How does Genesis 1:27 connect with the concept of stewardship in Genesis 2? Created in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27) “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” • Being “in His own image” means we are designed to reflect God’s character—His wisdom, creativity, righteousness, and loving rule. • Male and female alike share this identical dignity and calling. • Bearing God’s image equips us for responsible dominion (see 1:28), laying the groundwork for how we relate to the rest of creation. Stewardship Assigned (Genesis 2:15, 19-20) “Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.” (2:15) “…He brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.” (2:19) • cultivate — work, develop, and improve the garden; not exploitation but productive care. • keep — guard, protect, preserve its goodness. • naming the animals — exercising thoughtful oversight and classification, expressing authority under God. How the Two Passages Interlock 1. Image ↔ Responsibility • Because we mirror the Creator, we are entrusted to act as His representatives over creation. 2. Divine Ownership ↔ Human Management • The garden is God’s; our role is managerial, accountable, and service-oriented. 3. Moral Reflection ↔ Ethical Action • God’s holy character, stamped on us in 1:27, shapes the way we “cultivate and keep” in 2:15—with integrity, restraint, and benevolence. 4. Relationship ↔ Task • Being image-bearers establishes relationship with God; stewardship expresses that relationship toward the world He made. Practical Takeaways • Work is sacred: every legitimate vocation can be an arena for cultivating and keeping. • Environmental care is not optional activism; it springs from our creation identity. • Authority must always be servant-hearted, mirroring the God whose image we bear. |
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