There are foundational truths found in Scripture that we may not question but may not be able to defend. In their song, "Image of God," We Are Messengers sings of a truth that has a profound impact on our daily lives. Let's gain a Biblical perspective on being made in the image of God in our study this week. In this week's episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Explore a topic Utilize outside resources Read in context The 30 Day Music Challenge Systematically poring over Scripture as it relates to a topic Using a resource like Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" as an outside resource to guide your study Additional resources I used in my study prep for this episode: "The Image of God - An Approach from Biblical and Systematic Theology" - DesiringGod.org Article "Tim Keller on the Image of God" - Focus on the Family Article "3 Reasons We Must Preach on the Image of God" - Lifeway Research Article "What it Means to be 'Made in the Image of God'" - Focus on the Family Article "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character" - Book by Jen Wilkin "God and the Transgender Debate" - Book by Andrew Walker God's creation was VERY GOOD - Genesis 1:31 God's creative brilliance climaxes with humanity - Genesis 1:26-29 God is the master artist that brought humanity to life Imago Dei is Latin for "image of God" We were created to glorify God - Isaiah 43:1-7 God retains ownership over our lives - Psalm 24:1-2 In the fall, God's image is distorted, but not lost - Genesis 9:6 Even though marred by sin, humans retain enough of God's image to be described as "made in the likeness of God" - James 3:9 Even though God retains authority, we like to make our own plans - Ecclesiastes 7:29 As Christ followers we set our feet on the path of image-bearing renewal - 2 Corinthians 3:18 When Jesus returns, the transformation will be complete - 1 John 3:2 Because we are image bearers our time in God's Word is crucial to know Him and thereby be able to represent God to a lost and dying world "God is Designer and Creator. The earth and everything in it are His. Therefore, He gets to set the plans and directions for our lives." Additional Resources Lyrics - New Release Today An acoustic version of "Image of God" featuring Vince Gill - YouTube Video "The Image of God - An Approach from Biblical and Systematic Theology" - DesiringGod.org Article "Tim Keller on the Image of God" - Focus on the Family Article "3 Reasons We Must Preach on the Image of God" - Lifeway Research Article "What it Means to be 'Made in the Image of God'" - Focus on the Family Article "In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character" - Book by Jen Wilkin "God and the Transgender Debate" - Book by Andrew Walker Weekly Challenge Read the first two chapters of Genesis and really focus on how God created humankind in the beginning. Utilize some of the outside resources (both free articles and books you may want to purchase) to explore what it means to be created in the image of God. Read the Scripture references in the show notes above in context and ponder how our image-bearing fits into the truths found in these various sections of Scripture. If you want to focus on a larger chunk of Scripture, consider 1 John 3 as it dials into the conduct that should be evident in the life of a believer made in God's image who represents God to the world.