A DEFINITION OF THE IMAGE OF GOD
The third category deals with the question, “How exactly can the image of God in man be defined?” In defining the image of God in man, four points should be noted. The first two points are concerned with defining exactly what the image of God is, while the last two points deal with the doctrine of the image of God.
First, those features that God has that are also true of man comprise the image of God in man. It is where God and man share the same features, the same characteristics, or the same attributes.
The second point in defining the image of God is to discuss the image in its original state. When man was created, his original state was characterized by holiness. It was a holiness that is theologically called “unconfirmed creaturely holiness” in that he was holy, but until that holiness was tested, it remained unconfirmed. When Adam was tested, he failed, so his holiness was not confirmed; instead, he became corrupt. But the original state of the image of God in man was unconfirmed creaturely holiness, and this aspect of the image was lost in the Fall. It no longer exists, because man no longer has unconfirmed creaturely holiness. So this is one aspect of the image of God in man that no longer exists.
Thirdly, other aspects of the image of God are still there, for the image of God is still present after the Fall, though it has been marred. It is obvious that man still has the image of God in him because of passages Scripture that describe the image of God in man that use the present tense (Gen. 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; Jas. 3:9). While on one hand, man does not have the original state of unconfirmed creaturely holiness, there are other features of God that he still has and that are still true in man. These other features have been marred; they are no longer perfect; they are no longer holy, but they are still very much there.
Fourthly, the image of God is still in man presently, and this is the basis for respecting all humanity. Genesis 9:6 forbids the act of murder on the basis that the one murdered was created in the image of God. In 1 Corinthians 11:7, the image of God is the basis for church decorum in that man is to have his head uncovered in the meeting of the church, while the woman is to have her head covered. Furthermore, James 3:9 forbids cursing people because the person cursed still has the image of God in him. Three of the five passages that mention the image of God in man bring out the fact that this is the basis for the respect of humanity.
To summarize this category, when dealing with a working definition of the image of God in man, four points should be noted. First, it refers to those features of God that are also true of man; secondly, there is one feature that no longer exists, unconfirmed creaturely holiness that was lost in the Fall; thirdly, there are still other features that God and man share, so man still has the image of God in him, although it is marred; and fourthly, even though it is marred, enough of it still remains so that men are commanded to respect their fellow man accordingly.
Excerpt from Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum's:
MBS085 THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN:
