The “image of God” Christian concept not only proffers theological guidance to communities of renewal and hope in the contemporary world, but also ascertains one of the deeply held convictions that human beings are made according to the image and likeness of God. Indeed, according to Ross (n.d.), the imago Dei concept informs our practical, operational, and moral underpinnings as image bearers and avails orienting and directive guidance as we engage in our daily activities with fellow colleagues who are made in the image of God. This paper expounds on the concept and provides some opinions related to the imago Dei topic.
As documented in the literature, the “image of God” concept affirms our capacity to celebrate the dignity of the human person in relationship to God and the world, and also to reinforce the importance of personal and social transformation in our lives in order to develop the capacity to express out intimacy with God and the world (Ross, n.d.). The concept, in my opinion, can be used by Christians to develop their interior life according to God’s image and likeness, implying that it can be instrumental in dealing with all the social ills afflicting the contemporary world.
The “image of God” concept is also instrumental in ensuring peaceful coexistence among human beings, particularly upon the realization that we all resemble God in image and likeness. Ross (n.d.) notes that “for us to attain love in its highest degree, charity or love must be directed toward another person” (para. 5). As such, it is my considered opinion that the concept can be used in the contemporary world not only to minimize violation of persons and dehumanization of others as is presently the case, but also to affirm our potential and realize it according to God’s wishes and plans. Indeed, as acknowledged by Ross (n.d.), the concept calls us to love our fellow Christians because it is only by doing so that we can be able to see God in them as we see Him in prayer.
Ross (n.d.) further argues that our existence as images of God expresses both a capacity and a present state in that we learn to respect the image character of other human persons as we develop as images of God, and that the way to image transformation is through spiritual transformation involving the nurturing of self-knowledge, the dynamic participation of vices into virtues, as well as the pursuit of love and knowledge of God. These assertions, in my opinion, are powerful tools that can be used in the contemporary world to ensure that human beings enjoy mutually fulfilling and wholesome lives guided by the principle that we indeed resemble God in image and likeness.
Lastly, Ross (n.d.) acknowledges that “the goal of image restoration is the conformity of our will so that one perceives oneself not as a servant of the Divine, but rather as a friend of God” (para. 31). This means that our will must be in conformity with the image of God, not mentioning that we should realize the importance of loving others in tangible experiences as an expression of our love of God. Again, such a theological predisposition can only make our lives and interactions with fellow human beings better.
Overall, this paper has expounded on the “image of God” concept and offered some practical opinions relating to how the concept affects our lives in the contemporary world. It can be concluded that the concept is instrumental in igniting our social transformation to become loving and God-fearing human beings.
Reference
Ross, E.M. (n.d.). Human persons as image of the divine: A reconsideration. Web.