People of different colors standing in a circle and putting their hands in the middle

There is Dignity for All of God’s Images Bearers

An elementary survey of world history would show that in sin, humanity is quick to degrade those who are different. At the root of prejudice – the caste system, genocide, and all other personal, local, and national conflicts – is a refusal to extend dignity to those who are different.

Our current cultural moment is no different. At their core, many contemporary activist movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter recognize the problem brought on by the sinful state of humanity and together ask the same fundamental question: what fundamental rights and dignity should society extend to all people?

To be clear, these various activist groups’ conclusions differ vastly and, in many cases, are quite pagan. But the initial impulse to ask the question is good.

To answer this question, we need clear thinking concerning the doctrine of man in our blazing cultural moment. Or better known in theological circles as the doctrine of imago dei (Latin for the image of God).

Imago dei

Here is how the Westminster Confession of Faith defines the imago dei:

WCF 4.2

“God … created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image.”

Mankind is not God. We are not omniscient or omnipresent. We are not the chief end of all things. Only God is God. We must understand ourselves humbly in light of all that God is. Yet, we are made in his image. In the same way that a conquering king leaves statues behind as visual reminders of his kingship, so does God place humanity in his world as visual reminders that point to who God really is.

The scriptures place no limit on who reflects God’s image. No age group has grown more into the image of God. No skin color shows his image more clearly. No mental capacity must be reached to earn God’s image.

To be human is to be in God’s image. Therefore, we must extend respect and dignity to all people.

But here’s the rub. Sin hates God. Therefore, sinners hate to see God in others. After the very first sin of eating the fruit in the garden, the next sin Scripture records is Cain killing his brother. Sin gave birth to despising God’s image. The sin of Cain lives on today as mankind dishonors God by shunning his image-bearers.

Three Ways in Which God’s Image Bearers Are Shunned

1. Women are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

God created women to be more than sex objects belittled by men in power. Women, while of a different design, are of the same value and worth as men. Any man who belittles a woman as being below him or views her simply as an object of his pleasure fails to see the glory of the God she represents. The concern of cultural movements like #MeToo is correct. But we must place this valid concern in the reality of Christian orthodoxy, not feminism.

2. Pre-born babies are, in fact, babies

The physical size and development of the pre-born are not criteria for deciding the life or death of that pre-born, nor are one’s living environment or socioeconomic status. What an untenable argument to say that a baby is human if he lives outside of the womb as opposed to inside! In what other circumstance do we determine one’s fundamental right to life based on his home? Does traveling a few inches out of the womb and into a parent’s arms qualify one for the imago dei? Certainly not. God’s image remains inside the womb and out (Psalm 139:13-14).

3. People of all skin colors are made in God’s image

In fact, as a reflection of God’s image, there will one day be a people of God from every tongue, tribe, and nation (Revelation 7:9). The question that groups like Black Lives Matters are asking of what it means to care for people of all races is good. The problem is that many of today’s activists do not answer with a clear, “All people are made in God’s image!” Therefore, their conclusions are shortsighted at best and often anti-Christian.

We do not expect heaven on Earth. Short of Christ’s return, there will always be conflict among people. Sin has marred the crown jewel of His creation. We fail to see just how glorious our neighbor is. The stain of sin will remain, but at least in the church, we can provide clarity for our people as they shift through the competing voices of culture. The imago dei, especially amongst young people, is the issue of the moment. Speak clearly to this.

In our cultural moment, may churches give themselves to teaching a full, robust doctrine of the imago dei. It is a precious doctrine that would provide clarity and relief in many of our current cultural ails.  

No person – women, the pre-born, or racial minority – is ordinary. All are in God’s image, as best summarized by C.S. Lewis in “The Weight of Glory:”

 “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.

©2024 Jon Saunders. Used with permission.

About The Author

Jon Saunders
Jon Saunders

Jon is married to Vanessa and is father of Lillian, Eleanor, Henry, Marion and Katherine. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and Calvin Theological Seminary. He formerly served at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Mich., as the pastor of campus ministry, before moving to Detroit to help with the planting of Redeemer.

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