Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Episode: What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?
Host: Greg Koukl
Guests/Co-hosts: Amy (co-host/producer), Callers: Bryler, Chad, Tim, Susan, Jesse
Date: October 31, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on one of theology’s cornerstone questions: What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Host Greg Koukl answers live listener questions, focusing on how the “image of God” (imago Dei) doctrine anchors human purpose, dignity, and morality, avoiding common misunderstandings. The episode also touches on topics such as spiritual calling, discipling children, Jesus’ knowledge on Earth, and proper biblical interpretation, particularly Jeremiah 29:11.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?

[04:17–14:04]

Caller: Bryler's Question

• Question: What does it mean to be made in the image of God? How do capacities like reason or creativity play a part, especially in people who may have less of those capacities?
• Greg’s Framework:
  • The Bible declares humans are made in God's image (Genesis 1, 9:6).
  • This fact makes humans unique and of intrinsic (not extrinsic) value.
  • Quote:

    "It's not extrinsic, it's intrinsic. In other words, it's built in. And in virtue of our mere existence, we are in God's image." (Greg, [06:49])

  • Human value is grounded in our status as image bearers, not in our abilities or capacities.
  • The image of God is not something added; it’s part of what we are by nature.
  • Practical Outworking:
    • This intrinsic value is why unjustly taking a human life is so grave (referencing Genesis 9:6).
    • Our obligations to one another as humans flow from this image-bearing status.

Exploring the Outworkings of the Image

• Characteristics (not the substance) of the image of God:

  • Moral nature (ability to discern good/evil)
    • Animals don’t share this capacity.
  • Creativity
    • Humans create in a way animals do not.
  • Rationality (second-order thinking, self-reflection)
    • Quote:

      "Animals can think, but they don't have thoughts about their thoughts. They're not self-reflective." (Amy, [12:36])

  • These qualities are expressions or manifestations—not the source—of our image-bearing.

• Warning against reducing image of God to abilities:

  • If intrinsic value is linked to capacities, then those without (e.g., infants, elderly, cognitively disabled) would lose value—a view Greg opposes.

Purpose & the Image of God

• Caller’s Reflection: Is human purpose (e.g., glorifying God) bound to imaging God through action?
  • Greg: Image-bearing and purpose are distinct. God makes us in His image for a reason—relationship with Him, among others—but our ultimate meaning and value stem from being His image bearers, regardless of manifesting certain qualities.
  • Illustrative Quote:

    "He has purposed certain ends for us and one of those ends is to be in friendship with Him. The fact that we are made in His image and share these qualities mean that we can share a friendship with Him... that we aren't going to be able to share with someone not like us or Him." (Greg, [14:59])

Fulfillment & Happiness

• Greg’s Reflection: Fulfillment comes from living according to our created nature, which is connected to (but not identical with) happiness or satisfaction—even for animals, in their instinctual way.
  • Humans, being rational and moral, experience the deepest fulfillment when pursuing their God-given purposes, ultimately relationship with God.

2. Jesus’ Knowledge & Human Limitations

[20:05–28:05]
Caller: Chad

• Topic: Did Jesus, during his earthly ministry, know things like Darwinian evolution? How does "kenosis" (Philippians 2:7) relate to Christ’s knowledge?

• Greg’s Response:

  • Jesus, in his humanity, was not omniscient; he self-limited his divine privileges (kenosis) but did not cease to be divine.
    • “It is clear that in Jesus, human nature, he was not omniscient. He declared it as such. Matthew 24: 'No one knows the day or the hour... not even the Son of Man, but only the Father in heaven.'" ([21:10])
  • Jesus knew what was needed for his mission; not all facts about the world.
  • In his earthly life, he did not know contemporary facts irrelevant to his mission (e.g., specifics of evolution).
  • Mystery remains—he exhibited supernatural knowledge at times, but his knowledge was (self-)limited compared to his divine omniscience.

• Illustrative Metaphor for Students:

  • The king who lays aside his royal privileges to walk among his people—still king, but not exercising those privileges for a time.

3. Discipling Your Kids in the Faith

[28:32–39:11]
Caller: Tim

• Question: How can I best disciple my children?
• Host and Amy’s Advice:

  • Leading by Example:

    • Most powerful form of influence; kids imitate parents’ lives.
    • “If the parents are living the consistent Christian life, then the children are going to be doing the same.” (Amy, [30:21])

  • Building Consistent Devotional Practices:

    • Establish family spiritual routines (devotions, discussions) early and consistently—ideally from an age before children can remember life without these practices.
    • Use the dinner table as a unifying time (no screens!) for spiritual conversation.
    • Even short, nightly (5–10min) devotions are formative.

  • Age-Appropriate Resources:

    • Utilize resources like Natasha Crane’s “Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side”—plug-and-play apologetic lessons tailored for families.

  • Life Together as Discipleship:

    • Jesus’ discipleship model included lots of shared time—simply being together ("He was with them.").
    • Opportunities for spiritual learning happen naturally when sharing life.
    • Let children see authentic faith in mundane moments (prayer, gratitude, struggles).

  • Apologetics for Children:

    • Introduce apologetics in developmentally suitable ways.
    • Consider older kids attending apologetic or worldview events/camps for deeper exposure.

4. Proper Interpretation of Jeremiah 29:11

[40:29–49:22]
Caller: Susan

• Issue: Can we claim Jeremiah 29:11 as a personal promise for Christians? Some (including John Piper) say yes, but Susan and Greg are skeptical.

• Greg’s Explanation:

  • Context matters: Jeremiah 29:11 was given as a specific promise to Israel, not a universal promise to all believers at all times.
  • The chapter includes both promises of prosperity and promises of calamity—claiming verse 11 without the surrounding context results in interpretive inconsistency.
    • “If it applies to verse 11, why doesn't it apply to verse 14? ... Try to stitch [the calamity prophecy] on a pillow.” (Greg, [46:20])
  • The New Testament contains explicit promises of suffering for believers, not prosperity (John 16:33).
  • Greg criticizes the practice of lifting verses as universal promises without regard for biblical context:
    • “If they use the word of God in a way that God did not purpose it to be used, it's no longer God's word.” (Greg, [48:54])

• Encouragement:

  • Stand firm in teaching context, even in the face of sentimental attachment to certain verses.

5. Called to Ministry—or Just Gifted and Passionate?

[49:33–57:18]
Caller: Jesse

• Question: How can you know if you’re truly “called” to ministry, especially apologetics, versus just having a strong interest?
• Greg’s Response & Corrective:
  • Evangelical tradition often speaks of a mystical “call to ministry,” but this is not clearly taught in Scripture.
    • “Where in Scripture is feeling a call a requirement to do ministry? ... Some described it in very subjective terms.” (Greg/Amy, [51:44])
  • In the New Testament, “calling” typically refers to salvation, not ministry assignment (except Paul’s unique case).
  • Central Principle:
    • God distributes ministry through gifting, not through a mystical calling (see Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4).
    • If you have the gifts, passion, and opportunities—and your contribution bears fruit—then ministry is appropriate.
    • “You do not need to have any kind of supernatural sense that this is what God wants you to do. It's better to ask the question of what can I do? What are my capabilities? What bears fruit? And also what do I want to do?” (Greg, [56:20])
  • Relief for Listeners:
    • The “call to ministry” can be a heavy, unnecessary burden; focus on spiritual gifts, capacity, and desire.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Image of God’s Foundation:

  “It is that thing that gives us the value we have above other things. So much so that if you take a human life, the image bearer's life, then you sacrifice your own life as an image bearer.”
  — Greg Koukl ([07:55])

• On the mistake of linking image to capacities:

  “If I do it that way, then the minute we remove some of these capacities, then we are removing on that view what makes humans valuable. And that's exactly what they do to unborn children. ... Their value is not intrinsic, it's extrinsic, it's instrumental. And that's what I want to avoid in talking about this issue.”
  — Greg Koukl ([13:31])

• On Jesus’ Limited Knowledge:

  “Jesus, in his kenosis, in his emptying... emptied himself of divine prerogatives, privileges. He did not empty himself of his divinity. ... In Jesus’ human nature this one person has a limitation of knowledge. Well, that's the mystery. And we just know it's true…”
  — Greg Koukl ([21:10])

• On Discipleship by Presence:

  “The most important elements [of Jesus’ discipleship] was that he was with them. ... It wasn't that [my mentor] was always teaching me something. It's that we were together. And there was so much I got... that I kind of absorbed being with him.”
  — Greg Koukl ([36:34])

• On Misuse of Jeremiah 29:11:

  “We are promised calamity, not welfare, in this world, you have tribulation. So we have explicit New Testament promises that go against this particular promise [in Jeremiah].”
  — Greg Koukl ([45:41])

• On Calling vs. Gifting for Ministry:

  “The Scripture does not teach that God distributes ministry through calling. ... He distributes ministry through gifting.”
  — Amy ([54:28])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 04:17 – Caller Bryler asks about being made in God’s image
• 06:49 – The image of God is intrinsic, not based on abilities
• 10:54–12:35 – Distinction between human and animal capacities (morality, creativity, rationality)
• 14:59 – Distinctness of purpose and the image of God
• 20:05–28:05 – Discussion with Chad on Jesus’ knowledge and incarnation (kenosis)
• 28:32–39:11 – Tim asks about discipling children
• 30:21 – Study confirming parental faithfulness as key to children’s faith
• 36:34 – Discipleship through “being with” your children
• 40:29 – Susan’s question on Jeremiah 29:11 and biblical context
• 45:41 – Explicit New Testament suffering vs. Old Testament promise
• 46:20 – The absurdity of claiming every OT promise for Christians
• 49:33 – Jesse asks about spiritual “calling” vs. gifting in ministry
• 54:28–56:20 – Core answer: ministry is about gifting and fruitfulness, not mystical calling

Tone & Style

Greg maintains a warm, conversational, and intellectually rigorous tone, balancing deep theological insight with practical, accessible advice. The conversations are marked by careful, inductive biblical reasoning, a spirit of encouragement, and a willingness to challenge common evangelical assumptions for the sake of clarity and faithfulness to Scripture.

Summary Takeaway

Being made in the image of God is an intrinsic status that grounds human value, moral obligation, and potential for purpose, but is not dependent on specific abilities or capacities. Human worth does not rise or fall with capability, and biblical interpretation—and ministry calling—must be rooted in context and spiritual gifts, not in mystical subjectivity or proof-texting.