Created Like God

“Created Like God”

September 29, 2013

Genesis 1:26-31

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

We are created in the image of God. When God made us in His own image – He gave us responsibilities. He created us to rule. He created us to subdue the earth. He gave us every tree and plant. He gave us every animal and bird and creature that had breath. He placed us in authority over all these things. We were to rule the world for God. With pure hearts and perfect minds and a natural desire to please God – we were equipped to rule the world. But then you know what happened. We fell.

Sometimes evil guys want to rule the world again. It has happened throughout history up to the present day. But that is where we started – and we didn’t do such a good job. Notice that after God created everything in the first five days, at the end of each day He looked at it and He said it was ‘good’. But after He made man He said, “It is VERY good”. Man is the pinnacle of God’s creation – greatest work. We are created in His own image.

How are we like God? Do we look like Him? No, He is Spirit. Do we think like Him? No, His thoughts are far above ours. Do we have His power or nature? Of course not! Let me tell you how we are created like God. We are created with a free will. Like God, we have the ability to gather information, identify our preferred future and set our wills to achieve what has been conceived in our hearts. You have personality, dignity and potential. You have awesome power and responsibility. God has given you the ability to create life and to take life. With that power of choice; with the power to create and destroy – comes responsibility. God has given us personal responsibility with our free wills. Jesus will not force us and rule our lives for us. He could. We might even ASK Him to. He IS the King and He could overpower us. He could dominate us. But He will not. He will not make you a robot. He will guide you. He will empower you. He will lead you. But His desire is that you realize He is your King and willingly submit to His Kingship. He turns around and puts you back in charge of your life.

God, in making us in His own image, made us to love. He created us to be in a loving relationship with Himself. Loving relationships takes two willing individuals. One is not enough. No matter how badly one may want a relationship – it won’t happen unless both desire it. God in His sovereignty has determined that we have no choice but to make the choices that determined our eternal destiny. We have no choice but to make choices.

Jesus takes off His crown and He wraps a towel around His waist and kneels down to serve you – to cleanse you. Creator serving the creation!

THINK of that! The King of kings, the Creator of the universe humbles Himself to wash your dirtiness. Listen:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13:3-5