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Bringing the Four Views Together

Over the as several weeks we have been examining different views on what it means to be made in God's Image. Each of them, I think, is valid and speaks to the truth of the situation. Ultimately I think a more robust view is one that incorporates all of them into one. Here is a brief summary of each to refresh our memory.

Functional View - This view holds that being made in the Image of God refers to our calling or vocation here on the earth. We are called to be God's image in his cosmic temple, which means being conduits of praise up to God and conduits of blessing down from God. This primarily focuses on our function or purpose in creation.

Structural View - This view holds that being made in the Image of God is about our design, or structure, of being both physical and spiritual beings. Every human being is both physical and spiritual. This uniqueness makes us made in God's Image in this world as we alone of all the creatures of the world are truly spiritual and in touch with God.

Communal View - This view holds that being made in God's Image is about our need for community, reflecting the reality of God as Trinity. We were made for family, tribe, nation, and ultimately Church. This points to a deeper longing for needing community with God. Our communities then reflect the Triune nature of God.

Language View - This view believes that part of what makes us made in God's Image is our use of language. Human beings are unique in their use of language, something seen in scripture as reflecting a greater nature of God. Due to language we can communicate truth, beauty, and goodness on a scale unlike anything else in all creation. 

I think each of these views captures something true about what it means to be made in the Image of God. We are called to a purpose, or function, in this world to worship God and be a conduit of blessing. We are designed uniquely to be both physical and spiritual. We are made for community as a reflection of the Trinity. We are also users of language to great effect.

Combining these views together I believe produces a more holistic view of what it means to be made in God's Image. In each case we see that Jesus is the prime example, and in each case we can see how sin has distorted the image. We are more than just our job or design or community or language. We are all of these things put together. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Every aspect of who we are has been wisely and lovingly assembled by him. 

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