Black Man Theology

Written by Kevin Chilton

My name is Kevin Chilton, and I did not always know what it meant to be an image-bearer of Christ or if I had to do anything to earn the right to be seen as one. In this short post, I want to share a little about my journey. 

Many things in my day-to-day life distorted my ability to see myself as an image-bearer of God, especially as a black man; things like systemic racism, misrepresentation in the  media, social and economic bearers, family dysfunction, fatherlessness, incarceration, abuse and sin  

As a black man, I know these struggles all too well. I was born fatherless with Cerebral Palsy and lived in a low-income home. I struggled with learning disabilities and self-esteem issues in dating. I didn’t embrace seeing myself as an image-bearer, and, at times, I let my struggles define my view of self and my value. 

I had to understand that being an image-bearer of God is what I was created to be from the very beginning, and because of that, I have value and worth, and it is not something I have to earn but embrace. 

In Genesis 1:26-27, it says: 

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

I had to understand and believe I was created in the image of God. That meant my actions and deeds had to reflect what I was made to represent on earth. This is a daily process of growth. I am grateful to grow in this truth. 

Now, I can answer the question what is an image-bearer?

An image-bearer is a person who reflects and demonstrates Christ with their character and deeds of their everyday life. It’s how we serve in our local church, do community with others, and do our work at our Job.