Reflecting God's Character in Human Relationships

The concept of reflecting God's character in human relationships is rooted in the biblical understanding that humanity is created in God's image ^[1]. This divine image implies a capacity and calling to mirror God's attributes in interactions with others.

One primary aspect of God's character to be reflected is love. The apostle John states, "God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him" ^[3]. This divine love is not merely an abstract concept but an active principle ^[7]. Christians are commanded to love one another, following Christ's example ^[7]. This love is taught by God and is a fruit of the Spirit ^[7]. It is described as an active and abiding principle, essential even above supernatural gifts ^[7]. The Torrey's Topical Textbook emphasizes that love for man "is of God," "commanded by God," and "commanded by Christ" ^[7]. It is the "second great commandment" and the "end of the commandment" ^[7].

Another crucial attribute to reflect is holiness. The Old Testament repeatedly commands, "You shall be holy, for I am holy" ^[4]. This call to holiness is reiterated in the New Testament, with believers exhorted to be "followers of God" and "imitators of him" ^[13]. Christ himself is presented as the standard of holiness, and believers are called to conform to his image ^[4]. Holiness is necessary for God's worship and for seeing God ^[4]. The gospel is presented as the way to holiness, and saints are elected and called to it ^[4].

The reflection of God's character extends to how individuals treat one another. A right relationship with God is intrinsically linked to right relationships with people ^[9]. Doing wrong to another human being is considered a betrayal of the Lord ^[9]. This connection highlights that human relationships are not separate from one's spiritual life but are an expression of it. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Ecclesiastes notes that the warm sympathy derived from social ties, like those between a man and wife, universally applies to Christian relationships ^{[10, 12]}.

God's concern for human intimacy and mutual support is evident from creation, where God declared it "not good" for man to be alone and provided a helper who was a perfect complement, also made in God's image ^[11]. This foundational principle underscores the importance of companionship and support in human relationships.

Compassion and empathy are also reflections of God's character. Believers are exhorted to show compassion to the afflicted, the chastened, enemies, the poor, the weak, and other saints ^[6]. This exercise of compassion is inseparable from love for God and is motivated by God's own compassion and an awareness of human infirmities ^[6].

Even in suffering, God's character can be reflected. Afflictions can be beneficial in promoting God's glory, exhibiting His power, teaching His will, and turning individuals back to Him ^[5]. This suggests that how one endures and responds to hardship can also be a testament to God's character.

The incarnation of Christ, where God took on human nature, serves as the ultimate example of God's engagement with humanity ^[8]. As the "one mediator between God and men," Christ embodies the perfect reflection of God's character in human form ^[2]. His example provides a model for believers to follow in their own relationships, demonstrating love, holiness, and compassion ^[7].

Sources

Genesis “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. -- Genesis 1:27”
1 Timothy “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, -- 1 Timothy 2:5”
1 John “We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. -- 1 John 4:16”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness — Commanded -- Le 11:45; 20:7; Eph 5:8; Col 3:12; Ro 12:1. Christ Desires for his people. -- Joh 17:17. Effects, in his people. -- Eph 5:25-27. An example of. -- Heb 7:26; 1Pe 2:21,22. The character of God, the standard of -- Le 19:2; 1Pe 1:15,16; Eph 5:1. The character of Christ, the standard of -- Ro 8:29; 1Jo 2:6; Php 2:5. The gospel the way of -- Isa 35:8. Necessary to God's worship -- Ps 24:3,4. None shall see God without -- Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14. Saints Elected to. -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4. Called to. -- 1Th 4:7; 2Ti 1:9. New created in. -- Eph 4:24. Possess. ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions Made Beneficial — In promoting the glory of God -- Joh 9:1-3; 11:3,4; 21:18,19. In exhibiting the power and faithfulness of God -- Ps 34:19,20; 2Co 4:8-11. In teaching us the will of God -- Ps 119:71; Isa 26:9; Mic 6:9. In turning us to God -- De 4:30,31; Ne 1:8,9; Ps 78:34; Isa 10:20,21; Ho 2:6,7. In keeping us from again departing from God -- Job 34:31,32; Isa 10:20; Eze 14:10,11. In leading us to seek God in prayer -- Jdj 4:3; Jer 31:18; La 2:17-19; Ho 5:14,15; Jon 2:1. In convincing us of sin -- Job 36:8,9; Ps 119:67; Lu 15:16-18. In leading us to con”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Man — Is of God -- 1Jo 4:7. Commanded by God -- 1Jo 4:21. Commanded by Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; 1Jo 3:23. After the example of Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; Eph 5:2. Taught by God -- 1Th 4:9. Faith works by -- Ga 5:6. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22; Col 1:8. Purity of heart leads to -- 1Pe 1:22. Explained -- 1Co 13:4-7. Is an active principle -- 1Th 1:3; Heb 6:10. Is an abiding principle -- 1Co 13:8,13. Is the second great commandment -- Mt 22:37-39. Is the end of the commandment -- 1Ti 1:5. Supernatural gifts are nothing without -- 1Co 13:1,2. The greates”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Incarnation — That act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:8; Heb. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4, etc.). The union is hypostatical, i.e., is personal; the two natures are not mixed or confounded, and it is perpetual.”
Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 5:6: 5:6 Doing something wrong to another human being is the same as betraying—literally breaking faith with—the Lord (cp. 5:8). A right relationship with God produces right relationships with people; a wrong relationship with others shows a wrong relationship with the Lord.”
Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 4:11: (See on Kg1 1:1). The image is taken from man and wife, but applies universally to the warm sympathy derived from social ties. So Christian ties (Luk 24:32; Act 28:15).”
Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:18: 2:18-23 As human creation was the climax of ch 1, so human intimacy is the high point of ch 2. God’s concern for mutual human support and companionship finds no parallel in ancient Near Eastern literature. 2:18 It is not good: This is God’s first negative assessment of an otherwise excellent creation (1:31). The Lord God is portrayed as a father who obtains a bride for his son (cp. ch 24). • The answer to the man’s need is a helper who is just right for him; she is his perfect complement, made in the same image of God (1:26-27), given the same commission (1:28; 2”
Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:31: For--The propagation of the Church from Christ, as that of Eve from Adam, is the foundation of the spiritual marriage. The natural marriage, wherein "a man leaves father and mother (the oldest manuscripts omit 'his') and is joined unto his wife," is not the principal thing meant here, but the spiritual marriage represented by it, and on which it rests, whereby Christ left the Father's bosom to woo to Himself the Church out of a lost world: Eph 5:32 proves this: His earthly mother as such, also, He holds in secondary account as compared with His spir”
Ephesians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ephesians 5:1: Here we have the exhortation to mutual love, or to Christian charity. The apostle had been insisting on this in the former chapter, and particularly in the last verses of it, to which the particle therefore refers, and connects what he had said there with what is contained in these verses, thus: "Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be you followers of God, or imitators of him;" for so the word signifies. Pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them. They must conform themsel”

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