Beginnings: One of These Things is not Like the Other Ones

 

This is CoPilot's interpretation of God forming Adam from the dirt and breathing life into him.

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

 People often consider humans to be animals. You learn this in high school science class, that we belong to the mammal class, in the primate order with the family of Hominidae. This gives the impression that we are very similar to apes, and it is true that we share some characteristics with them. But then, we share characteristics with dogs too, and birds, and even fish. Yes, we share more characteristics with primates, but when it comes to organ transplants do you know what they are most likely to use after other humans? Pigs. So yes, we share some structural similarities with other creatures, but does this make us animals?

 Here's where I see a difference between us and our fellow occupants of this planet, when God made us He did so in His image, after His likeness (Genesis 1:26) and He breathed His breath into us (Genesis 2:7). He did not do this with any other part of creation. Perhaps it is just semantical and I am making a bigger deal out of something than it needs to be, but I’m not sure that’s true. How we see ourselves in relation to creation and our creator matters. Acknowledging how we were made, and how differently we were made from the rest of creation influences how we relate to our creator and the world. I think Satan knows this and has worked in our world to draw us away from God in one more way here. You see, when we see ourselves as just another animal, our “evolution” as part of the natural order of things, we hold less value. Babies hold less value. Oh, and we have less responsibility. We’re just here by accident without a purpose and who cares what happens to us. But that’s so not true!

 You see, God made us special. He made us for relationship with Himself. He made us to be partners in the ruling of the earth. He gave us a job with clear responsibilities. Why do you think that “You shall not murder,” and, “You shall not commit adultery,” are in the ten commandments (Exodus 20:13-14)? It doesn’t say anything about, “You shall not overfish the seas,” or, “You shall not cut down all the trees.” Yes, God commissioned us to take care of the earth, but when it came to specific commandments, they are all about our relationship with Him and with each other. I believe that people are different from animals. I believe we are called to a higher purpose with a greater responsibility. I believe we are invited to relationship with God and with each other. When you cause harm to someone else, when you break relationship with them through harm (like murder, adultery or theft), you are causing harm to someone made in the image of God, with His breath in them. Your sin is not just against that person, it is against God Himself. If you remember the story of David and Bathsheba, King David committed both adultery and murder, but when he was confronted with it he did not say, “I have sinned against Uriah the Hittite.” No, he said, “I have sinned against the LORD!” (2 Samuel 12:13). Then, in Psalm 51:4, the psalmist cries out, “Against you - you above all - I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.”

Here's the Thing: I’m making a point here about people not being animals not because I’m offended by being associated with a chimpanzee, they’re kinda cute, but because I believe that it downgrades us and our responsibilities. I think it’s a lie that we’ve bought hook, line, and sinker and it’s caused us to have a faulty view of the world and our relationship with it.