What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
Featured /articles

Por: Staff | Fuente: Catholic.net

The secret of making a better world is that man should not believe God, but merely his representative; When man is aware of what it means to be the image of "Elohim," then Love will have invaded all human beings

In the Book of Genesis, it is recounted that "God created man in His image" (Gn 1.27). For some this phrase is a bit complicated, for others it means that man has been elevated to the same plane of God, so it has its characteristics.

The word "in its image" in Hebrew בְּצֶ֥לֶם means "Betzelem" which is translated by "to make shadow, likeness, representative figure, kind of idol, appearance, figure and image". In Genesis it only appears twice (1.27; 9.6), while in the rest of the first testament it appears 9 times (Sal 39.7; cf. Dn 2.31; 3.1; 3.5; 3.10; 3.12; 3.14; 3.18).

God in Creating man did not create him as he did, to say this would be the most aberrant mistake a person can make, God creates man as his representative on Earth, a very similar being because he was made out of love (1 Jn 4.8) , the human being is the "shadow" of God who must project light into the world.

God's representative on earth par excellence was his son Jesus, who came into the world to rescue us from our sins.

  • •    Love my fellow men without expecting anything in return (Mt 22.39)
  • •    Not give in to the temptations of the world, power and money (Mt 4.1-11; Mc 1, 12s; Lc 4.1-13).
  • •    Help those who have economic difficulties, also those who are hungry (Mt 5.42; Mc 6,30-45).
  • •    To sow the word of God in the hearts of all men, though it may seem difficult (Mt 13.1-23; Mc 4.1-20, Lc 8.4-15).
  • •    To be humble and to recognize that we come from God (Lc 2.1-16).
  • •    Not be recognized superior to others (Mt 18.1-5; Mc 9,33-37; Lc 9,46-50).
  • •    To pray at all times and incessantly, but always waiting for the will of our father to be done (Mt 6.9-15; Lc 11.15; 1 Ts 5.17).
  • •    Be thankful for all the things we have (1 Ts 7.18) Like Earth, Sun, moon stars, animals, water, children, family, goods etc.), and especially for having a brother like Jesus.
  • •    Always forgive and not condemn (Jn 8.1-11; Lc 23.34).
  • •    Let yourself be driven by the spirit of God (Gl 5,116-18).
  • •    Have the joy of the Lord and be kind at all times (FLP 4.4-5).
  • •    Be a man and a Woman of faith (Hb 11.1-40).
  • •    Do not return evil for evil and insult for injury, on the contrary bless at all times (1 Pe 3.9).

The secret of making a better world is that man should not believe God, but merely his representative; when man is aware of what it means to be the image of "Elohim", then Love will have invaded all human beings.