Sermon Discussion: I Am Created in the Image of God
Genesis 1:24–31
Main Idea: Human beings exists to reflect the very character of God and faithfully represent the sovereign rule of God in every aspect of our life. (Whether that be in our (1) essential likeness to God, (2) our functional likeness to God, or our (3) relational likeness to God).
Discussion Questions: (Read Genesis 1:24–31)
1. How does our cultures naturalistic world-view help us understand its individualistic pursuit of authenticity, uniqueness, and personal identity?
2. How many different ways does the creation account in Genesis 1:24–31 indicate the uniqueness of mankind?
3. Over the centuries theologians have defined the image of God as our (1) essential likeness to God, (2) our functional likeness to God, or our (3) relational likeness to God.
- How many different aspects of our image bearing likeness do these three different categories help us rightly see?
- Why is it difficult to choose one of these categories over the others?
4. How does the New Testament’s teaching that Jesus “IS the Image of God” help us understand what it means to be created in the image of God? (2 Corinthians 4:3–5; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:3; John 5:19–20).
5. How does this “narrower” NT sense help understand how God intended human beings to steward their “boarder” image bearing capacities? (i.e., our (1) essential likeness to God, (2) our functional likeness to God, or our (3) relational likeness to God.)
6. What happened to the image of God in humans after the fall? (Did they find joy and happiness in their self-discovery?)
Application:
6. If human beings exists to reflect the very character of God and faithfully represent the sovereign rule of God in every aspect of our life (Whether that be in our (1) essential likeness to God, (2) our functional likeness to God, or our (3) relational likeness to God). Are human beings free to chart their own course in life and do what they what to do? What Biblical passages support your position?
7. How does the gospel ultimately address humanity’s image bearing problem? (Cf. 2 Corinthians 3:17–18)
8. How does Romans 8:28–29 give us real and lasting hope that God is always working for us, even when we are forced to endure the very things that we think that should break, destroy us, and define us for the rest of our lives?
9. What would your life look like tomorrow (be specific) if your life was defined by Jesus’ words in John 4:34 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work”?
10. How are you most prone to leverage your “broader” image bearing capacities for your personal sense of self-worth and identity?
11. How are you most prone to us your “broader” image bearing capacities to sin against other people?
12. Do you sense God calling you to do something as a result of this message? If so how will you pursue it?