Identity (2)

In the beginning of the Bible, the writer describes the creation of the world, and the creation of Man. The bible says that Man was created in the image of God. What does that mean?

If we sort a list of god's attributes, they can be put into one of two categories: infinite, or personal. Since, Man does not obviously share the infinite attributes with God, he must share the personal attributes with God. God and Man are both personal. The both have a will, make choices, make moral judgments, communicate, and create. They both give, and receive, love. They both interact with beauty, either by appreciation and enjoyment, or by creating.

It is this higher order of personality that separates Man from the rest of creation. It is personality that gives Man value. God gave Man a distinct nature, a distinct place, and a distinct role in the world.

A diamond has value based on its nature. It value is demonstrated by how hard someone works to receive it, or retrieve it if it is lost.

Jesus' death did not give Man value. God had already given Man value, when he created Man, and chose to have a relationship with him, and chose to love him.

But, sin broke that relationship. God "lost" his relationship with Man. And Jesus died to regain for God something he valued highly. He regained a relationship with people. He regained a relationship with you, me … and has the potential to regain a relationship with everyone who has not chosen to enter into relationship with the Father.

Sanctification is the process of transformation from the current reality to God's ideal.

If there were no sin in the world, what would people look like? What would people act like? They would look, and act, like Jesus. From creation, God intended that people would be unique expressions of God's creativity, and the would be pictures of Jesus. They would be perfect, like he was perfect.

So, one could say we are being transformed into Christ's image. Or you could say, we are being restored into who God intended us to be, in the first place.

Although, I have not found a passage in Scripture that specifically states that God designed each person individually, there are enough passage that hint at it, so many people think that God did take the time to think, plan, and design each person.

Imagine the God of eternity taking a couple of thousand years to consider, and plan, how each one of us would work. What will this one like? What will they be good at? What place in my purposes will they play? And then, he moves to the next person. (Or he spends a couple of thousand years planning each person all at the same time.)

The word "weave" is used to describe God's creation process of human beings in a few passages. Weaving a tapestry is a painstaking process, involving a lot of math, patience, and intentional effort. One does not weave a tapestry by chance.

If God values people, because they are made in his image, like every other person, how much more a uniquely designed masterpiece.

There is another passage, where people are described as God's handiwork, or masterpiece. Great artists, like Leonardo or Rembrandt, have created a dozen masterpieces. God has created billions. Each one is intentionally created, and prepared, to fill a special role in his plan.