PONDERING... How and why did God create us?

This is part of a catechism study we're doing on Sunday mornings.

How and why did God create us?

God created us male and female in His own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness with dominion over the creatures, to know Him, love Him, live with Him, and glorify Him. And it is right that we who were created by God should live to His glory.

• Genesis 1:27-28 ESV - "27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.""
• Colossians 3:10 ESV - "10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."
• Ephesians 4:24 ESV - "24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Male and Female

Neither gender was an prototype or afterthought. This was His plan. We were intentionally created to reflect the image of God in unique ways in both our genders and the way our genders relate to one another. Marriage, for example, is used throughout scripture as an analogy of our relationship to God.

In His Image

2 Corinthians 4:1-4  Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.  2  But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.  3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

John Piper references this verse in his video explanation of this question (New City Catechism), and I really feel it gives us some insights into what it means to be in the image of God. Jesus is the image of God. The perfect reflection. We are made in the image of God, and are meant to reflect Him. This is not a physical reflection, but a reflection of His character.

In His Image, knowledge

We don't know all at God knows, but can come to know Him and the things of Him. Other creations cannot.

In His Image, righteousness and holiness

We are not perfectly righteous and holy like God, but can be made more like Him through growing in Christ (reflecting God better). AND, we are held accountable for our unrighteousness which is why Jesus came and died for us.

Dominion over creatures

This means humans are to rule over all wildlife. We are not to abuse creation because we have dominion over it, but it was given into our care. Much like if I left my children under your charge. I won't expect you to beat them, but to treat them and care for them as I would.

To know Him, love Him, live with Him, and glorify Him

This is our purpose. We are to know, love, and glorify God. These three go hand and hand.

And it is right that we who were created by God should live to His glory

"The glory of God is the first thing that God's children should desire. It is the object of one of our Lord's own prayers: "Father, glorify thy name." (John xii. 28.) It is the purpose for which the world was created. It is the end for which the saints are called and converted. It is the chief thing we should seek, that "God in all things may be glorified." (1 Peter iv. 11.)... He alone deserves to receive all glory...we give Him all honor and praise and rejoice that He is King of kings, and Lord of lords.... Where are our hearts? What do we love best? Are our chiefest affections on things in earth, or things in heaven?... Singleness of purpose is one great secret of spiritual prosperity. If our eyes do not see distinctly, we cannot walk without stumbling and falling. If we attempt to work for two different masters, we are sure to give satisfaction to neither. It is just the same with respect to our souls. We cannot serve [God] and the world at the same time. It is vain to attempt it. The thing cannot be done.... God must be king over our hearts. His law, His will, His precepts must receive our first attention.

We have all talents in God's sight.... Anything whereby we may glorify God is a talent, our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ's Church, our advantages as possessors of the Bible, —all, all are talents. Whence came these things? What hand bestowed them? Why are we what we are? Why are we not the worms that crawl on the earth? There is only one answer to these questions. All that we have is a loan from God. We are God's stewards. We are God's debtors. Let this thought sink deeply into our hearts." J.C. Ryle as quoted in The New City Catechism.