What is our Purpose?

The creation of humanity is special in the Genesis account. It is the climax of creation. Throughout the six days of creation God had been shaping a world to reveal who He is, at the end of this He crowns it with a creature totally unique. One with capacities and responsibilities no other creature has been given the opportunity of possessing. The creation of man is introduced in verse 26 of Genesis 1 and immediately we can learn something very important.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

When making other living creatures, God had spoken to where they were going to live, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures,” “Let the earth bring forth living creatures''. But here the first thing God says is “Let us…” He speaks to Himself. This is the primary truth about humanity's purpose. We were designed to dwell in and with God. No other creature is given this privilege and responsibility. Of course due to the fall our ability to do this was ruined. However, for Christians, in Christ we've been given the restored opportunity to dwell with God, to abide in Christ. Continuing in this is not some optional extra, not some ‘Christianity premium’ feature designed to make the experience that bit better. No, this is our purpose. This is the first thing we were designed for and every other part of our purpose is only possible by us dwelling in God.

The second thing God says about the creation of humans is that they will be “in our image”. This statement is packed with meaning much more than I have the capacity to do justice to here. However, let me make a few observations that challenged me.

Firstly it should be clear that this tells us we are not mere animals. We are not made simply to follow our instincts or pursue our desires. Our purpose runs much deeper than that. Indeed, God says man's purpose is to have dominion over the rest of the creation. This is a responsibility that up until this point only God had. He is the sovereign, He is the king and yet he chose to give man dominion over this world. This is remarkable.

Psalm 8 comes to mind, “what is man that you are mindful of him … crowned him with glory and honour. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.”

All living creatures have been put under humanity's jurisdiction – this gives us a very serious level of accountability. Animals follow their instincts and they act in all sorts of ways that would be immoral for humans to behave. For humans, we are held to a higher standard. We are responsible for the animals God has made and we are responsible for how we behave. Implicit in the delegation of authority is the truth that humans are made as free and responsible creatures. We are not allowed to appeal to our genetics or our environment as an excuse. We are not to be controlled by nature. That is all part of “having dominion”.

Finally, as creatures made in the image of God, we have the responsibility of representing God on earth. All of creation was made to reveal who God is and it was climaxed with a creature specifically made responsible to demonstrate what God is like on earth.

Humans have been marked with the image of the eternal God. This is an amazing truth and responsibility for us. We have the role of representing that God every day. Any day we fall short of living out the glory and perfection of that God we sin. Our purpose is to live out the life of God on earth. Truly this would be a great burden for us in our fallen state were it not for Christ. We would never be able to live out our purpose, never able to have rest. This should make us so grateful that salvation is not by works. 

In Christ, God is now sanctifying us, making us more like His Son. This is a process He has promised He will complete. God is moulding us and making us the creature we were designed to be in the first place. A creature, “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29).

The fact that we are made in God's image, gives massive significance to everything we do. We have a mammoth responsibility. However, never let us think we will fulfil this responsibility by our own effort. In Christ, our purpose has been restored. We fulfil our responsibility and purpose by enjoying the first thing God designed us for, fellowship with Himself.

‍