The phrase "image of God" means that human beings reflect God's nature in special ways. This is the most important thing we can say about what it means to be human from a Christian viewpoint. Among all created things, only humans are like God in ways that allow them to have a close relationship with God.
The Original Creation
God decided to create men and women to be like himself. The Bible tells us this in Genesis 1:26–27, where God uses two words to describe how humans would be like him: "image" and "likeness." These two words mean almost the same thing. God also gave humans authority to take care of the animals.
Genesis 2:7 clearly states that God made the first human become a living being. This passage does not describe humans developing from previously living creatures. It also does not suggest that the image of God evolved from a lower form of life. From the moment God created the first man and woman, they reflected God's image. Both men and women equally share this special likeness to God (Genesis 1:27).
Other passages that talk about people being created in the image of God are found in:
Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 refer to humanity’s redemptive re-creation (through Jesus, humanity is restored or renewed in a way that reflects God's original intention for creation). The passages are also important for understanding humanity's original likeness to God. Even though the Bible does not mention this idea often, it is very important. It affects everything about how God and humans relate to each other.
What Makes Humans Special?
Only humans are made in God's image (Genesis 1). Animals, fish, and birds do not have this special quality. Some theologians think that angels are also made in God's image because angels are morally good, but the Bible does not tell us this directly.
Humans are made from the dust of the ground, so we share some things with the earth and other living creatures. Our bodies work in ways similar to animals. But humans are unique in every way. The whole person (not just one part) is made in God's image. The biblical concept is not that the image is in man and woman, but that man and woman are the image of God.
How Do Humans Reflect the Image of God?
Humanity's connection with the earth is most clearly visible in the human body. So, we can best see how humans reflect God's image in our spiritual nature. We can think, make choices, and take responsibility for our actions. These abilities make us different from animals and show how we are like God. While animals exist because God made them, humans have a special relationship with God. The animals have their existence from God, but humans have their being in God. Humans are God's "offspring" (Acts 17:28–29).
Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 show us another important part of being made in God's image. These verses explain how God makes believers new by restoring his image in them. This happens by giving them:
righteousness (doing what is right),
holiness (being set apart for God), and
true knowledge of God.
In other words, Paul says that when God redeems people, God re-creates them to be like Jesus. Jesus shows God's image perfectly without any sin. When humans first sinned, sin damaged the image of God in humans. But, through salvation, God works to restore this image. While Ephesians and Colossians tell us about this renewal in God's image, other parts of the Bible explain more about how Jesus helps make this possible.
Jesus and the Image of God
Jesus Christ is the perfect image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). This is often understood as a reference to Jesus's divinity (being like God). When we see Jesus, we see what God the Father is like (John 14:9). However, in these passages, Jesus is shown as both God and human (this is called the incarnation, which means God taking human form). As the perfect human, Jesus completely shows us what God wanted all humans to be like, starting with the first human, Adam. This is why Jesus is called the "last Adam." He perfectly fulfilled God's original plan for humanity.
As the last Adam and the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus helps his followers become more like him (Romans 8:29). Even though he was perfect, he became like us in every way except sin. He did this so he could remove our sin and help us reflect his own glory. The Holy Spirit works in believers to make them more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The believer is to "clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27; compare Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10, "the new self" in the image of God). This action is also described as Christ "formed" in the believer (Galatians 4:19).
This process of becoming like Jesus (called sanctification) continues throughout a believer's life. It will only be fully complete when Jesus returns and raises believers from the dead. At that time, even our physical bodies will be changed to be like Jesus's glorious body (Philippians 3:21). This final transformation will make us even more wonderful than when God first created humans in his image. As the Bible says, we will exchange our earthly image for a heavenly one (1 Corinthians 15:49).