Donnie from New Mexico writes and asks, Pastor John, what does it mean to be made in the image

of God?

And are there differences between it before the fall of man, after the fall, and after

being born again?

We are created in the image of God and the fall of human beings into sin in Genesis 3

did not destroy it, but defaced it.

That's my premise and the texts for being in the image of God and staying in the image

of God would be Genesis 1.

God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him male in female,

he created them.

So man and woman equally in the image of God as we were made.

And then Genesis 9, after the fall, whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood

be shed for God made man in his own image.

In other words, here you have the image of God functioning ethically, morally in Genesis

9 as a warrant for capital punishment, even though all human beings have now become

sinners.

Being a sinner does not mean we have ceased to be in the image of God.

Or same thing in James 3, with the tongue we bless our Lord and Father and with it we

curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

So in other words, James is using being in the likeness or the image of God in our present

condition as an argument while we shouldn't curse each other.

So yes, we're created in God's image and yes, we stay in God's image.

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