And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
What are some of the moral implications of being created in the image of God? I say some, because there are many more than a blog post can tackle. First, understand that bearing God’s image is not a material likeness because God is not a material being. Bearing the image of God is about mirroring God’s values and priorities as revealed in His Word the Bible.
Second, being created in the image of God means that we are not our own, and we are accountable to God, whose image we bear. Accountable in what way? Accountable to represent Him accurately. What good is a mirror that distorts your image? It is good only for the trash. Likewise, we are in trouble with God when we misrepresent Him (His values and priorities).
Third, our representation of God begins when we begin (conception), and ends when we die. It means representing His values and priorities every minute of every day we are alive. I’m only skimming the surface here, but here are some key issues in life in which this matters:
Human life is sacred from the moment of conception. What does that say about abortion?
Human life includes children. What does that say about how we raise, educate, and treat image bearers when they are children?
Because all human beings are image bearers of God, every human being is to be treated with appropriate dignity. What does that say about civility and human rights?
God says murderers are to be subjected to capital punishment (Genesis 9:6). Why? Because desecrating a human life is desecrating the image of God (same verse), and therefore a sin against God Himself. What does that say about capital punishment?
Because human life is sacred, homicide (terminating a human life), even when it is not premeditated murder, is also a desecration of the image of God, and therefore a sin. What does that say about infanticide, suicide, and euthanasia?
Wrapping up this series on biblical worldview, the moral implications of the sanctity of human life are vast. And the sanctity of human life is but one area in which our worldview matters. We dare not think we have a biblical worldview if we do not think as God thinks (as revealed in the Bible).
I pray that you will join me in seeking to know what God thinks about everything (as revealed in scripture). Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds to think as God thinks about everything. Let us identify where we do not, and cast off all thoughts that do not align with God’s (2 Corinthians 10:5). Then and only then can we say we have (and are continually developing) a biblical worldview.