The Image of God
A famous artist who paints masterpieces, finds one of his
early artworks mounted on a cheap and dirty frame. In tears, he cleans it,
restores it and reframes it, knowing in his heart the true value of this
masterpiece. We were created in the image of God which was damaged by sin. With
Christ we are a new creation, restored
to the image of God in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness.
(Ephesians 4:24)
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."
(Genesis 1:26)
God knew us in advance, and He decided in advance that we
would be conformed to the image of His
Son. (Romans 8:29)
Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
all creation. (Col 1:15)
We have put on the new self, which is being renewed in
knowledge after the image of its creator.
(Col 3:10)
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Corin 3:18)
Adam and Eve were created in God's image. Our fallen race,
chose the fallen image of Sin and distorted God’s creation. In Christ, we are
reborn and recreated in Christ's image as part of the New Covenant.
If we were made in the image of God as part of His original
creation, then our sin is a curse that can only be resolved by the transforming
atonement of Jesus Christ who is the very image of God. Through Christ alone we
can be made right before God and conform to the image of His Son that we were
originally created to be. Jesus said, “Whoever sees me sees the Father”. (John
12:45)
Instead of asking the Lord WHY, we should ask ... What is it that You want to be for me now that
You were not for me in the past? What is it that You want me to be for You now
that I was not for You in the past? Our renewed life is not about what is going
on around us, it is how my relationship with God is maturing?
What do we have to do to live in God's Kingdom? Nothing! God gives us the free gift of
grace which softens our hearts to receive the free gift of faith to believe,
trust and surrender to Jesus. We are forgiven and set free from our sinful
nature. We are reborn, recreated and restored to the image of God in true
righteousness and holiness. We get to know Our Father's love, we are eternally
saved and we are translated into a new way of living in His Kingdom. As
children of God, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to obey and renew our way of
thinking, as we mature and produce spiritual fruit that brings others to His
Kingdom.