Part of the ‘Living the Image of God’ Series

This article is part of the Living the Image of God: Seven Principles from Eden series. In this study we are exploring what I call the Sevenfold Eden blessing, drawn from Genesis 1:26–28 and Genesis 2:15. These passages reveal God’s original design for humanity as His image bearers.

In the previous article we explored Caring for Creation, where we saw that humanity is called to serve and guard what belongs to God. This next principle brings our attention to the relational dimension of God’s design, showing what life looks like when everything is rightly ordered.

Harmonious Living in God’s Design

When we look at the garden before the fall, we see a picture of wholeness. Relationships were ordered rightly between God, humanity, and creation.

Genesis 2 gives us insight into human relationships in that original state. “The man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). This verse reflects a level of openness, trust, and unity that existed before sin introduced separation and conflict.

Genesis 1:31 also shows God’s perspective on creation as a whole. “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good”. The garden was not only functional. It was ordered, complete, and filled with God’s goodness.

What Is the Meaning of Shalom in the Bible

The word often used to describe this kind of wholeness is shalom. Shalom is more than the absence of conflict. It speaks of completeness, peace, and right relationship across every area of life.

It includes:

Right relationship with God and others
Inner alignment within ourselves
Right relationship with creation

In Eden, this harmony existed because everything functioned according to God’s design.

Scripture also points to a future restoration of this harmony. “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat… They will not hurt or destroy on all My holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:6, 9).

This vision reflects a restored creation where peace is fully established under God’s rule.

Living in Peace in a Fallen World

After the fall, that original harmony was disrupted. Relationships became strained, creation became difficult, and conflict entered the human experience. Yet Scripture continues to call believers to pursue peace. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people” (Romans 12:18).

This shows that harmonious living is not passive. It requires intentional choices.

It may involve forgiveness.
It may require humility.
It often calls for wisdom in how we respond to others.

Living in peace becomes part of how we reflect God’s character in a broken world.

Harmonious Living in the Journey of Being Perfected

For me, this principle connects deeply to the journey of Being Perfected.

As we grow in Christ, we are invited to live in ways that reflect the wholeness God originally intended. This includes how we relate to Him through prayer and obedience; how we treat others with grace, patience, and truth; and it includes how we care for ourselves through healthy rhythms of rest.

Genesis 2:2 reminds us that God Himself established rest as part of His design. “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done”. As we see, rest is not separate from harmony. It is part of living in alignment with God’s order.

As we mature spiritually, we begin to pursue this kind of wholeness more intentionally. We become people who seek reconciliation, cultivate peace, and live with a sense of balance rooted in God.

Continuing the Study

This principle reveals the relational wholeness at the heart of God’s design. In the next article we will explore Walking with God, and what it means to live in ongoing, intimate fellowship with Him.