Who are We? (Image of God)

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In this episode of "The Heartbeat of Faith" with Dr. Andrew Farley, we explore the profound concept of what it truly means to be made in the image of God. Drawing inspiration from biblical tales like "The Creation," Dr. Farley delves into the profound connection between ancient civilizations' interpretation of godly images and our contemporary understanding of self-worth. Unpack the roles and responsibilities we inherit as image-bearers of God, how Jesus exemplifies this role, and the divine purpose destined for each one of us. Join us in this spiritual journey, from the first pages of Genesis to the teachings of Colossians, to grasp the magnitude of our creation and purpose in God's grand narrative. A must-listen for those eager to deepen their understanding of God's intent for humanity.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. I will give thanks to you, for
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful.
My soul knows that very well. Psalm chapter one, thirty nine,
verse fourteen. Lord, you are the maker of heaven and earth,

(00:20):
keeper of the stars, and master of nature. It is
incredible that the same hands that fashion the expanse of
the universe also made me. Remind me every day that
you have crafted me with a purpose. When I forget
my identity in Christ and my thoughts wander from your counsel,
remind me of who I am. Thank you for renewing

(00:42):
my mind and conforming my thoughts to the mind of Christ.
Teach me your ways so I can reflect your goodness
in this fallen world in Jesus name. Amen, Thank you
for praying with me today. Now discover the profound intricacies
of Scripture through Prayer's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with

(01:03):
doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick word from
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Speaker 2 (02:08):
What does it mean to be made in the image
of God? We humans are comprised of spirit, soul and body,
and we have agency, authority, and purpose given to us
by God for his name's sake. But how do we
live up to this regal calling? How can we live
out our identities as image bearers and co errs with Christ? Hello,

(02:34):
I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. We're exploring Biblical stories and seeing how
they interweave as themes, motifs, and images. The Bible is
an inspiring and captivating masterpiece that introduces us to new
life with God and helps us discover our true purpose.

(02:58):
With each discovery, we tell happened to God's desire for
our lives and move to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Today we dive deeper into the Bible to discover who
we are as human beings. What is our purpose? Why
are we here? What does the Bible say about our
place in the grand scheme of God's story. We will

(03:21):
seek to answer these questions and more in the next
few episodes. A great place to begin is at the beginning,
when God was fashioning humanity in his likeness.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
Then God said, let us make man in our own image,
in our likeness, and they will care over the world.
So God, with his own breath of life and word
of power, created mankind. He then charged them with caring
over the earth and all that is living in it.

(03:59):
His desire was to give them purpose and enjoy the
world he had created in relationship with him, For mankind
was the only created things stamped with the image of
its creator, And on that sixth day, the once void
earth was filled with life. This God knew was very good.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
What does it mean to be made in the image
of God. It's interesting to consider how ancient civilizations would
have viewed this concept in Genesis. To an early reader,
the image of God was only something that kings or
pharaohs might possess. Yes, ancient kingdoms erected monuments, temples, and

(04:44):
statues to worship their kings. In ancient Egypt, for example,
the pharaoh was seen as the image of the Gods.
Kings and rulers were said to have had sole partnership
with the Gods. We're the only people worthy of dignity
and respect, so to say Adam and Eve, and therefore

(05:06):
humanity was created in the image of God. Was scandalous.
If we were all made in the image of God,
that means we're all worthy of dignity and respect. In
the ancient world, that was a foreign concept. But the
Bible introduced a new way to look at humanity. Clearly,

(05:28):
God wanted us to respect each other, no matter our
socioeconomic status, culture, or creed. God has created you and
me to be stewards of this world. We have agency, dominion,
and purpose given to us by God for his name's sake.
But how do we live up to this high calling?

(05:50):
And how do we live out our destinies as image bearers. Fortunately,
we're not left to our own devices to figure this
one out. The way we live best as image bearers
is by looking to the ultimate image of God, Jesus Christ,
who lives in us. In Colossians, we're told that Jesus

(06:12):
is the image of the invisible God, and that he
has reconciled us and made us complete in him.

Speaker 4 (06:20):
He is the image of the invisible God, the first
born of all creation. For by him all things were
created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things
and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers,

(06:42):
all things have been created through him, and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things
are held together. He is the head of the body,
the assembly, who is the beginning, the first born from
the dead, that in all things he might have the

(07:03):
pre eminence. For all the.

Speaker 1 (07:06):
Fullness was pleased.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
To dwell in him and through him, to reconcile all
things to himself by him, whether things on the earth
or things in the heavens, having made peace through the
blood of his cross Colossians one fifteen through twenty.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
Jesus created all things and rules over all things. He
is the ultimate image bearer of God. To live life
to the fullest, we can look to Christ, who now
lives within us. He's our Savior, our Lord, and our
very life. Expressing Jesus by serving one another in love

(07:47):
is the greatest human existence we can possibly enjoy. Everything
else pales in comparison. The concept of displaying the characteristics
of Jesus to those around us was illustrated when Jesus
was teaching his disciples what it really means to be great.

Speaker 4 (08:12):
Jesus turned to his disciples and picked up his drink.
Tell me, what were you all arguing about this afternoon?
I noticed some Racis behind me. The disciples were silent.
They were embarrassed to tell Jesus, for they had been
arguing about who among them was the greatest of his disciples.
They fought on who Jesus loved more and who was

(08:32):
more gifted and useful for God's kingdom. Jesus knew this
and used the opportunity to teach his friends on what
it meant to be great. Whoever desires to be first
must be a servant of all.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
Jesus said, we humans were created in God's image. We
have agency, authority, and purpose given to us by God,
and we share in the full spectrum of emotions just
like God, as we experience love, grief, and joy. But

(09:05):
the image of God involves more than these. It also
includes the idea that we were designed to display the
very nature of God, his love, and his life through
our unique personalities. When we fell in the garden of Eden,
this impacted humanity's ability to display God's nature. Ephesians two

(09:29):
ten says we who are in Christ are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works. What was lost
in the garden of Eden is restored in Christ through
His cross and resurrection, and in a way, what we
have today is so much greater. Think about it. Adam

(09:52):
and Eve sinned once, and they lost life. We sin
every day, but never lose life. The total forgiveness and
eternal life God has given us today in Jesus enables
us to live out our divine purpose and destiny as
image bearers of God. Thank you for listening to the

(10:14):
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, please
leave us a review and let us know how this
series has impacted your life. Remember to download the Prey
dot com app, and for more encouragement in God's grace,
visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.