Image of God

What do you think it means to be made in the image of God?

• Does it mean we look like God?  I don't think so....
• What do you think of the idea that men are made in the God's image, so obviously, God is male?  Kind of leaves me out in the dark.  I, too, am made in the image of God, so I don't think that image has anything to do with gender.
• Does it somehow reflect in what we can do?  Our abilities?  I hope God has much much greater abilities than I do, so that can't be it?
• What else?

Bishop Carder says in his book, Living our Beliefs:

Our identity lies in the One to whom we belong and in whose image we are made, nor in how we look, what we know, or what we can do.

He also said:

John Wesley saw imago Dei – image of God – in three manifestations:

1. The natural image, in which the human capacity for understanding, freedom of will, and love are expressions of God’s image;
2. The political image, in which human beings exercise stewardship over creation and share in God’s ongoing governance of the earth; and
3. The moral image, in which the human potential for righteousness, true holiness, and happiness are signs of the divine image

So, our capacity for understanding, freedom of will and love are from God. Our ability to be good stewards is from God, and our ability to discern right from wrong, our holiness and happiness are from God.

One other quote from the chapter that I really liked:

In many ways, human identity is formed by relationships.  We take on the values, qualities, dreams and goals of those to whom we relate in significant and ongoing ways.

Because we relate to God, because we have a relationship with him, we move closer and closer to reflecting his image, and to being able to share in the imago Dei.