"Let Us Make Man in Our Image..." What is Your View of People?

   In our world human beings are viewed in 3 general ways. The first is how the western world likes to categorize people as seen through the eyes of race, sexuality, (gay, straight, transgender, bi-sexual), income, (rich, middle income, poor), politics, (Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, liberal, conservative), religion, (Christian, Catholic, Wiccan, Hindu, Muslim, New-Age, Buddhist, Spiritual, Non-Spiritual, Pagan), gender, (male, female. In truth the world has tried for years to convince us there is no difference), issues, (race, abortion, income redistribution, earth lovers/haters, animal rights, for/against gay rights/homosexual marriage, as I am writing this today in N.C. there is a public vote to decide if the residents want to legalize homosexual marriage), "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" (no it is not because God has made only beautiful people and creation, but more on that later, fat, slim, athletic, clumsy, healthy, sick, smart, dumb). People are also seen as a means to an end, a cosmic mistake, consumers, generalities not individuals.
   Lest you think that the world has cornered the market on generalizing people you would be mistaken. Often times Christians can be just as wrong as the rest of the world. Christians have a tendency to have a "us vs. them" mentality. There are the sinners, (wicked, immoral, liars, baby killers, Marxists, socialists, gay, addicts, free loaders, rapists, murderers, abusers, illegal immigrants, deserving God's wrath, liberal, tree huggers).

   In his book, Christ Among Dragons, Pastor James White makes this point: 

     "Many Christians view those outside of the faith as needing to go to hell.  They are the bad guys, the        enemy; we refer to them as "pagans, secular  humanists, liberals", and worse. Our relationship seems intensely adversarial  in nature. It's the pro-family, Christian radio listening, fish-sticker wearing, big  Bible carrying types versus the left-leaning, evolution-believing,  gay marriage supporting, Harry Potter-reading pagans."

   And then there is God's view of people; lost sheep that need a savior and shepherd, (see John 10, the Good Shepherd Discourse). People are viewed as: "Fearfully and wonderfully made, (Psalm 139), "For God so loved the world (and therefore every one in it) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will gain eternal life. (John 3:16), "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,(Galatians 3:28),  God forbids favoritism of any kind, (James 2:1-4), "From every tribe, every nation, every tongue" will be in the new Heavens and Earth, (Revelation 5:9, 7:9, 14).

   Because God has made every single human being that has ever lived in His image there are certain implications for those of us who call themselves a Christian. 

   Next week I will go into what being made in God's image means.