Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Mentor's Guide, MG16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. [28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

a. A unique affirmation: no other living creatures are said to have been created in God’s image.

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b. Some argue that angels share in this image (because of their participation in moral righteousness ).

c. No Scripture supports this view of angels being made in the imago Dei .

d. Creatures have their being from God, human beings have their being in God (cf. Acts 17.28-29).

3. Humankind became a living being: Gen. 2.7.

a. A previous living creature did not become one who came to share God’s image.

b. The image of God did not evolve from a lower form of life.

c. The moment, the instant man and woman became human beings, they were the image of God, both male and female, Gen. 1.27.