To develop an understanding of human dignity, we must start off by considering intrinsic worth. In doing so, we’re confronted with the reality that our worth is separate from our performance. This is the basis for the Gospel that saves sinners. God assigns worth to every human being not because of anything we do but by the virtue that we’re made in His image. Similarly, by God’s Grace while we’re in a worthless state, an alien source provides us new life and by faith, we receive our Savior’s righteousness.
With the life-saving Gospel in mind and its underlying principle of intrinsic worth, we can see that no one is above anyone else. Considering that every human being fell into sin because of Adam’s original transgression, we all identify with him. This means that every human being is equally impacted by sin and is in equal need of a savior.
With this being true, then how do we treat one another? In what ways do we exercise authority over one another? To begin answering these questions, we must start by recognizing that our Almighty Sovereign God is the ultimate authority over man. Outside of God, there’s very little authority that man is under. Primarily, people are obligated to submit to state authority, whose jurisdiction is limited to maintaining justice, order, and punishing evil.
In any other instance, man places himself under authority by his own will. For instance, if a person chooses to join a church, he must submit to the church council. When a person chooses to work for a firm, he must submit to the employer. When a person chooses to live in a planned community, he must submit to the covenants of the planning board.
As previously mentioned, despite having the right to self-govern, man has no choice but to submit to the state. However, though the state’s power is intended to be limited to the jurisdictional parameters mentioned, it has exercised illegitimate authority over man while compromising the very rights that it was intended to protect. Consequently, man’s worth is not treated intrinsically. Some in society have a greater perception of worth because they can hold onto more of their rights than others while some determine how rights can be exercised and to what extent. Then there’s those whose intended role is to promote safety, often choose expediency over the dignity and well-being of those they’re supposed to serve.
Over time, power has been abused and not only has self-governance been compromised, but a significant number of lives have been lost under tyrannical rule. Under Adolf Hitler’s regime, 10 million peoples died in his infamous holocaust. An excess of 20 million were killed because of Joseph Stalin’s policies, while Mao Zedong’s mismanaged polices led to the deaths of roughly 45 million people. These are the fruits of man being held in bondage to the state though we’re supposed to live in liberty under the authority of the Almighty Triune God. When the state respects man’s liberty, the authorities make room for man to experience God’s great abundance.
So, while we live in a world in which people take liberties to judge and assess the worth of their fellow man leading to numerous negative consequences, we can rest in the knowledge that our loving and almighty God rejoices in all His creation, allowing the rain to fall on the just and unjust. The intrinsic worth that all human beings hold should tell us something about God’s character and love for us. If God values us unconditionally, we should see one another in need of that same love. We must recognize that if our neighbor is made in God’s image, we should show dignity and respect to them, for to compromise their well-being is a strike against God Himself.
In His Image 