The War on Imago Dei

Written By: Chris Brooks

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February 16, 2026

What if God’s grace is bigger than what you’re comfortable with?

To say that our culture is divided is an understatement. But what’s at the root of most of the controversies we face in our culture today? Suprisingly, the answer is found in our struggle over who is worthy of grace and bears the image of God.

If Christians are going to navigate the complex and divisive issues of our day with wisdom and love, we must apply God’s Word to answer this simple but profound question: who is worthy of God’s grace?

In Luke 4:22-30, Israel celebrated their salvation until Jesus shocked them with the truth: that God’s plan included their Gentile neighbors.

And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘”Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'”

And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.

– Luke 4:22-30

In this passage, Jesus told the Israelites two stories that revealed the extent of God’s grace. The first came from 1 Kings 17: the story of the Gentile widow of Zarephath. This Gentile widow lived through a devastating famine that ravaged the land for three and a half years. She was down to her last bit of flour and oil, her son was sick, and she was about to bake her final meal before they died. 

Then Elijah showed up and said, “Feed me with that last cake.” Would this Gentile woman trust God? Wonders of wonders, she does. God rewards her faith and saves her. Her flour doesn’t run out. Her oil doesn’t run out.  

The second story Jesus gave them was about Naaman, a Syrian commander with leprosy. There were many lepers in Israel, but God overlooked all of them and saved Naaman, a pagan Gentile. Why? Because Naaman trusted God. 

When God’s Grace Becomes a Threat 

Every person, no matter who they are, has been created in the image of God (Imago Dei). We love when God’s grace includes us, but when we can’t control how His grace extends to others, it becomes a threat. Jesus was preaching about a grace that was bigger than Israel understood and they tried to kill him for it. Israel rejected the salvation of people they disagreed with, and we do the same thing today. 

Though God sees His image (Imago Dei) in every person, our culture often says it’s okay to see Imago Dei in some, but not others. And as we see in Luke 4, once we begin to view our enemies as less human than we are, any atrocity committed against them becomes acceptable. This is the work of Satan on our souls. It’s a war on the affirmation of Imago Dei…that people are made in the image of God. 

Some would say that the preborn baby has Imago Dei, but not the immigrant. Others would say that the immigrant has Imago Dei, but not the preborn baby. Some would say that Palestinians have Imago Dei, but certainly not Israeli Jews. Others would say that Israeli Jews have Imago Dei, but certainly not Palestinians. Some would say that Democrats have the Imago Dei, but not Republicans. Others would say Republicans have the Imago Dei, but not Democrats. 

Do you see where I’m going with this? Once we begin to see somebody as subhuman, or at least less human than we are, then anything goes. Once you see the baby as less than human, then you can murder them in the womb. Once you see the slave as less than human, then you can treat them as property. Once you see your political opponents as less than human, then you can mock them with memes or celebrate assassination attempts against them. 

Do you see the war that’s happening in our hearts?  

The Reality of Christian Love 

What makes Christian love so unique is we’re called to love our enemies. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). 

We are the salt, the preservative that God has left in the world to protect it from destroying itself. Satan knows that once the salt has lost its saltiness, it’s no longer good for anything (Matthew 5:13). But if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, we will preserve the culture as God has called us to do. 

Check Your Heart 

That’s what’s at stake, friends. Watch your heart. Make sure you don’t despise the fact that God’s grace extends beyond our borders. Pray that the love of God would fill your heart, and that you would praise Him for the extent of His grace. The truth is that He saves whom He will, and He shows grace to whom He will. And it’s our job not to pick and choose, but to say, “To God be the glory. Salvation belongs to Him.” 

Editor’s Note: 

Click below to watch Pastor Chris speak on this topic.