“And Jesus said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’  And they were amazed at Him.” – Mark 12:17

As a child I loved science. One of my favorite experiments involved food coloring, a gallon of water and ¼ cup of bleach. I remember watching my teacher place just one drop of red food coloring in the water and the effect it had on the entire gallon. I was amazed at how such a small drop could affect the entire gallon of water. This got me thinking about how we are made in the image of God.

The Bible says that when God created man He created him in the image of His triune nature (Gen 1:26). Specifically, He made Adam in His image (Hebrew word: tselem) and likeness (Hebrew word: demut). Both of these Hebrew terms refer to something that is “similar” but not completely identical. Similarly, no pun intended, the New Testament refers to the image of God using the Greek term eikona (1 Cor 15:49) which is where we get our word “icon.” An icon is simply something that represents something else. Both the Hebrew and Greek terms informed their original readers that man was “like” God and would in many ways “represent” God.

What a wonderful thought to know that you were made in the image of God, the Creator of the Universe!

So, how is mankind made in the image of God? For many years theologians have been arguing over what specifically this means. They have floated several propositions. Some say that it is man’s intellectual ability and power to exercise free will. Others say it is man’s mandate of dominion over the earth. But most theologians will agree that it more likely has to do with man’s moral purity. For when Adam was made he was morally pure, free from the knowledge of good and evil and therefore sinless. After the fall, he was filled with guilt and shame which is why he hid from God. He, therefore, tainted his moral purity with sin, much like a single drop of food coloring turning a gallon of water red.

In Mark 12:13-17 Jesus is confronted about paying taxes to Caesar. He is presented with a coin with the image of Caesar on it and tells the Pharisees they should give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. It’s interesting that Jesus points out the image of Caesar because likewise, we are the image (icon) of God. So, how do we give back to God what is God’s? We give Him our commitment, our dedication, our very lives for He deserves it. In other words, we make Him our Lord and Savior!

Once a sinner repents and gives to God what is God’s, the Father begins a miraculous transformation in their lives (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18). He begins to sanctify the new believer by taking up a dwelling in his body and cleaning up his distorted image of God, making him become more and more like the true image of Christ (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15). He begins to restore the believer back to the moral purity he once was designed to possess. This process of cleaning ends when the believer is reunited with Christ in a new body in heaven (1 John 3:2).

You may be wondering why I didn’t mention the use of the ¼ cup of bleach. After the drop of red food coloring is dropped in the gallon of water, the bleach is slowly poured into the solution. The red tainted water slowly turns back to its original clear substance after about ¼ cup of bleach is introduced. This is the same effect the cleansing blood of Jesus has on a “tainted” sinner who repents and gives their life to Christ.

You were made in the glorious image of God and through the blood of Christ, you are being restored back to that image. What a wonderful thought to know that you were made into the image and likeness of the Creator of the Universe!

Go forth and do GREAT things!

Dave

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