Humanity was created in the image of God to become the image of His Son.
“Let us make humanity 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.” (Genesis 1:26)
"For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)
Over many years I have read through the Bible numerous times in a bunch of different translations and paraphrases trying to figure out what it says God is up to. My summary of what I have learned about God is pretty simple:
God and His Son are Sovereign and they love humanity. They have no equals. They are always just. Their wrath ends with death. Their Grace and Mercy never end. God is the Father of humanity and we are all His children - the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Son is the firstborn of all creation. The Son created the ages to reveal to His creatures the power and attributes of God the Father. Knowledge of the Devine plan and purpose in those ages has been progressive throughout the ages. God's final revelation was to the Apostle Paul who tells us that at the end of the ages God will abolish death and all creation will bow before the Son and give glory to God the Father. After that there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, sin or death.
"By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance." (Isaiah 45:23)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with humanity, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Because humanity was made in the image of God the fruit of His Spirit shows up in humans from time to time. These fruits are simply the manifestation of His attributes and show we are moving toward the image of His Son. These fruits are:
"Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness, and Self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23)
Humanity is in the process of being "conformed to the image of His Son". We are the clay in the hands of the Devine potter. Humanity was originally flawed by design to be smashed and reworked into the finished product.
Why were we flawed by design?
To provide creation with a contrast between good and evil. Humanity cannot appreciate good unless they have experienced evil. For example, we cannot appreciate being pain free until we have had some pain!
Our sinful nature and the resulting chaos provides creatures something to compare to the finished product.
We are all a work in progress. Our final transformation will be into the image of Jesus, the Son of God who Himself is...
"...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." (Colossians 1:15)
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Some humans are closer to the finished product than others and you can identify those folks when you see the above fruits of the Spirit shining through from time to time. But they are not complete so they regularly get bound up in the works of the flesh, and the glory of the Spirit fades.