Created in God's Image – The Dignity and Design of Man (Chapter 4, Paragraph 2)

“After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female…”

Human beings are not just higher animals or cosmic accidents. We were personally formed by the Creator as the pinnacle of His work. Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image… male and female He created them.” Both sexes are created with equal dignity, worth, and value. Gender, therefore, is not a social construct—it is a purposeful gift, rooted in creation itself.

This statement also affirms the binary of male and female as God-ordained. It is not a mistake or a cultural product but a reflection of divine wisdom. In a time of confusion, God’s Word provides clarity: both men and women are essential, intentional, and honored by their Creator.

“…with reasonable and immortal souls…”

Unlike animals, human beings have souls—immaterial, eternal, and capable of knowing and worshiping God. This makes us unique among all God’s creatures. We are not defined merely by our bodies, but by the spiritual life breathed into us by God (Gen. 2:7). And because our souls are immortal, every person will exist forever—either in communion with God or under His judgment.

This truth gives weight to every human interaction. No one is “just a body.” Every person you meet bears the stamp of eternity. This also explains why spiritual hunger is real—we were made for fellowship with the eternal God.

“…rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created…”

God created man with the ability to live in relationship with Him. Adam and Eve were not ignorant or morally neutral. They were righteous, holy, and able to obey. Ecclesiastes 7:29 says, “God made man upright.” They had everything needed to love, worship, and walk with their Creator.

This shatters the myth that sin was necessary or inevitable. The first humans were created good. They fell, not because they were faulty, but because they freely chose to disobey. This makes the fall tragic—and our redemption all the more glorious.

“…being made after the image of God…”

The image of God means we reflect certain aspects of God’s character: reason, morality, creativity, relationality, and dominion. It does not mean we are divine, but that we are like God in specific, communicable ways. This image is what gives every human being—regardless of age, ability, race, or background—intrinsic worth.

It also defines our purpose. We were made to mirror God’s character in the world—to glorify Him by ruling the earth, loving others, and walking in obedience. The image was marred by sin but not destroyed. In Christ, it is being restored (Col. 3:10).

“…in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness…”

These three qualities summarize the moral condition of man before the fall. Adam and Eve had true knowledge of God, walked in righteousness, and were holy in heart and action. This wasn’t earned—it was a gift from God. They were not simply innocent; they were positively good.

This shows how far sin has brought us. Our fall was from a high and noble place. But it also shows what Christ came to restore. In salvation, we are being renewed “in knowledge after the image of Him that created [us]” (Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24).

“…having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it…”

Before the fall, Adam and Eve were not under a burdensome law—they delighted in God’s will. Romans 2:15 shows that even now, remnants of that law remain on every human conscience. But in the garden, the law was written clearly and joyfully on the heart.

They also had the power to obey. There was no defect in them. They were not slaves to sin. Their will was truly free in the best sense—free to do good. That power was lost in the fall, but in Christ, it begins to be restored through the Spirit’s work.

“…and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.”

Adam and Eve were mutable—changeable. Though they were righteous, they could fall. God did not create robots, but morally responsible persons. Their will was free, not from God's sovereignty, but from the slavery of sin. Sadly, they chose to disobey. But their failure was not God’s fault—it was a true rebellion, freely chosen.

This sets the stage for the drama of redemption. What Adam lost, Christ came to restore. What was broken through the first man is repaired by the second Man—the Lord Jesus Christ.

Application for the Believer:

You were created in God’s image—on purpose, with value, and for glory. That image was damaged by sin but is being renewed in Christ. This gives you dignity and purpose in a fallen world. You are not a mistake. Your soul is eternal. Your body matters. Your obedience matters. Treat others with the respect due to image-bearers. And praise God that, through Jesus, your original design is being restored into something even more glorious—conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).