“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
“Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7
There is a term called “dehumanization” echoing across our culture, and especially across the political spectrum. Basically, dehumanizing rhetoric has become the tinder for real-world violence. After the assasination of Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman, we must understand that harsh language—labeling opponents as threats, using extreme comparisons, or mocking the suffering of others—can desensitize people to the humanity of those they disagree with. This kind of language doesn’t just divide; it lays the groundwork for violence, because when someone is portrayed as less than human, harming them feels justified. Across both sides, one thing is clear: when rhetoric crosses the line into dehumanization—treating people as objects, monsters, or threats rather than individuals with dignity—it erodes the barrier between civil discourse and pure violence.
Folks will not change their rhetoric unless they possess a deeply satisfying truth. Jesus claims to be THE Truth. If we know Him, then we should be thinking, speaking, and acting according to His truth. His truth about what it means to be human is found in His Word.
To be human is not merely to exist, to think, to act, or even to breathe—it is to bear the image of God.
Unlike anything else in creation, men and women are stamped with His likeness and formed with a divine purpose: to glorify Him. Isaiah 43:7 makes it plain—our reason for existence is not wealth, success, or comfort, but rather that we might reflect His glory back into the world.
C.S. Lewis once observed: “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.” Every human being carries eternal weight and dignity because we are God’s image-bearers. This truth is not just lofty theology—it’s the very essence of humanity.
Thus, to truly and fully be human is to unify our body, soul, and spirit in close alignment with God’s ways and His will. It is critical to understand our design as it relates to who God is. Our body and mind connect us to the physical world. Our soul—our deepest desires, the “real” us, our will, and emotions—enables us to choose, and feel. Our spirit, once made alive in Christ through salvation, communes with God, who is also a Spirit.
At salvation, our spirit is made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5), and our soul is redeemed by His finished work. (1 Peter 1:9) Yet, even after salvation, our mind and will must be continually conformed to God’s will. This is a daily journey—a lifelong process of learning to set aside our will in order to follow His. Paul urged believers: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
So while salvation secures us forever, the Christian life is a continual struggle and surrender of the will of our mind to the will of God.
Consider that even the perfect human—Jesus—was tempted to stray from God’s perfect will!
Jesus Christ entered the world not merely as God in disguise, but as a true human in every respect. The Bible explains:
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest…” Hebrews 2:17
The most compelling example of Christ’s humanity was in the garden of Gethsemane, where we glimpse Him in full humanity. Sweating drops of blood, He prayed: “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Here, the Son of God revealed the depth of His human struggle. Yet, He also revealed the ultimate model of humanity: Submission to the will of the Father.
To be human in the fullest sense is not to assert our autonomy, but to yield it. It is to say with Christ, “Not my will, but Yours.”
My friend, when we yield our mind and will to God’s Spirit, we rediscover our true humanity. Our body becomes His temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Our soul finds rest in His promises. (Psalm 62:1) Our spirit communes with the living God, and we lovingly submit to His Word and ways. This is not instant perfection, but the daily practice of walking with Him, being transformed into His likeness, and fulfilling what we were created for—to glorify God.
C.S. Lewis wrote: “The glory of God, and, as our only means of glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.” That’s what it means to be human: not to chase our own fleeting definitions of meaning, but to find our identity, dignity, greatest hope, dreams, and destiny—in glorifying Him.
Reflection Thought
Being human means living as God’s image-bearer: redeemed in spirit and soul through salvation, and daily learning to align the will of our mind with the will of our Father. Is this how you see those around you—even your enemies?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for creating me in Your image and for redeeming me through the gift of salvation. Thank You that my soul and spirit are secure in You. But I confess, Father, that my mind so often resists Your will. Teach me each day to yield my thoughts, choices, and desires to Your Spirit. Help me, Lord, to see others from Your perspective and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve as image-bearers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
