Man was created in God's image spiritually, intellectually, and physically. While not equal to God, man reflected the Creator. The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. As a result, there were immediate consequences - they felt shame, hid from God, blamed each other, and work became difficult. God put enmity between Satan and humanity but provided a way of salvation through Jesus Christ, who would atone for humanity's sins by suffering punishment on our behalf. Christ is the image of God, and through beholding His glory by the Spirit, we can be transformed into His image from glory to glory.

1. Lesson 1 for July 2, 2016

2. “So God created man in His own image; in
the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Man was not created equal to God but “in His
image.” Man reflected the Creator in every
aspect.
IMAGE
Spiritual
Intellectual
Physical
Deuteronomy
6:5
Heart
Soul
Strength
1
Thessalonians
5:23
Spirit
Soul
Body
God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (three
persons in one). Man was created ‘Ish
(male) and ‘Ishsah (female), and they were
only one: Adam (Genesis 5:2; 2:23-24).

3. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to
make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave
to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6)
The act of disobedience in Genesis 3 had immediate
consequences. Which were they?
V. 7. They saw
they were
naked and
tried to fix
their problem
without asking
God for help.
V. 8-10. They
hid because
they were
afraid of
meeting their
Creator.
V. 12-13. They
blamed each
other and they
indirectly
blamed God.
V. 16. Women
would give
birth with
pain. There
were changes
in relationships
between men
and women.
V. 17-19.
Nature
changed. Men
would work
with effort and
pain. People
would die.

4. “And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, and between
your seed and her Seed; he shall
bruise your head, and you shall
bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
“Therefore, in all things He had to be made
like His brethren, that He might be a
merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for
the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)
Sin put enmity between God and man.
Nevertheless, God deflected that enmity towards
Satan and He created a way to salvation for man,
atonement.
Jesus atoned—payed for—the sin of every human
being. That was God’s plan to restore what sin had
destroyed.
Jesus suffered the punishment our sins demand.
The requirements of the Law were satisfied. Our
sins are forgiven through confession and
repentance.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

5. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
(Colossians 1:15)
“Christ is the clear image of the Father, since both have the same character,
attributes and perfection. […] Adam and Eve were originally created in that image,
and the purpose of the salvation plan is to restore it in mankind.”
(SDA Bible Commentary).
“But we all, with
unveiled face, beholding
as in a mirror the glory
of the Lord, are being
transformed into the
same image from glory
to glory, just as by the
Spirit of the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
Christ must be “formed” in us to restore the image
of God (Galatians 4:19). That restoration will be
complete at the Second Coming, but we can be
transformed to His image little by little
from now on.

6. “Ever before Him, Christ saw the result of
His mission. His earthly life, so full of toil
and self-sacrifice, was cheered by the
thought that He would not have all this
travail for nought. By giving His life for the
life of men, He would restore in humanity
the image of God. He would lift us up from
the dust, reshape the character after the
pattern of His own character, and make it
beautiful with His own glory.”
E.G.W. (The Ministry of Healing, cp. 43, pg. 504)

7. “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ.” (1 Peter 1:2)
Which is our responsibility to
that privilege God offers?
Like the friends of the paralytic
who was brought down from the
ceiling (Mark 2:1-12), the church
is called to partner with Christ in
moving people toward being
restored in God’s image—
physically, mentally, and
spiritually.
God already knew His plan; He chose us to be forgiven
and restored. That way we can receive “life more
abundantly” from Jesus. (John 10:10).

8. “In the plan of restoring in men the divine
image, it was provided that the Holy Spirit
should move upon human minds, and be as the
presence of Christ, a molding agency upon
human character. Receiving the truth, men
become also recipients of the grace of Christ,
and devote their sanctified human ability to the
work in which Christ was engaged—men
become laborers together with God. It is to
make men agents for God, that divine truth is
brought home to their understanding. But I
would inquire of the church, Have you
answered this purpose? Have you fulfilled the
design of God in diffusing the light of divine
truth, in scattering abroad the precious jewels
of truth?”
E.G.W. (This Day With God, February 12)