Genesis 1:26 emphasizes that we are made in God’s image. Discuss how this realit

Question

Genesis 1:26 emphasizes that we are made in God’s image. Discuss how this reality may impact the practice of counseling. Especially discuss how the reality of being made in the image of God relates to the multiple human problems that are addressed in counseling. Genesis 1:26 emphasizes that we are made in God’s image. Discuss how this reality may impact the practice of counseling. Especially discuss how the reality of being made in the image of God relates to the multiple human problems that are addressed in counseling.

Explanation / Answer

The image of God in humanity is critical to our understanding of what makes us human. Genesis 1:26–28 is the key passage of Scripture. Here in this scripture, the foundational teaching on the image of God begins. The Hebrew language of verse 27 makes it clear that God’s image in mankind depicts humanity as distinct from animals. Genesis 1:26 shows that male and female are gender distinctions within a sub-category of mankind created in God’s image and likeness. Relational union between men and women is not a definition of what it means to be made in the image of God but is a result of bearing the image of God.

Genesis 1:26–28 seems to read as a series of sequential statements starting with the statement about God creating mankind (both male and female) in His image and then describing the things that mankind is to do. God first declared mankind in His image and then in sequence gave them instructions for living. Adam and Eve were already in God’s image and likeness before they were given instructions for dominion, filling and multiplying. These instructions then seem to be a result of being an image-bearer and not a statement of actual being (ontological component).

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