God created humanity male and female in the image and likeness of God. God blessed them, telling them to multiply and fill the earth. In love, the Lord gave humans power as stewards to subdue the earth and rule its creatures. In Genesis, humanity is the crown of creation; Adam is the first human. Typified by Adam who sinned, humanity lives in rebellion against its Creator, thus spreading sin and death in the world. Despite human sinfulness, humanity continues in and is defined by God's image. Thus all humans, collectively and individually, deserve love, honor, and respect. The eternally perfect image of God is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the last Adam. God creates through Jesus Christ the new humanity over which sin and death have no power. In Christ, humanity will bear perfectly the image of God.

 

Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

 

Psalm 8:3-8

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

4What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

5Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

6You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

7All sheep and oxen,

And also the beasts of the field,

8The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

 

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Col. 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

 

2 Cor. 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

 

2 Cor. 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

 

1 Cor. 15:21-22

For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

 

Romans 8:29

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

 

1 Cor. 15:47-49

The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.