---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God created man in His own image, says…"
description: "\"God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.\" — Georg C. Lichtenberg"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg"
---

#  God created man in His own image, says the Bible…

![“God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.” quote by Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg)

> “God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.”

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote contrasts divine creation of humans with human creation of deities, highlighting a reversal of authority.

**In simple terms:** God made us; we make God

Key Takeaway

Recognize humility in our worldview

Themes

theology philosophy humility

Mood

contemplative thoughtful

Type

aphilosophical theological

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- spiritual reflection
- ethical debate

Key Concepts

anthropocentrism divine imago

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this reversal affect moral responsibility?
- Can humility restore balance?

A Different Perspective

Human imagination can distort divine concepts

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-created/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/image/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/)

## Related quotes

> [By renouncing the Bible, philosophers swing from their moorings upon all moral subjects..It is the only correct map of the human heart that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-rush/by-renouncing-the-bible-philosophers-swing-from-their-moorings-upon/)

[Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-rush/)

> [Do not imagine that what we have said of the insufficiency of our understanding and of its limited extent is an assertion founded only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/do-not-imagine-that-what-we-have-said-of-the-insufficiency-of-our/)

[Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/)

> [“Human create God or God created Us ?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saharat-methasompob/human-create-god-or-god-created-us/)

Saharat Methasompob

> [It is not as in the Bible, that God created man in his own image. But, on the contrary, man created God in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/it-is-not-as-in-the-bible-that-god-created-man-in-his-own-image-but/)

[Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/)

> [“God created man to know Him, and to know Him in a fuller degree than any other creature can know God. No other creature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/god-created-man-to-know-him-and-to-know-him-in-a-fuller-degree-than/)

[A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/)

> [God created the first man, whom he called Adam. Then God created a woman, whom ho named Eve; and this man and woman were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-franklin-rutherford/god-created-the-first-man-whom-he-called-adam-then-god-created-a/)

[Joseph Franklin Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-franklin-rutherford/)

> [God created man to share friendship with Him and share in His happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/god-created-man-to-share-friendship-with-him-and-share-in-his/)

[Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/)

> [God created man for fellowship... The fall of man ruined that and Paradise that is, the garden of Eden was lost, but on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-p-enns/god-created-man-for-fellowship-the-fall-of-man-ruined-that-and/)

[Paul P. Enns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-p-enns/)

> [If God created man in his own image, and man began as a single celled organism 3.5 billion years ago. There's a good chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/if-god-created-man-in-his-own-image-and-man-began-as-a-single-celled/)

[Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/)

> [Sure God created man before woman, but then again you always make a rough draft before creating the final masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bloch/sure-god-created-man-before-woman-but-then-again-you-always-make-a/)

[Robert Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bloch/)

> [Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nateman/sure-god-created-man-before-woman-but-then-you-always-make-a-rough/)

[Nateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nateman/)

> [The very beginning of Genesis tells us that God created man in order to give him dominion over fish and fowl and all creatures.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-very-beginning-of-genesis-tells-us-that-god-created-man-in-order/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [God created man and, finding him not sufficiently alone, gave him a companion to make him feel his solitude more keenly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/god-created-man-and-finding-him-not-sufficiently-alone-gave-him-a/)

[Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/)

> [God created man, but I could do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/god-created-man-but-i-could-do-better/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-god-said-let-us-make-man-in-our-image-after-our-likeness-and-let/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Georg C. Lichtenberg

> [If people should ever start to do only what is necessary millions would die of hunger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/if-people-should-ever-start-to-do-only-what-is-necessary-millions/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [The wisdom of providence is as much revealed in the rarity of genius, as in the circumstance that not everyone is deaf or blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-wisdom-of-providence-is-as-much-revealed-in-the-rarity-of-genius/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/i-ceased-in-the-year-1764-to-believe-that-one-can-convince-one-s/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [Probably no invention came more easily to man than heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/probably-no-invention-came-more-easily-to-man-than-heaven/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [It is a great shame; most of our words are misused tools / which often still smell of the mud in which previous owners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/it-is-a-great-shame-most-of-our-words-are-misused-tools-which-often/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [To live when you do not want to is dreadful, but it would be even more terrible to be immortal when you did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/to-live-when-you-do-not-want-to-is-dreadful-but-it-would-be-even-more/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [He who understands the wise is wise already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-understands-the-wise-is-wise-already/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [The fruits of philosophy are the important thing, not the philosophy itself. When we ask the time, we don't want to know how watches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-fruits-of-philosophy-are-the-important-thing-not-the-philosophy/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [He who says he hates all kinds of flattery, and says so in earnest, has undoubtedly not as yet become acquainted with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-says-he-hates-all-kinds-of-flattery-and-says-so-in-earnest-has/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [One can live in this world on soothsaying but not on truth saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-can-live-in-this-world-on-soothsaying-but-not-on-truth-saying/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [Actual aristocracy cannot be abolished by any law: all the law can do is decree how it is to be imparted and who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/actual-aristocracy-cannot-be-abolished-by-any-law-all-the-law-can-do/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [One of the greatest and also the commonest of faults is for men to believe that, because they never hear their shortcomings spoken of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-of-the-greatest-and-also-the-commonest-of-faults-is-for-men-to/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [People who never have any time on their hands are those who do the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/people-who-never-have-any-time-on-their-hands-are-those-who-do-the/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [An hour-glass is a reminder not only of time's quick flight, but also of the dust to which we must at last return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/an-hour-glass-is-a-reminder-not-only-of-time-s-quick-flight-but-also/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

[Explore all 295 Georg C. Lichtenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

## More Bible quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/)

[Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/)

> [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/)

Michael Arnold

> [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/)

[Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/)

> [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/)

Robert A. Peterson

> [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/)

Stephen Taylor

> [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/)

Walsham How

> [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/)

[Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/)

> [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/)

[Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/)

> [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/)

[John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/)

[Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Georg C. Lichtenberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-the-bible-philosophers-reverse/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bible"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-the-bible-philosophers-reverse/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_bible_god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-th_1245014.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“God created man in His own image, says the Bible; philosophers reverse the process: they create God in theirs.” — Georg C. Lichtenberg",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Georg C. Lichtenberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "God created man in His own...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-the-bible-philosophers-reverse/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/god-created-man-in-his-own-image-says-the-bible-philosophers-reverse/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
