who was searching for God, rather it was God who came to the garden searching for Adam. As long as we hide from God we will never see that He nailed Himself to the cross for our sins. Christ came and took upon Himself, the form of man (not animal or plant). He did this to make a statement about our dignity, and makes a statement about the relationship He desires to have with each of us. Christ came that we might be born anew (John 3:3-5) this will restore us to our rightful place at Christ side, Christ came that we might repent of our sins and walk in the new life that He offers as we follow His steps. Christ came … READ MORE

When we speak of being made in the image of God it is not just our looks or our physical make up that are like God. As humans we are God’s counterpart in that God gave humanity total dominion over the earth. God created humans with a freedom of choice to make the decisions necessary to have this dominion. Sin has tempted us to use that privilege of dominion for selfish pleasure. Personal communion with God is what being made in the image of God is all about. It is a relationship in which we become God’s counterpart, His representative and His glory to the earth. It is our duty as His counterparts to figure out how God would act in our place. When God gave humans dominion over the world, He gave us the earthshaking power and freedom to shape our world. We have been charged with the care of creation, and charged with the opportunity and responsibility to act like God acts in creation. . . to use our gifts, energy, wisdom, strength, and creativity .. to benefit God’s creation. Today people are not making decisions to better humanity or creation, but rather to protect their own self-interest. … READ MORE