To say something is fundamental is to say it forms the base of everything else. Remove it, and the structure collapses. In Genesis 1:27, we are given one of the most foundational truths in all of Scripture: “So God created human beings in his own image.” This single verse shapes how we understand life, dignity, justice, and love.
Every person bears the image of God. That means human value is not earned, measured, or negotiated. It is bestowed by the Creator Himself. This truth reshapes our default posture toward people. If every person reflects God in a way no other creature does, then our starting point must always be kindness, compassion, respect, and dignity. At the same time, being made in God’s image calls us to responsibility, holiness, and meaningful work. The image of God is not only a gift; it is a calling.
Sin, however, distorts that image. Like a cracked mirror, humanity still reflects God, but imperfectly. The image is present, yet broken. That is why Jesus came, not merely to forgive us, but to restore us. Scripture says we are being renewed into God’s likeness, “truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24). Redemption is restoration. Salvation repairs what sin shattered.
This is why the image of God matters so deeply in conversations about life. If human value is based on wealth, intelligence, productivity, beauty, ethnicity, or ability, then some lives will always matter more than others. But Scripture gives us a better answer: a person’s worth comes from God alone.
You are not more valuable today than you were as an embryo. You are the same person, the same substance, at every stage of life. Humanity is not a collection of interchangeable parts. We are more than the sum of our biology. What makes a person a person is not capacity or circumstance, but creation in God’s image.
The doctrine of the incarnation reinforces this truth. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He did not enter the world as a fully grown man, but as a child in the womb. Was He any less God then? Of course not. From conception onward, His life was fully sacred. When we value life, we are affirming the very way our Creator chose to come to us.
Because anyone can be saved by Jesus, everyone is worth saving. That conviction shapes a holistically pro-life church. We value the life of the unborn. We value the lives of women facing impossible decisions. We value the lives of the poor, the marginalized, the broken, and the overlooked. We pursue justice not to gain power, but to reflect God’s heart.
Theology always leads to ethics. What we believe about God determines how we treat people. Jesus did not leverage His power to dominate others; He used it to serve. He came not to be served, but to give His life so that others might truly live.
Abortion is not the unforgivable sin. There is grace for the bruised and wounded. There is forgiveness for sinners and hope for the broken. Celebrating life means rejoicing when children are saved—and when souls are saved. We are pro-life because God is for life.