Theologians commonly appeal to Ephesians 4:23–24 in their expositions of human nature and the image of God. Is this an instance of irresponsible proof-texting, or a valid inference from the discourse of Ephesians? Indeed, there do seem to be good reasons to recognize an anthropological dimension in this text. Christian renewal is envisioned as restoration to our original conformity to God, putting on the “new humanity” that corresponds to God’s original purpose for human beings. Furthermore, Ephesians 4:17–24 cashes out this renewal in explicitly psychological or cognitive terms. The pre-conversion state encompasses futility of mind, darkness of understanding, and ignorance; meanwhile, Christian conversion is described as having learned Christ and being renewed in the spirit of the mind.
What does this mean for the doctrine of humanity and the image of God? On the one hand, it means that we ought to affirm some psychological dimensions in the image of God—what have classically been articulated in terms of the powers of the soul. On the other hand, we must recognize the image cannot be defined merely in terms of capacities but also concerns their proper functioning: knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Both of these are reflected in Herman Bavinck’s nuanced treatment of the image.