February 25, 2018 IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD
Genesis 1:26-27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
In the very first chapter of the Bible we find a truth that is central to the very heart of the gospel, a truth that reveals the ultimate plans and purposes that God has for His people. Understanding this truth enables us to remain steadfast in the gospel even during difficult times. To help us grasp this truth, we must not forget that in the beginning, Adam and Eve lived on the earth when sin did not exist. This time had to be a fantastic experience; a time when man and woman enjoyed total fellowship with God and with each other; a time when God walked with them “in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3); and a time when man and nature were in complete harmony. The life that Adam and Eve experienced before sin is the life that God had in mind from the very beginning, AND it is the life that will be experienced again. What happened? Man sinned against God and the fellowship with God was interrupted and the order of life in general was lost. Don’t misunderstand; God knew from the beginning that man would sin against Him, and in His love for man, He provided a way for man to once again enjoy fellowship with Him. Gods’ one and only plan for the restoration of man was Jesus! The core truth that we must cling to is that God has made a way for us to once again enjoy Him and a way for us not to be in bondage to sin; Jesus has dealt with the sin issue that separated us form fellowship with God. We also must know that even though the sin issue has been dealt with and we no longer have to live under the domain of sin, our redemption and restoration has not yet been fully completed. Our time on earth is a time of being transformed; a time of working out our salvation; and a time when we learn to be overcomers. We have been spiritually restored to our Father, but there is coming a day when all of creation will be restored and sin will once again not be an issue! God has a wonderful master plan that is in the process of being executed even at this very moment and nothing can hinder His plan or keep it from coming to pass. 1 Corinthians 13:12 describes what is like living in a time in which we are in the process of being transformed: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We must not lose sight of the fact that we have been made in the likeness of God, and now because of what Jesus as done on our behalf-saved us and made us new creations and given us a new nature-we can live life reflecting the very nature of God, even in a fallen world! Let us understand that we are on a journey-a journey of being fully transformed into the image of God, and that by His grace, we were created in the likeness of God. There is no room for a poor self-image, no room ‘gloom and doom’, and no reason not to be being daily transformed into His image. We have a grand destiny-we are made in His likeness!
Ephesians 4:24: “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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