Creation – Part Two
Creation in the Image of God –
“And God said…”
It’s easy to overlook this phrase when considering the creation narrative of Genesis 1-2, but just pause for a moment to think about the power represented here:
“And God said…”
It’s a statement followed by the words:
“And it was so.”
The Power of the Creator to Speak Creation into Existence Points to His Authority
God’s authority is then seen in the creation of humanity. As Genesis 1:26-28 states,
26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, make and female he created them.
How Are We Engaging with the Word of God?
Dr. Rusty Small – Assistant Professor, School of Divinity
But God doesn’t stop there. He follows His creation of humanity with the first command:
28And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
“God has the authority to speak creation into existence, the power to create humanity, and then offers the mandate that provides purpose to His creation.
Within the Creation Narrative, Humanity Is Placed in a Unique Position: To Cultivate God’s Creation for Him
Immediately following our creation, we were given the responsibility to care for God’s creation, but have you ever considered how your vocation helps to achieve this creation mandate?
When we embrace our calling to represent God to His creation, we should reflect our creation in the image of God. We find our purpose in God’s bigger story, and as faculty, when we consider our creation in the image of God, we can better help our students as they process through God’s calling on their lives. As an example of this calling, watch as faculty member and student share with us how important it is to ground our vocation on the authority of God’s Word.
Professor and Student: A Journey of Discovery, Growth, and Impact
Professor Ron Miller: Helms School of Government
Professor Miller explains the importance of always going back to Scripture and using that as the benchmark when it comes to making governmental decision.
Zane: B.A. Government: Politics and Policy
“How do we walk righteously in light of God’s authority expressed in government? That’s a question that I have been well-equipped to answer.”
For Further Research:
- Article/Lecture
- How Should We Exercise Dominion? – The Gospel Project
- Authority: God’s Good and Dangerous Gift – 9Marks
- Books
- Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power by Andy Crouch – Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, 2013
- The God Who Gives: How the Trinity Shapes the Christian Story by Kelly M. Kapic and Justin Borger – Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2018
- Videos
- All Authority in Heaven and Earth
- In His Image – Matt Chandler
Other Posts in This Series
Creation – Part One
Creation and the Image of God – “Why am I here?” This question resonates deeply inside each of us. We all want to know the purpose of our lives. What am I here for? Why does any of it matter? Wondering about our importance and significance often is where we start to ask...
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Fall – Part One
The Fall and the Problem with People – Creation was very good. God walked with humankind, and there was peace and prosperity. Injustice did not exist, and creation worked in the way it was designed. The world, like a wonderful sonnet, was full of harmony and lacked chaos. Everything Changed After the Fall By...
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Fall – Part Two
The Problem with the World – The writer of Ecclesiastes saw all of God’s creation and said that: “What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered.” (Ecclesiastes 1:15) Here, the author recognized that what was originally created as “very good” (Genesis 1:31), has been dramatically affected by the Fall....
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