Scriptural Foundations — Old and New
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible anchors human identity in divine intention. In Genesis 1, God declares, “Let Us make man in Our image.” Psalm 8 celebrates this dignity: “You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
In the New Testament, Christ is called “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Through the Holy Spirit, believers are transformed “into His likeness from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Jesus Christ not only reveals the image of God — He restores it within humanity.
The Imago Dei and Human Dignity
Every human life carries inherent worth, grounded in the divine image. This truth fuels compassion and justice, opposing oppression and discrimination. John Kilner (2018) calls the image a God-given status — an unchanging dignity that defines our humanity.
To deny or diminish another’s humanity is to assault the image of God in them. Thus, the Imago Dei doctrine stands as a foundation for human rights, equality, and moral law.
