It’s great to be back! After several months of absence I would like to continue and
conclude my series on a biblical perspective on resources. This is the final section of this
series. If you are just joining me
now, take a moment to read the first 3 sections of this series (Do We Have the
Eyes to See, parts 1-3) to become updated on our discussion. Much of what I will write about in this
final segment will build off of the foundation presented in the first 3
parts.
As detailed in earlier posts I believe that man has been
created with a wealth of potential.
Potential that when tapped into properly can be used to develop our
individual futures as well as our families, communities and nation’s future. Men and women, created in the image of
God, are the preeminent most effective resources on the face of this
planet. My desire in these entries
is to effectively communicate why this truth should be foundational to our
poverty alleviation and development strategies. I will break this final blog segment into 3 different
entries.
As I seek to unpack this principle I will address in each
entry one of these three specific questions.
1. What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
2. What inherent resources do humans have?
3. How should these concepts frame our biblical perspective on resources?
1. What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
2. What inherent resources do humans have?
3. How should these concepts frame our biblical perspective on resources?
MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD?
“Then God
said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness”
Genesis 1:26
“So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them.”
Genesis
1:27
What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Whether we realize it or not, this
simple declaration made by God in the early chapters of Genesis is a
revolutionizing pronouncement.
This concept in and of itself should be a fundamental root that
establishes our beliefs, values, actions and behaviors, and should deeply impact
our social, political and religious thinking. To truly comprehend what it means to be human we must grasp imago Dei the image of God in man.
Man has been endowed with several characteristics that highlight
this uniqueness. Animals and the
rest of creation on the other hand, though brilliantly and beautifully made, have
not been made in God’s image. This
special attribute has been reserved for God’s crown jewel of creation; man and
woman. Listed below are a few of
these distinctive human traits.
Thank you to the following article for providing much of
the information below. Source: http://www.sbclife.org/Articles/2009/10/sla6.asp
Spiritual
Beings:
Human beings are not merely material beings. When God created the first man He breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life (Gen 2:7) making man a living soul and giving to him a spiritual
life. We exist currently as body and
soul together. It is meaningless to talk of us as just a soul or just a body
when we are alive on earth. Both are intricately intertwined to make you the
person you are.
-On the opposite spectrum, take
a lobster for example. When a
lobster is caught in a trap and boiled for stew it does not have a spirit that
lives on. It’s simply dead. A lobster is a physical material animal
creation that lacks a soul.
Moral Beings:
God is holy. He created humanity with a moral
compass, a conscience that gives each of us an inner sense of the difference
between right and wrong. Though
deadened by sin, that conscience remains hardwired in man.
- Our family used to have a
cat named Harvey who would come home most days in the summer with mice,
chipmunks, snakes or birds. Harvey
did not have a conscience about killing rodents; it was merely his animal
instincts with no guilt attached.
For Harvey there was no judgment of right or wrong through the
evaluation of consequences and affects, he just did what he was created to
do.
Relational Beings:
Man has not been made for
isolated individualism. The image
of God is reflected in how we relate to others in fellowship (marriage, family,
work and the church) the great commandment (love your neighbor) and even the
great commission (make disciples of all nations).
Rational Beings:
God is a God of
knowledge. While our knowledge is
limited, God created us with the capacity to think, to learn and to know. Our minds are a vital part of how we
are to know God (Matt. 22:37). We
are to cultivate our minds (Eph. 4:23) and to renew our minds for
transformation (Rom. 12:2).
- Again, let’s contrast this
concept with an example from the animal kingdom. Take a turkey for example: (Turkey’s are pretty dumb
animals.) Some turkeys have been known to stare straight up into the
sky when it is raining to get a drink and subsequently drown themselves. Definitely lacking in rational
thinking. Yes, some humans have
done some pretty brainless things but we should know better. At least the turkey has an excuse.
Creative Beings:
God is the Creator. Built within man is an intrinsic desire
to create (music, art, engineering, landscaping, or writing). While our creativity is different from
God’s, who created everything out of nothing, we unmistakably have a creating
responsibility.
“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the
fish of the sea the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves
on the ground.”
Genesis 1:26
God has given man a command to
create. Develop the social world! (Build families, churches, schools,
cities and governments.) Harness
the natural world! (Plant crops, build bridges, design iPod’s, and carve
sculptures) Our purpose is to build cultures and create civilizations… and
glorify God in the process. After
all, we have been made in His image.
Though the image of God in man
has been marred and ruptured through the sinful nature of mankind, we still
mustn’t forget that all people, no matter the age, race or physical capacity
has been made in His Likeness and for His glory.
So you may ask, why is it
important to understand the phrase made in the image of God when discussing the
biblical perspective on resources?
In a culture that continually diminishes the value of man (the result of
a random evolutionary process), it is crucial to realign our beliefs in order
to restore a biblical perspective on life. Though we live in a world continually subjugated and run by
secular ideas and philosophies we must not lose track of the vision and purpose
for which we were created. Humanity
in all aspects (white, black, male, female, every ethnic group in every culture)
is of immeasurable value, made with incalculable potential that could and
should be stewarded to develop and expand God’s name throughout the world.
Imago Dei. A powerful attribute ascribed to man and
a mighty promise made to mankind. Furthermore,
understanding imago Dei in all its dimensions
is the first critical step to comprehending development from a biblical basis.
In the next entry we will
build off of this understanding and highlight the many extraordinary resources
that are within our grasp. The
question addressed will be:
What inherent resources do humans have?
