What is the image of God (Imago Dei)?
"In the image of God he created them" (Genesis 1:27). Every human being — born, unborn, healthy, sick, beautiful, broken — carries the image of God. That image is the foundation of all human dignity, justice, and love of neighbor.
The image is what makes humans different from animals — rationality, moral conscience, capacity for relationship, vocation to rule creation under God.
Sin defaces the image but does not erase it. Even fallen humans still bear it; murder is forbidden because of it (Genesis 9:6); cursing people is condemned because of it (James 3:9).
Christ is the perfect image (Colossians 1:15). In salvation we are being renewed into his likeness. The Christian view of human dignity is not negotiable — every person is a king or queen in waiting.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.