Created in Gods Image Essay Example

Created in Gods Image Essay Example Created in Gods Image Essay Created in Gods Image Essay Created In The Image of God Wendy Butz, RN, BSN THEO 532, September 13, 2011 Malone University I was raised attending Baptist churches and have listened to many ministers talk about â€Å"man† being created in God’s image. I know we are created in God’s image because the Bible (Barker, 1995) tells us this in Genesis 1:26 27, (26) â€Å"Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. † (27) â€Å"God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. † Ultimately the question is what does being created in God’s image truly mean? Are we like God in many different aspects, or does it simply mean we have some physical resemblance to God? Until taking this class, I never really formed a belief of my own or had a good understanding of how we image or are like God. This paper will discuss my understanding of what it means for humans to be created in the image of God, and the implications this understanding has for me as a nurse and serving others. Created In God’s Image I believe that to be created in God’s image means that, like God, we are social beings with the ability to love. I know from scripture in the Bible that talks about the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that God is social. I agree with Hoekema (1986, p. 75) when he states that â€Å"man† should function in three relationships. The first, and most important relationship, is our relationship with God. The stronger our relationship with God, the more we devote ourselves to Him, the stronger our other relationships grow. The second relationship is one with our fellow â€Å"man†. Luke 10:27 says, â€Å"He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and will all you mind’, and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’† The third relationship is that with and over nature. God gave â€Å"man† dominion over the earth just as God rules the heavens and the earth. I also believe that â€Å"man† has went through different stages of being like God since creation, and that man images God a little differently in each stage. In the beginning, when Adam and Eve were sinless they not only imaged God in their relationship with God, with each other, and with nature, but also with characteristics they possessed such as righteousness and holiness. After the â€Å"Fall†, â€Å"man† is still made in the image of God. He still possesses the ability to love, to be a social being and have relationships with God, fellow man, and nature. However, he is corrupted by sin and is no longer righteous and holy. Instead of having a relationship with God, sinning man disobeys God and even worships idols. Instead of loving his neighbor as himself, sinning man lies to, cheats, and even murders his fellow man. Instead of caring for and nurturing nature, sinning man exploits the earth. John 3:16 says, â€Å"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. † God sent his son, Jesus Christ, the perfect image of God so that we may know Him and may be redeemed. There are many verses in the Bible that refer to Jesus Christ as being the exact representation of God (2 Corinthians 4:4, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15). Shelly Miller (2006, p. 78) point out and talk about Jesus as being a relational being. He was born into a human family and community yet scripture clearly describes his relationship with God, as the Son of God. There are many verses that show us the characteristics and virtues that Christ possessed like righteousness, holiness, and the greatest of these, love (1 Peter 1:16, John 13:34 35). We see Jesus’ love for God and his love for man. Hoekema (1986, p. 22) states, â€Å"If it is true that Christ perfectly images God, then the heart of the image of God must be love. For no man ever loved as Christ loved. † He loved us so much that he gave his life and died for us, so that we may have eternal life. Because of God’s grace, we have Jesus Christ as an example of how we are to live our lives. Jesus shows us that we should be praising and glorifying God in all things, and that our relationship with God, prayer and devotion, should come first. Jesus shows us that we should love every human being, putting them above ourselves, and humbly serving others. When we are imaging God, others should be able to see God’s love, kindness, and goodness in us (Hoekema, 1986, p. 7). While on this earth we will never perfectly image God, but we should seek to be Christ-like. God created the characteristics that make us unique. Christ-likeness is about developing our character and spiritual maturity. When the Holy Spirit lives inside us we have the power, love, faith and wisdom to transform our character and grow spiritually. I believe that it is on ly after our human body dies, and we enter heaven, that we once again image God as â€Å"man† did at creation. We are once again sinless. Serving Others I became a nurse because of my compassion for and my desire to help others. In Mark 10: 43 – 45, Jesus says, â€Å"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. † As a nurse it is my responsibility and my desire to serve other. I had never thought about it before but in doing so, in serving others as Christ did, I am imaging God. Nursing is unique, and different from medicine, in that it focuses on caring for the person as a whole: spiritual, psychological, social, and physical. Shelly Miller (2006, p. 16) are correct when they say that â€Å"the role of nursing grew out of a Christian understanding of the human person as created in the image of God and viewed the body as a living unity and the temple of the Holy Spirit. † If we only see people as isolated individuals and cannot see them in their wholeness, we as nurses cannot care for them adequately. I have always believed that each human being is created by and loved by God. We all possess the ability to love, and we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. Some call it following the â€Å"Golden Rule† or doing unto others as you would have done unto you. Therefore, no matter what situation I am in with a patient, I try to see the image of God in them and I try to be the image of God for them. I love Shelly Miller’s (2006, p. 17 18) definition of Christian nursing, â€Å"a ministry of compassionate care for the whole person, in response to God’s grace toward a sinful world, which aims to foster optimum health (shalom) and bring comfort in suffering and death for anyone in need. Because of sin, it is sometimes hard for me to see others as being created in God’s image and or allow the image of God to be seen in me. But by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I am able to transform my character and grow spiritually. The more I grow spiritually, the stronger my relationship with God, and the easier it is for me to see others through God’s eyes. I agree with Shelly Miller (2006, p. 77) whe n they said, â€Å"To be created in the image of God means that we must look to God for our meaning, purpose and direction. It also makes us thinking, feeling, willing, relational creatures who reflect these attributes of our Creator. In order to understand ourselves in any depth, we must first look to God to know what he intended us to be. † I believe I am on this earth because God has a plan for my life. I may not know exactly what it is, but I am here to fulfill his purpose. I pray that God’s will be done in my life. I know I can do all things through God who strengthens me. Hoekema (1986) states, â€Å"Through us God works out his purposes on this earth. In us people should be able to encounter God, to hear his word, and to experience his love. I pray that by trying to be Christ-like, that not only do my patients, but my family, co-workers, and anyone I meet, sees and experiences God’s love through me. Conclusion This paper has discussed my understanding of what it means to be created in God’s image. We are like God in that we have the ability to love. Our first love should be for God. We should then love others as ourselves. Like Hoekema (1986), I believe one way man images God is as a social being and functioning as part of three relationships, one with God, one with fellow man, and one with nature. I also believe there are stages that man went through since creation and that man images God a little differently in each stage. At creation man was holy and righteous, without sin. After the â€Å"Fall† man is corrupted by sin and is no longer righteous and holy. Then, through Jesus Christ, we are redeemed and with the Holy Spirit can seek spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness. In the end, we do not image God as we did in the beginning until we enter Heaven. This paper also discussed how being created in God’s image impacts how I serve others. I see, not only my patients, but all people as children of God. I believe he created each of us and loves each of us. As a nurse, I believe I am doing God’s will and fulfilling his purpose for my life. References Barker, K. (Ed. ). (1995). The Holy Bible, New International Version (10th ed. ). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Hoekema, A. A. (1986). Created in Gods Image. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Shelly, J. A. , Miller, A. B. (2006). Called to Care: A Christian Theology of Nursing (2nd ed. ). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.