Imagio dei"Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule overthe fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and overevery creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’
Genesis 1:26,27

Many have pondered over what it mean to be made in the image of God? In what way, if any, are wedifferent from other animals?
To answer this question, we need to look at both the Old and New Testaments. The answer is profound.

PART 1 : The meaning of “image of God” in the Old Testament
IMAGE is tselem in the Hebrew, eikōn in the Greek.
TSELEM : is the shadow of a figure, the shadow-outline, a copy, reproduction, duplicate. Tselem
denotes the visible form of an external object.
EIKON : denotes similarity in looks, like the head of the emperor on a coin (Matthew 22:20; Mark12:16; Luke 20:24). The coin is not of the same material as the emperor, but the shape of the head isthe same. Eikōn presupposes an original form from which there is derivation.
Apart from the "image of God" passages, the word “image” occurs 12 times in the Old Testament. 10times it refers to a physical representation of something – i.e., golden images of mice and tumors (1Samuel 6:5,11); images of Baal (2 Kings 11:18); pictures of Babylonians painted on the walls (Ezekiel
23:14).1 In Romans 1:23 fallen man exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for "an image (eikōn)in the form of (homoiōma) corruptible man ...", and then "image in the form of" is used of idols madein the form of birds, animals, and reptiles. Again it appears that eikōn refers to a "figure" or a "shape."
LIKENESS is demuth in the Hebrew, homoiōsis in the Greek.
DEMUTH : means a copy, an imitation, resemblance, similarity. It is used at 2 Chronicles 4:3 for the"shape" (“figures” NASB) of the oxen which supported the laver in Solomon's temple. It is used of the"likeness" of a sound at Isaiah 13:4. It is used in Ezekiel 8:2 where one with the "appearance"("likeness” NASB) of a man caught Ezekiel away. A similar usage is found in Daniel 10:16,18. It is used
at 2 Kings 16:10 of the plans or copy or model of an altar Ahaz saw in Damascus and sent to Uriah thepriest so that he might design one just like it. The word is used in Isaiah 40:18,25, and Psalm 50:21
where God chides men for attempting to make an image of Him, saying there is no one "comparable"
to Him.
HOMOIOSIS : denotes "the same kind," or "like" (but not "equal"), "of like disposition," of holding
possessions "in common," or "similar" in shape (from geometry). While there is no connotation ofderivation, homoiōsis denotes likeness, just as one egg resembles another, or there may be similarity
between two men who are in no way related. Its usage elsewhere in Scripture helps us to grasp its
meaning. In the creation, each species was to bring forth "after its kind." Jesus, when incarnate, wasin the "likeness of the flesh of sin" (Romans 8:3 NASB mg.). In all points He was made "like"(homoiōthēnai) his brethren (Hebrews 2:14-17). Paul uses the root word to say that since we humans
are the offspring of God, God is not like the animal figures pagans set up as images (Acts 17: 28ff). AtRevelation 1:13 (NASB mg.), one "like the Son of Man" was seen among the candlesticks. At Matthew
22:39 we find the word means "of equal value" (“a second [commandment] is just like it”). The word
occurs at Galatians 5:21 ("and things like these") to designate works of flesh similar to those alreadyspecifically named.
The "Image" and "Likeness" of God (James 3) – Reese Commentaries
Purpose of Life
“Image of God” means having the likeness of God. We were made to be like God. This has a profound
implication. We were made to have godliness – to imitate God – to follow and obey God – and model
ourselves on Him. If we were made to imitate God, then we will find our fulfilment and purpose andgreatest happiness in imitating, copying, following God.
We are to follow our Godly nature rather than our animal nature. All the other animals were made to
be like animals, and only have that capacity. In comparison, each of us has the capacity and potential
to be much more. We were made to represent and be like God – it is our defining purpose.

PART 2 : The meaning of “image of God” in the New Testament"You ... have been taught (verse 21) that ... you lay aside your old self (verse 22) ... corrupted inaccordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you are being renewed in the spirit of your mind(verse 23), and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created inrighteousness and holiness of the truth (verse 24)."
Ephesians 4 : 22
Genesis 1:26,27
Paul is highlighting the continual challenge a believer has to bring his or her thoughts more into linewith God's revealed will, parallel to Romans 12:2 where the mind is said to be renewed and thus
behavior is transformed. Perhaps "spirit" here has reference to "attitude." The renewal takes placein the "spirit" (dative of reference) which controls the mind (subjective genitive). In Titus 3:5 it is theHoly Spirit who is the agent doing the renewing. The present tense infinitive and the passive voicesuggest the continuous nature of the renewal and that it takes place as believers allow themselves tobe renewed in their thinking. 2 Corinthians 4:16 speaks of a "day by day" or "every day" repeatedrenewal (anakainountai) of the inner man.

"Stop lying (mg.) to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and haveput on the new self who is being renewed to a full knowledge according to the image of the One
who created him – a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek or Jew ...."
Colossians 3 v 9

The new self is constantly being renewed (kainos); it is in the process of being renewed. The sameverb form here translated "renewed" is used at 2 Corinthians 4:16, "our inner man is being renewed
day by day." The participle is passive in form.
Christ (who is the image of the invisible God, Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4) serves as the modelor archetype for the new man. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15 that Christ is “the image of the invisibleGod.”
The passage says that the Christian's continual, daily renewal in full knowledge makes him what theCreator intended him to be.
God's plan, made back in eternity before He created, was that believers might be conformed to theimage of Christ.

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, thatHe might be the first-born among many brethren"
Romans 8:29

Conclusion
So, it appears that we were made to be in the image of God – to be like Christ. That is the most central
purpose of our existence – the reason why we were made. The purpose of life is to follow, imitate andobey God’s will and in doing so become transformed into the likeness of God.
When the Bible says that man was made in the image of God, it differentiates humans from animalsby giving human life a divine purpose. We are called to more than just an animal existence. We arecalled to imitate God.

Animalism vs Divine Image
A cultural war is being played out. On one side, people are portrayed as just another animal – needing
to compete, exploit and consume. On the other side, people are viewed as having a much greater
potential – the potential to imitate the divine. This war is played out in Israel’s history – mostprominently during the conquest of Canaan when the Israelites were called to overcome thepolytheistic nature worship and animalism of the Canaanites with the ethical monotheism of Israel.
See Book of Judges

In Genesis 9, it is a capital offence to murder a human being because each of us is created to be like
God – it’s our innate purpose, our potential and our destiny.. So murder doesn’t just take a life – ittakes away the possibility of a divine manifestation in human form.
The impact of realising this purpose, can be seen in the impact Christ has had – he was an “image ofthe invisible God” – and the ripples created by his life have had an effect for thousands of years.