“God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness…”

Genesis 1:26 

Let US make mankind”. Here God clearly speaks of the trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord]..”

Deuteronomy 6:4 

In other words, the God in whom we believe is three in one. If one of the trinity is not acknowledged, we do not have the correct god. Therefore, it is important to say that we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – just as God accentuates it in the previous two verses.

What does it mean to be created in God’s image and likeness?

We will discuss three aspects: 

1. to believe as He believes
2. to be as He is
3. to live as He lives.

1. To believe as He believes

What does He believe about Himself?

“¹⁴And God said to Moses, I AM who I AM and what I AM, and I WILL BE what I WILL BE; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you! ¹⁵…This is My name forever, and by this name I am to be remembered to all generations.”

Exodus 3:14-15

“…I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…”

Revelation 21: 6

“… I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trust in and relies on Me will never thirst anymore (at any time).”

John 6:35

“…I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.”

John 8:12

“I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live)….”

John 10:9

“¹⁰I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognise My own, and My own know and recognise Me…”

John 10:11,14

“…I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live…”

Ek is die opstanding en die lewe. Wie in My glo, sal lewe, al sterwe hy ook.”

John 11:25

“…I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.”

John 14:6

“¹I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. ⁵I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.”

John 15:1,5

In the previous verses God reveals Himself to us and declares who He is. Although there are many more scriptures where God reveals Himself to us, these already give us a good idea of who He is.

What does He believe of us?

“⁴What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? ⁵Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honour. ⁶You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet…”

Psalm 8:4-6

“He found him in a desert… He scanned him [penetratingly], He kept him as the pupil of His eye.”

Deuteronoy 32:10

“…He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.”

Zephania 3:17

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.”

Johannes 3:16

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me…”

Philippians 4:13

God believes that we:

1. can overcome sin
2. carry life-changing power when we speak His words 
3. can do the same as, and do even more than, Jesus could when He was on earth
4. can spread the fragrance of God and be salt and light to the world 
5. have the authority to reign over the earth.

Conclusion 

The question is: do you believe as God does? Do you believe that God is who He says He is? Do you believe that you are everything that God says you are? 

All scripture references are from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, unless otherwise stated.