In the first week of the first year, God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:26–27). With a more detailed look at the creation week, Moses recorded, "the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). He would go on to record God's process of making Eve also (cf. Genesis 2:18-25).
The evidence is undeniable that human beings differ from the animal kingdom; yet, so many, who refuse to believe God, continuously seek to paint mankind as an equal with animals. In fact, they believe homo sapiens to be evolved animals that belong to the primate family. The false rhetoric of modern-day "science" is a major factor in numerous human misconceptions. Such leads to an abundance of animal-like behavior. We kill our own, devalue life, behave selfishly, and act upon instinct.
Let us be reminded that every human being is a soul. Every soul is created by God and in His im-age. Every soul is of greater value to God than all of His physical creation. He has given us domin-ion over the animal world. We are superior to every other creature. That is how God made us, and that is what the true evidence supports. We must treat every human being with this in mind. We must reach out and teach so that they might see the same value that we know God has placed upon us. Paul proclaimed to philosophers in Athens:
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, … seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all na-tions of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth … For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:24–28).
May we combat the modern day agendas to spread hatred for other souls, other age groups, differ-ing skin colors, and our fellow mankind in general. May we see the value God has placed upon eve-ry soul and help others to see it also. David hymned,
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou vis-itest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet (Psalm 8:3-6).
Clifton preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS.
