Image of God

Definition and Meaning

The image of God, known in Latin as imago Dei, refers to the teaching that God created human beings in his own image. Grounded in Genesis 1:26–27, it is a foundational concept explaining that human beings possess a dignity that distinguishes them from other creatures and that they stand in a special relationship with God. The Hebrew text uses two words together: "image" (tselem) and "likeness" (demut).

Biblical and Historical Background

Scripture speaks of human beings even after the Fall as bearers of the image of God (Genesis 9:6; James 3:9). The New Testament calls Jesus Christ "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). It also describes the renewal of believers in Christ as the restoration of that image (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24).

Interpretations of what the image specifically consists of fall broadly into three categories:

• The view that it is a quality within human beings, such as reason or morality
• The view that it is the relationship human beings have with God and with their neighbors (Karl Barth and others)
• The view that it is the role of exercising dominion over the created world (Genesis 1:28)

In the second century, Irenaeus distinguished between "image" and "likeness." This distinction is understood to have influenced medieval Roman Catholic theology, which separated the supernatural gifts lost in the Fall from the human nature that remained. Martin Luther and John Calvin regarded the two words as a repetition of the same idea, and they emphasized that the image had been severely damaged by the Fall.

Practice in Korean Churches

Presbyterian and other denominations of the Reformed tradition teach, in accordance with the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter Catechism, that God created human beings after his own image "in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness." This tradition sometimes explains the image in two senses: the image in the broad sense, which remains even after the Fall, and the image in the narrow sense, which was lost and is restored in Christ.

In the Wesleyan tradition, including Methodist and Holiness churches, the distinction drawn by John Wesley among the natural image, the political image, and the moral image is commonly taught. This tradition connects the restoration of the moral image in particular with the goal of sanctification and holiness.

Across denominations, preaching and teaching in Korean churches frequently cite this concept as the basis for affirming the dignity of every person, respect for life, and the proper treatment of the vulnerable and people with disabilities. It also serves as a starting point in bioethical discussions, such as those concerning abortion.