Made in the Image of God

Recently, we published a blog about pets and heaven. In that post, one of the arguments challenging the notion of pets in eternity is that people are made in the image of God. The phrase "made in the image of God" carries deep meaning and significance in Christian theology. It shapes how believers view themselves, others, and their purpose in life, and even possibly what they believe about the future of animals. But what does it truly mean to be made in God's image? This question invites us to explore Scripture carefully to understand the nature of humanity and our relationship with God.

Before looking at the meaning, a quick clarification about semantics, so we're all on the same page. In Christian circles, the words "soul" and "spirit" are often used interchangeably. Here, they will be used distinctively. Regardless of whether the eternal nature of people is called "soul" or "spirit," there exists a characteristic of creation separate from the eternal nature, and it, too, must have a separate and distinct name. Therefore, in this writing, "spirit" refers to the eternal nature of a being, and "soul" refers to individuality, or personality.

Made in the Image of God: Body, Soul, and Spirit

When Scripture tells us that humanity is made in the image of God, it is not offering a poetic compliment. It is making a claim about what kind of beings we are and why we are here. That claim is easy to flatten. It is harder, and far more important, to think carefully about what it actually means.

Genesis 1:26–27 tells us that God created man in His image and likeness. The statement comes at the climax of creation, not the beginning. Light, land, seas, plants, stars, animals all appear before humanity ever draws breath. Then, at the very end, God does something different. He pauses. He speaks within Himself. “Let Us make man in Our image (emphasis mine). Whatever the image of God is, it belongs uniquely to mankind.

God Is Triune

The God Who creates is not solitary in being. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- one God, three Persons, eternally existing in perfect communion. That truth should shape how we understand the image of God. If He is Triune, and we are made in His image, does it not follow that we, too, are triune in nature? In fact, Scripture repeatedly tells us that humans are not simple creatures. We are not just bodies, and we are not merely animated animals. We are described as body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). While theologians debate terminology and overlap, Scripture consistently treats these as three meaningful distinctions -- not two (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 10:28, Jude 19, Genesis 35:18, Ecclesiasties 12:7, Luke 1:46, Psalm 42:5, Romans 8:16, John 4:24).

This triune structure is not accidental. It reflects, in creaturely form, the God Who made us.

So what is our triune nature? To answer, we can reflect on God's creation.

All Creation Has Body

Every created thing has body, in the sense that it has form. Stars have mass and location. Oceans have depth and boundaries. Animals have flesh, bone, and breath. Even things we think of as vast or abstract are still material. Creation is not an idea; it is a physical reality spoken into existence. Your dog’s body matters. The form of a bird matters. The body of a mountain matters. God called all of it “good.” But body alone does not make a created thing personal.

Some Creation Has Soul

Scripture uses the word “soul” to speak of life, individuality, and personality. Animals are not machines, something anyone who has loved a pet knows intuitively. Dogs recognize voices. Elephants remember places and companions. Dolphins play, cooperate, and even appear to grieve. These creatures are not made in God’s image, but they are not nothing. They have soul in the sense that they are living beings with distinct, God-given natures. They experience the world. They respond. When one dies, it is not easily replaced by another, even if it's of the same form or species. This helps explain why we can love animals deeply without confusing them with humans. There is continuity, but not identity.

Man Alone Has Spirit

Here is where Scripture draws a clear line. God breathes into man the breath of life in a way He does not do with any other creature. Adam does not merely live; he knows. He hears God’s voice. He responds. He is accountable.

Only humanity is said to have a spirit capable of conscious communion with God. The human spirit is what allows us to pray, worship, repent, and believe. It is what allows us to receive revelation and respond to it.

It is also what makes us eternal creatures. Ecclesiastes tells us that God has set eternity in the human heart. That is not said of animals or stars or oceans, only of us.

This does not mean animals are worthless. It means they are not eternal in the same way we are. Man alone bears responsibility, moral awareness, and spiritual destiny. Man alone stands before God not merely as a creature, but as a representative.

Image Does Not Mean Equality With God

Being made in God’s image does not mean we are divine. The image is real, but it is derivative. We resemble, but we do not rival.

Additionally, the image is not erased by sin. It is damaged, distorted, and misused, but it remains. This is why murder is condemned after the Fall, why it's such an egregious sin. That is why James warns against cursing people who are made in God’s likeness. Even broken humanity still bears the mark of its Maker.

Christ as the True Image

Scripture ultimately points us to Christ, who is called the exact image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Jesus does not merely reflect the image. He is what humanity was meant to be. In Him, body, soul, and spirit are perfectly aligned.

Why This Matters

We were made for eternity

If humans are body only, we are form with delusions of grandeur. If humans are body and soul only, we are emotional creatures with no eternal anchor. But if humans are body, soul, and spirit, made in the image of a triune God, then life has meaning that suffering cannot erase and death cannot cancel. The body may return to dust, but the spirit returns to the God Who gave it, either for redemption or for judgment. That truth is sobering, and it is also hopeful. We were made for more than time. We were made for Him.

Equality is not just a societal ideal, but a right endowed by God

The Bible teaches that all humans share the image of God equally. This truth challenges discrimination and inequality:

• Human dignity and worth: Every person deserves respect and care because they reflect God’s image (Psalm 8:4-5, Galatians 3:28).

• Respect for all life: Exodus 20:13; Proverbs 24:11-12

• Justice and mercy: God’s image calls believers to pursue justice and care for the vulnerable (Micah 6:8).

  
  

This understanding promotes a society where every individual is honored and protected.

Reflection Questions

• Which part of your life do you tend to reduce yourself to: body, soul, or spirit?

• How does remembering that all people bear God’s image change how you view others?

• What does it mean for your daily life that you were created for communion with God?

  
  

Prayer for Today

Father, thank You for creating us with intention and care. Teach us to honor the whole person You made us to be. Restore what sin has distorted, and draw our spirits back into communion with You. Help us to live as image-bearers who reflect Your truth with humility and love. Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23