Imago Dei—Lost, and Found

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only

who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John 1:1-2,14

Remember our definition of a parable: “an illustrative story that compares or contrasts an earthly reality with a spiritual truth.”* I am intrigued as Jennifer Kennedy Dean** describes the Incarnation as the “lived-out parable” of the love of God. After all, Jesus was not only with God in the beginning; He was God. And with His birth, life, and death among us He would illustrate the spiritual truth of God’s love. A parable “puts flesh on the eternal truth so we can see it.”**

From the Genesis story we know that man and woman were created in the image of God (Genesis1:27). In short order however, they lost sight of that image. True to His character God did not: “Christ came—to make it possible for the divine image in man to be recreated…remade in the likeness of (the) Son.”***

God, in the flesh, was actually seen: God in all His glory; God, full of grace and truth. What man had only heard about in the Holy text, what was but a vague silhouette in their minds, came and lived among them—up close and personal.

Late in life the apostle John proclaimed the Imago Dei loudly and clearly:  

 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it…

 the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,

 so that you also may have fellowship with us.

 And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 We write this to make our joy complete. 1John 1:2-4

If you have not yet captured that image in your heart, consider it your invitation into the divine—to pure joy! If you are already there, it will help make our joy complete.  

Nancy P

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV Translation 1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted.

*Jennifer Kennedy Dean: Secrets Jesus Shared, p.45

**Jennifer Kennedy Dean: Secrets Jesus Shared, p.133 

***Denison Forum, May 6 2025, the theologian Athanasius (AD 298-373)