Is mankind in the image of God? Not by any chance!!!
Man was made in the image of God but we do not born in the image of God, we are born in the image of Adam, or only Adam and Eve were made in the image of God but the rest of humanity were born in their own image(Adam and Eve), not the image of God, and the Bible is very clear about that.
When God said let us make man in our own image and likeness he was talking about creating man with the ability to live forever or with eternal life as the Godhead has. But he also told Adam that if he should eat of the tree of knowledge good and evil he would surely die. This simply means that if he and Eve had not eaten of that tree then they would not have died ever. As it is written, Eve was deceived by Satan and both Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree and subsequently died, loosing their likeness to God's.
Genesis 5:1 “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:”
Seth is whom all generations of man living up to this day came from. And as the scripture said Seth was born in Adams image and likeness, not God’s image and likeness which Adam had lost. The implication of this is that everyone who are born in this world dies because Adam died. A death sentence is placed on us from the very day we are born. Whether we are good or bad, rich or poor, regardless of race or whatever other distinctions, death has made us all equal before God. Death is a curse which all men inherited by no fault of ours individually.
JESUS IS THE ANSWER
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The redemption and restoration of eternal life to mankind was made possible by Jesus when he came to earth about 1700 years ago. In fact that was is sole mission when he came. The opportunity to bear God’s image and likeness again was gifted to humanity. As soon as Adam had sinned God had set out a plan to redeem him in Genesis chapter 3. When God looks at each of us he is looking at Adam as we are a replication of that which was originally made albeit through the process of procreation.
A CATCH 22
The situation presented to mankind in light of the invitation to live forever being extended to them is that of a catch 22. In that, the same conflict that Our fore parents Adam and Eve faced have been inherited by all their off springs. The reason why Eve eventually ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is because she wanted autonomy from God. This is what the scripture said. Genesis 3:5 “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” The creature which God created, which had no life and no existence before she was created wanted to be as God so that she would not have be ruled over and controlled by God. And this has been the story of mankind up to this day. Some people has as much as all together deny that God exist so that they don’t have to be subjected to him.
Adam and Eve did face the consequences of not obeying God and so will we if we do not obey him and do what he requires from us. What God requires from us is that we believe in Jesus and love one another. When we believe in Jesus what we are actually believing in is that a human being like ourselves actually died and was resurrected and is now living forever, eternal life being restored to him by the father. And so will eternal life be restored to us even if we die. The implication of not believing this is that you will be condemned forever. Without eternal life then your life will be useless and without purpose. God did not give you life so you could come and do what you desire to do. He created all things for his purpose and for us to worship him and give him glory, for the mere fact that if it wasn’t for him then we would not exist.