The Worth Of Knowing

[Part 1 can be found here, and the TLDR could be that, untangling teachings around human depravity and humans being image bearers is even more daunting than untangling Christmas tree lights. I suggested that they can be untangled by rooting our identity in God’s work not ours. So rather than our core identity being sinners made in God’s image, we are image bearers who sin. It’s miraculous that God would make us in His image despite knowing how we would treat Him and fellow image bearers]

I don’t know if I’ll forget it: An organization was advertising on social media that they were raising money to provide humanitarian relief to Christians in an area of extreme need. A person commented saying, “As a Christian, I couldn’t feed one person while another starves solely based on religion. One is not more human than the other and it’s language like this that causes division in the first place.”

A person replied to the comment saying, “well I mean there are the saved and the damned….”

My heart falls. Does a person’s beliefs change whether we treat them humanely or not? Do we treat unbelievers as created less in God’s image?

I think this situation illustrates what a tangled mess beliefs around humans being made in God’s image and humans being depraved can become. While there are certainly issues in ignoring either truth, I personally have seen and experienced the effects of selectively ignoring that people are image bearers.

It would be easy to say that this was just a thoughtless comment paired with an organization that focuses on Christians who are in need. But it’s not a one off situation. It’s not so easily untangled.

These tangled beleifs are in everything from social media to our theologians’ teachings, our Christian communities to our own hearts. Sometimes Christians, including myself, act like God treats those who are not saved as unloveable, dangerous, and worth less. It’s not surprising when we sometimes treat unbelievers like that too. We might say things like:

“Before knowing Christ I was a worthless sinner, but now I’m a precious child of God.”

“God doesn’t hear the unsaved when they pray.”

“Hell is a place of eternal separation from God and all goodness.”

“God’s love for us is based on God’s heart not our hearts [when Christians talk about the saved]” vs. “God can’t be near sin(ners).”

“Every life is precious to God and should be protected [Christians speaking of the unborn].” vs. “They did unthinkable evil – therefore, we have every right get rid of them. [think: some Christians excusing bombing hospitals and residential areas during war].”

But what does God say? A lot. But these verses and thoughts have been swirling in my mind.

1. God’s ability to hear our prayers is not influenced by our sin (Isaiah 59:1,2; Acts 17:27,28)

2. God saved us while we were still sinners and Jesus carried our sin. Also, God is actively at work in sin-filled times and places. Therefore, God can be near sin(ners). (Habakkuk 1:5; Romans 5:6-10)

3. Jesus is carrying out the just punishment in hell and is present in hell. (Psalm 139:8; Matthew 10:28; Revelation 14:9-11)

4. God said all humans are made in His image and whoever kills a human will experience just consequences; thus, God declares all humans valuable to Himself (while fully acknowledging that evil affects all aspects of humanity). (Genesis 8:21, 9:6)

5. God has made every human with a purpose – for His glory. (Romans 9 … the whole thing, but specifically verses 22 and 23.)

6. God is love. God tells Christians to love their enemies. Therefore, God unconditionally loves the saved and the unsaved. (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8,16; Matthew 5:44)

Let’s be clear: God is bigger than sin and evil. I wonder if when we treat image bearers who are not saved as less deserving of basic human rights it’s because we fear that evil may increase more than we fear God.

God is all powerful and all good.

Our love for others should be fed by God’s love for us (and the resulting love we have for God) rather than others’ love for us or God. That means unconditional love for everyone. Yikes.

Of course, what is truly loving/good will look different from person to person. But it will at least mean this: We must treat others from a place of love and goodness as fellow image bearers who sin.

Or, to put it in more secular terms: “Humanity cannot be applied selectively” (a recent quote from Queen Rania Abdullah).

The Bible’s teachings about humanity are cohesive and stunning. Not because of us, but because of God.