The Image Of God Essay

What is the image of God? This is a question that may never be completely understood for many different reasons, but the subject matter is of utter importance. “Being God’s image not only qualifies one as a human person but is also a major reason why human life is so sacred.” Every human life deserves to be treated equally because they are made in God’s image. Several different groups in history have been treated inhumanely because people thought they lacked the image. If the church takes a view on the image that does not include every human being, the church is opening the door for acts of slavery, spouse abuse, and abortion to be justified. The arguments against these immoral acts rest on the fact everyone is made in the image. So whatever view the church accepts must include every human regardless of race, gender, or one’s mental intellect. With saying this we now turn to the effects the view of Christ as the image has on gender. As perversely stated many theologians have often excluded women as image bearers. Those …show more content…
Based on this passage it seems these theologians were correct for not including women within the image, but the mistake comes from focusing just on these verses and not the rest of Scripture. Whenever a doctrine is created it is the job of the theologian not to put to much wait on one particular passage. Every text must be viewed in line with the rest of Scripture. The image is often associated with one particular group within different verses of Scripture. Just because Paul connects the image to men in this text does not mean women should not be included as image bearers. Genesis 1 states God created atham, mankind, in his image and not just one group. Paul is not wrong in stating that men are in the image, and he is also not wrong for not including women. Paul is focusing on one group, men, here. He also never claims here that women lack the