In the beginning. . .

God’s original purpose for man appears to be His desire for man to care for and work the earth. Gen 2:4-5 “When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens- and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground.” Gen 2:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Being created in God’s image makes man a representative on earth in ruling over the beasts and land the way that God rules over man. Being made in God’s image is based on man’s representation of God, not His physical appearance. Man’s initial created purpose was to reign over the earth, and bring glory to God. Man was created to have fellowship with God in terms of being created by Him and to bring Him glory.

Man’s purpose to reign is supported by 2 Timothy 2:12 “if we endure we will also reign with him” and also Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” We are to represent Christ in reigning on this earth, but also as serving as priests to God for the creation around us. This is demonstrated in Gen 2, as we serve, keep, and cultivate the earth, we are worshiping God.

The fall was the introduction of sin into the world by disobedience to God’s commands. Gen 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Man’s disobedience caused separation between God and man. Gen 3:8 “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”

Man did not lose the image of God, it was distorted. Gen 9:6 “whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God had God made man.” Another reference is James 3:9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.” We are still made in God’s image, but it is difficult to represent God accurately due to sin.