Made in the Image of God

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

You are just, righteous, and perfect in all Your ways. Like Jeremiah, we confess that there are moments when we look around and do not understand why the wicked seem to prosper while those who follow You face hardship. Yet we choose to trust You. We believe that temporary success apart from You is not blessing but a sign of Your patience, a window of grace for people to repent and turn to You.

Lord, teach us to fear You rightly—not with dread, but with reverence, humility, and obedience. Give us compassion for those who know about You but do not fear You. Stir our hearts to pray for them, and use us to point them to Your truth.

We acknowledge that apart from You, our hearts are like those in the days of Noah—corrupt and inclined toward sin. Sin is not just what we do; it is who we are without You. Thank You that in Your mercy, You provided a way of salvation then through the ark, and today through Jesus Christ. We praise You that where sin brings corruption, Christ brings restoration. Give us a new heart that desires what You desire, loves what You love, and hates sin the way You hate it.

Help us to walk in wisdom, humility, and faithfulness. Strengthen us to obey You even when others do not. May our lives reflect Your glory, and may we find our true prosperity and joy in fearing You and following Your ways.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, we pray.

Amen.

CREATION.

Being made in the image of God means that we were created to reflect His character and represent Him on earth. Unlike the rest of creation, God gave us unique capacities that mirror His nature. First, we were given a mind to think with—the ability to reason, understand truth, and make judgments. This separates us from animals and enables us to learn, create, plan, and discern right from wrong. Second, God gave us emotions to feel with. We can experience love, joy, grief, compassion, and sorrow because God Himself feels—Scripture tells us He rejoices, He loves, He is grieved by sin. Our emotions reflect His relational heart. Third, we were given a will for making decisions. God did not create us as robots; He gave us the freedom to choose. This means we can obey or disobey, worship or reject Him. Our will allows us to act with purpose and responsibility. Lastly, we were given an inner spiritual nature—the part of us capable of knowing God. Unlike any other creature, humans can pray, worship, have a relationship with God, and understand spiritual truth. Because of this spiritual capacity, we are not satisfied by material things alone; our hearts long for meaning, purpose, and eternity. All together, these gifts show that being made in God’s image is both a privilege and a responsibility. We are called not only to bear His image but also to reflect His character through how we think, feel, choose, and worship Him.

GENESIS 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light... 16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also... 18 …and God saw that it was good... 26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness… 31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good…

We see God’s creative power unfold day by day. After each act of creation, God declared, “It was good.” Light, sky, land, seas, plants, sun, moon, stars—everything was perfectly formed and ordered. But when God created mankind, something different happened. Scripture says, “God made mankind in His own image,” and after this, God declared not simply that it was good, but that “it was very good.” This shows that creation reached its highest point when God formed man. Nothing else in creation—no stars, no galaxies, no living creature—carried the essence and personhood of God. Only humanity was created in His image, bearing His character, His relational nature, and His spiritual capacity. God’s desire from the very beginning was simple and pure: that man would enjoy a close, personal relationship with Him. He placed humanity in a perfect environment, the garden, where everything was richly provided. There was no anxiety, no striving, no fear—only contentment, righteousness, simplicity, and fellowship with God. His intention was never for man to live burdened or restless, but to find joy, identity, and fulfillment in Him. God designed us to live in His presence, ruling over His creation with peace and security, enjoying everything He gave without worry or distraction.

CORRUPTION.

JEREMIAH 12:1 …Why has the way of the wicked prospered?

Jeremiah sees people who ignore God or oppose Him experiencing comfort and success, while those who honor God face trials. He brings this honest question to the Lord, not in rebellion, but in faith, believing that God is just even when circumstances seem unfair. The temporary success of the wicked is not a sign of God’s approval, but rather a sign of His patience—He gives people time to repent and turn to Him. True prosperity is not found in possessions or achievements, but in living in reverence and obedience to God.

EXODUS 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go...

We should not only fear God ourselves, but we should fear for those who know about God yet do not fear Him. A lack of reverence for God is spiritually dangerous, because it leads a person to live as though God’s holiness, righteousness, and judgment are not real. When we truly fear God, we walk in wisdom, humility, and obedience—but for those who do not fear Him, even their apparent success is fragile and temporary. Therefore, instead of envying the wicked, we entrust our hearts to God, pray for those who are far from Him, and continue walking in faithful obedience, knowing that real and lasting blessing is found in fearing the Lord.

GENESIS 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

In this verse, Scripture describes the condition of humanity before the Flood: the earth was corrupt and full of violence because people had completely turned away from God. The corruption did not begin with the environment—it began in the human heart. Sin had spread into every thought, motive, relationship, and action. Every person is born with a sinful nature—inclined toward selfishness, pride, rebellion, and disobedience. Sin is not merely something we do; it is something that affects who we are apart from God. Left to ourselves, our hearts drift away from Him, just as in Noah’s generation. The corruption in Genesis shows the seriousness of sin—that it destroys us from the inside out and spreads into society. But it also reveals God’s grace, because even in judgment, God provided a way of salvation through the ark. Today, God provides salvation through Jesus Christ, who transforms corrupt hearts and gives us a new nature. Where sin brings corruption, Christ brings restoration.

GENESIS 5:24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

GENESIS 6:9 …Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

JOB 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

Despite the corruption and wickedness that filled the world in the days of Enoch, Noah, and Job, Scripture shows us that it is possible to live a life set apart for God. Enoch walked with God, meaning he lived in continual fellowship and intimacy with Him, and God was so pleased with Enoch that He took him straight into His presence. Noah walked with God in a generation that was filled with violence and corruption, yet he remained righteous and obedient when the entire world turned away. Job was blameless and upright, fearing God and rejecting evil even when surrounded by temptation, wealth, and personal tragedy. These lives prove that holiness is not determined by the condition of the world around us, but by the posture of our heart toward God. Though humanity has brought “amazing madness” into this world—polluting it with sin, selfishness, and rebellion—God still calls His people to walk with Him. In the midst of a dark and corrupt generation, we can still choose purity. We can still choose obedience. We can still choose intimacy with God. The legacy of Enoch, Noah, and Job assures us that no matter how wicked or chaotic the world becomes, living faithfully for God is not only possible—it is powerful, and it brings pleasure to God.

LEVITICUS 11:44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.

Holiness is not just about avoiding sin—it is about belonging to God, being set apart for Him. The Israelites knew God personally. They had seen His power, experienced His provision, and received His commandments. They knew enough about Him to love Him deeply and to fear Him reverently. Because they understood who God is—His purity, His perfection, His majesty—they responded not with casual obedience, but with wholehearted devotion. Their knowledge of God shaped their behavior. The awareness that their Creator is holy compelled them to live holy lives, not out of obligation, but out of love and reverence. When we truly know God—when we understand that He is our Father, our Lord, and our Creator—it changes how we live. We no longer pursue the things that contaminate our hearts or dishonor Him. Instead, we desire to reflect His character and please Him in everything we do. Holiness, then, becomes a natural response to knowing God, loving Him, and fearing Him.

JOHN 17:15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Jesus prays not for His followers to be removed from the world, but to be protected from the evil one while they remain in it. This reveals the heart of Jesus—that believers are not meant to escape or hide from the world, but to live within it as witnesses of His truth and love. God does not call us to flee from society or isolate ourselves from people who do not share our faith. Instead, He wants us to be freed from sin, not absent from the scene. Jesus’ desire for us is insulation, not isolation. Just as insulation protects without removing contact, God wants to protect our hearts from evil while still allowing us to engage with the world around us. We are to be present—showing love, shining light, and influencing others for Christ—yet not shaped or corrupted by the world’s values. We belong to Jesus, not to the world; therefore, we live differently while living among others. We are in the world, but not of the world.

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager.

LUKE 16:8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Jesus makes it clear that He is not praising the man’s dishonesty, but rather highlighting how shrewd and intentional he was in using his resources to secure his future. Jesus observes that the people of this world often show more creativity, strategy, and determination in the pursuit of earthly gain than God’s people do in pursuing eternal purposes. His point is this: if unbelievers can be so wise and deliberate in using money for temporary advantages, how much more should believers be wise and purposeful in using their resources for eternal impact? Jesus teaches that worldly wealth is not the goal—it is a tool, a temporary resource entrusted to us. He says, “make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth,” meaning use your money to bless others, support kingdom work, and build relationships that lead people to Christ. Wealth becomes meaningful only when it is used with an eternal perspective. Jesus then teaches that money tests our character: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” God watches how we handle earthly wealth—not because He needs our money, but because money reveals our priorities. Worldly wealth is a test of stewardship, showing whether our hearts are attached to temporary things or entrusted to God and His kingdom.

PSALM 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

In this verse, Scripture reveals God’s evaluation of humanity. The psalm begins with a strong statement: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” This is not simply about atheism—it describes a heart that lives as if God does not exist, disregarding Him and rejecting His authority. When people remove God from their thinking, corruption naturally follows. David writes that God looks down from heaven to see if anyone understands or seeks Him, and the conclusion is sobering: “They have all turned aside… there is no one who does good, not even one.” From God’s perspective, every person—no matter how moral or respectable they may appear—is corrupt and sinful when measured against His perfect standard. We are not corrupt because of a single action; we are corrupt because sin has touched every part of us—our thoughts, motives, and actions. From that one perspective, all of us are the same. No one can stand before God based on personal goodness or works. This passage humbles us and reminds us why we need grace. Our hope is not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ, who alone makes us acceptable before a holy God.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…

Every person will one day appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Nothing will be hidden; every deed—whether good or bad—will be brought into the light. Because we know this truth and understand the fear of the Lord, we persuade others to turn to Christ. We share the gospel so that people may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and respond in the only way that leads to life—repentance. We will never fully appreciate the wonder of God’s grace until we first understand the seriousness of our sin. Sin is not merely wrong doing; it is wrong being. It is not just what we do—it is the condition of our heart apart from God. The world tries to fix corruption by changing systems, structures, and external circumstances, but God’s solution is far deeper: He changes people. Transformation does not begin from the outside in; it begins from the inside out. God’s way is not merely to reform behavior, but to regenerate the heart.

A NEW CREATION.

1 JOHN 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Believers are already children of God, but what we will become is not yet fully revealed. When Christ returns, we will be transformed—made like Him in purity, holiness, and glory. This is the promise of God’s redemptive plan: that those who were once corrupted by sin will be restored, renewed, and brought back into the family of God. From the beginning, God’s desire has been to redeem corrupted man back into relationship with Himself. Knowing this gives us hope, and that hope is not passive—it motivates us to pursue purity and holiness today. The anticipation of seeing Christ shapes how we live now. We seek to honor God in our thoughts, choices, and actions, not to earn our place in His family, but because we already belong to Him. What God begins in us—He will finish. The corrupt will be made incorruptible, the broken will be restored, and God’s family will be complete.

1 PETER:14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

We are now God’s children, our lives should reflect His character. Before knowing Christ, we lived in ignorance—our desires were shaped by the world and by our own sinful nature. But now that we belong to a holy God, we are called to live differently. To purify ourselves means we must refuse to conform to the evil desires that once controlled us; it is intentional. We make daily choices to reject sinful patterns and align our thoughts, decisions, and actions with God’s Word. We no longer blend into the world or allow culture to shape our values. Instead, we live as foreigners—people who know that this world is not our home—walking with reverent fear, honoring God in everything we do. True purification starts with obedience and results in a life that reflects the holiness of the One who saved us.

ROMANS 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Purification begins in the inner life—specifically, in the renewing of the mind. The world constantly pressures us to conform to its values, priorities, and mindset, but God calls His children to live differently. To purify ourselves means we intentionally break away from the worldly patterns of thinking that lead to compromise and sin. Instead of absorbing the world’s beliefs about success, identity, or morality, we allow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to reshape our thoughts, attitudes, and desires. As our mind is renewed, our life begins to reflect Christ’s character. When our minds are transformed, we are able to recognize and walk in God’s will—His good, pleasing, and perfect plan for our lives. Purification is not just avoiding sin—it is allowing God to change us from the inside out.

MATTHEW 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven...

Jesus challenges a mindset that feels natural to the human heart: loving those who love us and rejecting those who hurt us. The religious leaders taught, “Love your neighbor,” but they added their own interpretation—“and hate your enemy.” Jesus corrects this by going deeper into the heart of God’s law. He commands us not only to love our enemies, but also to pray for them. This kind of love reflects the character of our Father in heaven. God shows His kindness to both the righteous and the unrighteous. When we choose to love those who mistreat us, we reveal that our identity has been transformed—we are acting as true children of God. It is a love that is not based on the worthiness of the other person, but based on who God is and what He has done in us. Loving our enemies is impossible without God’s grace, but it is also one of the clearest signs that our hearts are being made holy like His.

PHILIPPIANS 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Our true citizenship is not found on earth, but in heaven. This truth gives us a powerful reason to pursue holiness. We choose not to be conformed to the patterns of this world, we allow our minds to be renewed, and we set ourselves apart for God because we are living with a different destination in view. Our lives are governed by hope—hope that Christ will return, hope that He will transform our weak and temporary bodies into glorious ones like His, and hope that everything will one day be under His authority.

ROMANS 8:8 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us... 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning… 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

The sufferings we face now are temporary and insignificant compared to the future glory God has prepared for us. Though we already have the Holy Spirit as the first evidence of our salvation, we still live in a world full of pain, weakness, and decay. Our hearts ache for the day when God completes His work—when we fully receive our adoption as His children and our bodies are redeemed, transformed into something glorious and immortal. In other words, the struggles we experience now are not the end of the story. They are only birth pains leading toward eternal joy. This hope strengthens us, reminding us that no suffering for Christ is ever wasted, and encourages us to endure with confidence, knowing that what is coming is far greater than anything we could lose in this life.

ROMANS 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This shows that God’s love is constant and unbreakable; it does not depend on our circumstances or performance but on His character and His covenant. From the beginning, God’s desire has always been to bring humanity back to the purity and perfection of His original design, where everything He created was good and in harmony with Him. Sin corrupted that design, but through Christ, God is restoring us—not just to forgiveness, but to wholeness and holiness. Because of this unchanging love, our response should be one of contentment, trusting that God Himself is enough. It should also lead to submission, recognizing that His ways are perfect and better than our own.

JOHN 17:1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

Jesus models a life of complete purpose and obedience: to glorify the Father through His sacrificial death and resurrection. His life was marked by unwavering determination to finish the work the Father gave Him, and He glorified God by fulfilling His purpose. In the same way, our desire as followers of Christ is to know Him deeply. Our purpose is to become like Christ—to reflect His character of holiness, love, humility, and obedience. Our vision is to one day be with Christ fully, restored to the perfect relationship that God originally intended for humanity. And our mission is to make Christ known in this world, so that others may also receive eternal life and know the only true God. Jesus lived with clarity, focus, and surrender—and He calls us to do the same.

Father in Heaven,

We come before You with grateful hearts, humbled by Your holiness and overwhelmed by Your love. Thank You for creating us in Your image—giving us minds to think, hearts to feel, wills to choose, and spirits capable of knowing and worshiping You. Even though sin has corrupted our world and our hearts, You did not abandon us. Instead, You sent Jesus Christ to redeem us, to renew us, and to restore us into Your family.

Lord, we confess that apart from You, we are weak and easily conformed to the patterns of this world. Purify us, renew our minds, and set us apart to live holy lives that honor You. Teach us to walk like Enoch, to obey like Noah, to fear You like Job, and to live with integrity in the midst of a corrupt generation. Keep us in this world without allowing the world to shape us. Insulate our hearts from sin, and help us shine as lights for Christ.

Father, help us steward every blessing, every resource, and every opportunity with wisdom and faithfulness. Let our lives—not just our words—persuade others of the truth of Your gospel. Give us compassion for those who do not yet fear You, courage to share the message of repentance, and humility to remember that we, too, were rescued from corruption by Your grace.

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us what it means to live with purpose, clarity, and determination. As You finished the work the Father gave You, help us to finish the work You have entrusted to us—to know You, to become like You, and to make You known. Keep our hope fixed on heaven, where our citizenship lies, and remind us that nothing—neither death nor life, nor any power in all creation—can separate us from Your love.

Finally, O God, bring us to that glorious place You originally designed for us—where everything is pure, perfect, and whole. Until that day, empower us to live with contentment, submission, and holy determination.

We give You all praise, all glory, and all honor.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.