We were created in the image of God. Knowing this truth is so important that it's in the very first chapter that was ever written of the Bible! Genesis 1:27:
"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.' So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
This sets us apart from any other part of creation. When He created the animals, he created them each according to their kind (Gen. 1:21). In what accordance were we created to? God Himself. His own likeness. Take note of how God said in 27, "Let US make mankind.." This was the first time in creation He used "us," rather than simply speaking it into motion. "Us" refers to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He created us in the image of the Trinity, the perfect community & unity of God Himself. Think on that for a minute, it's absolutely mind boggling.
The fall of humanity, the first sin in the Garden of Eden, distorted God's image in us. But did it destroy it? Remove it? Or is it possible that we all still maintain somewhere inside of us the image of God?
I recently heard a sermon by Dave Lomas of Reality SF (my church family in the Bay area) that has challenged me to view all people in light of this fact: All humanity is created in the image of God. When our hearts are awakened to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the New Testament says numerous times that we are reborn/recreated. (Here are just a few of those examples: 2. Cor. 5:17, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, John 3:3, Rom. 6:6). The language used here suggests that when I accept Christ, my old self is put to death, and my new self is brought to life. A resurrection of the image of God...in me. Not because I myself am capable of acting in a way that looks like God, but because of Christ's transformational work in me, the only possible outcome is that I might be a reflection of Him. When John Calvin spoke of humanity as being created in the image of God, he stated that "sin has made it frightfully deformed [the image], and it must be restored by God." Only God can do a saving work, such as this.
When I think upon my new life in Christ, I am well aware of the darkness that dwelt in me before knowing Him. Any of you who have ever had children or worked with children have seen that no one has to teach a two-year-old how to say, "Mine!" We're sinners. From the time we're young, we're bent towards selfishness, and trying to be our own little gods. But, this is NOT how we were created.
"Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger." (Psalm 8:2)
"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well." (Psalm 139:13-14)
I see this in my nephew, Milo. He hasn't read the Bible for himself yet. And he hasn't fully understood the Gospel, though I practice evangelism on him. Milo is, after all, four months old! And yet...despite the fact that he is a baby, I see the image of God in him. It's something that is beyond words. Even Milo, though a sinner, was so clearly created in the glorious image of God Himself! I cannot fathom otherwise how a baby could be so joyful when I play music for him, wake up giggling, have the capacity to brighten everyone's day, and begin to grow and function as a human being, though he started out as a teeny tiny little embryo. Watching a baby grow is incredible, and he has "image of God" written all over him.
I must confess that seeing the image of God in people is far easier for me to see in Christians than in those who don't know Him. Living in a culture that denies God's existence, sometimes it's hard to see God's image in them...and yet, it's there. I am profoundly humbled to think that I often view people as sinners before I view them as image bearers of God. I wonder how the world would look if all of us who believe started to look every person we encounter in the eyes with love, praying for them, and telling ourselves that they were created in the image of God. I imagine we'd be quicker to care for the orphans and widows, as well as that strange man or woman in our workplace who is so clearly broken that we sometimes try to avoid. As we look for God in others, both believers and unbelievers, I think we'll be amazed to see that it truly exists in everyone. But for those who don't believe, we must pray for a resurrection of that image, and an awakening of their hearts to Jesus Christ. For those who do believe, we must pray for a greater reflection of God's image in one another, as His love deepens in our hearts.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you."
(2 Cor. 4:7-12)
God's surpassing glory, His very image is in us, though in some regards we still look the same as before. And we still wrestle with sin. Why? So that they might see His glory made manifest in our weaknesses. When they see something beautiful in us, they'll see Him. And eventually, they may start to see that they, too, were created for the glory of God.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
I am but a Breath
"All mankind stands as a mere breath!" (Psalm 39:5b)
What an uncommon perspective David had! We rarely think of our lives as being so short. We spend time thinking about things that will fade away. If my life is like a breath, how insignificant are the details of my life in comparison with God's greater purpose! When I one day kneel at the throne of Jesus, will all of these things even matter? And yet, our lives are full of purpose. This purpose is to be in accordance with God's greater plan for humanity, not simply our own very small life.
Since we are called one body of Christ with many members, the Lord gifts us in different ways. One of the ways that we practice our faithfulness to Christ is in being faithful to the gifts He has given us. He has given them to us that He might make Himself known through us in a very personal way, a way that we can understand. The temptation with pursuing these good gifts is that the end goal can become prosperity. Our culture defines success by how much money you make. While we wait and hope for Jesus to say "Well done, good and faithful servant," I don't think he'll be referring to the income we received through our careers. Rather, he will speak these words to those who lived a life of love and devotion to God, and in doing so, invariably others came to know Him, as well! True success = knowing God.
All that can accompany me to heaven is my relationship with my Creator, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. How I long for all of my biological family to know Him! Those who in Christ are now family members, belonging to one another. And yet, it's necessary for us to be burdened that many who we know and love haven't yet received Him. We must pray.
The Lord blesses the one who prays with faith and persistence. How seriously do I pray for those around me who don't know yet know Him? Though the Holy Spirit works apart from us (and certainly doesn't need us), we invite His further work and saving grace when we pray.
when a person is once saved, are they always saved? This seems to be a debatable topic among Christians. Regardless of your own convictions on this question, we are still called to live a certain way. We must always be tuned in to the fact that our hearts are prone to wander, to forget the Gospel. We must daily respond through repentance, thanksgiving, and worship of our Lover.
If my life is a mere breath, what will be recollected of it? Will it be me? Or Christ made manifest through me? Though I have certainly rebelled against God and wasn't always saved by Him, how will I live my life from this day forward? I walk with Him confident in my salvation because I was purchased by the blood of Christ. Now, I am instructed to fight the good fight of faith (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Below are some further references on how we are to live towards Christ, continuing in the faith with perseverance, as His faithful children. After all, our lives are but a breath.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
"Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (Proverbs 24:16)
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples...'" (John 8:31)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5)
What an uncommon perspective David had! We rarely think of our lives as being so short. We spend time thinking about things that will fade away. If my life is like a breath, how insignificant are the details of my life in comparison with God's greater purpose! When I one day kneel at the throne of Jesus, will all of these things even matter? And yet, our lives are full of purpose. This purpose is to be in accordance with God's greater plan for humanity, not simply our own very small life.
Since we are called one body of Christ with many members, the Lord gifts us in different ways. One of the ways that we practice our faithfulness to Christ is in being faithful to the gifts He has given us. He has given them to us that He might make Himself known through us in a very personal way, a way that we can understand. The temptation with pursuing these good gifts is that the end goal can become prosperity. Our culture defines success by how much money you make. While we wait and hope for Jesus to say "Well done, good and faithful servant," I don't think he'll be referring to the income we received through our careers. Rather, he will speak these words to those who lived a life of love and devotion to God, and in doing so, invariably others came to know Him, as well! True success = knowing God.
All that can accompany me to heaven is my relationship with my Creator, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. How I long for all of my biological family to know Him! Those who in Christ are now family members, belonging to one another. And yet, it's necessary for us to be burdened that many who we know and love haven't yet received Him. We must pray.
The Lord blesses the one who prays with faith and persistence. How seriously do I pray for those around me who don't know yet know Him? Though the Holy Spirit works apart from us (and certainly doesn't need us), we invite His further work and saving grace when we pray.
when a person is once saved, are they always saved? This seems to be a debatable topic among Christians. Regardless of your own convictions on this question, we are still called to live a certain way. We must always be tuned in to the fact that our hearts are prone to wander, to forget the Gospel. We must daily respond through repentance, thanksgiving, and worship of our Lover.
If my life is a mere breath, what will be recollected of it? Will it be me? Or Christ made manifest through me? Though I have certainly rebelled against God and wasn't always saved by Him, how will I live my life from this day forward? I walk with Him confident in my salvation because I was purchased by the blood of Christ. Now, I am instructed to fight the good fight of faith (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Below are some further references on how we are to live towards Christ, continuing in the faith with perseverance, as His faithful children. After all, our lives are but a breath.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
"Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (Proverbs 24:16)
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples...'" (John 8:31)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5)
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
"...That They May Know That I Am God."
Nearly everything that happens in our lives happens simply so that we might know God. Hardships. Blessings. Loss. Gain. The Lord divinely appoints all circumstances so that He might be glorified, magnified in us.
Even pop culture seems to grasp part of this truth, though incomplete. Kanye West sings, "That, that don't kill me, can only make me stronger." In fact, many celebrities and singers communicate this same message. And it's true, we do become stronger throughout the challenges of life. But why do we become stronger? Is it for our good, or for God's? When challenges come, this is an opportunity for God's strength to be made manifest in us. Though it does benefit us, we are not the end goal. God is. As we become strong, it's not really our strength at all. It is the divine strength of the One who made us. His strength is limitless, ours is limited. How freeing it is to draw strength from a source which has no end!
Not only do hardships come our way so that we might know Him, but blessings come with the same purpose. The danger of being blessed by God is that we might fail to see Him as the source of our blessing. He is the only one who is altogether good; therefore, all that is good comes from Him (James 1:17). He gives us good things, that we might glorify His name, as our eyes begin to see more clearly His kindness, provision, faithfulness, and graciousness. Also, He blesses us, so that we might be a blessing to others (Gen. 12:2). This truth is in perfect harmony with the two greatest commandments that Jesus later gives us in Matthew Gospel account: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:35-40). The symmetry in biblical texts, even over the test of time, is one of the many ways God has shown His word to be infallible, absolute truth. Loving God propels us and enables us to love one another, as Jesus laid it out for us in its proper order.
When we speak of the Lord blessing us, we must be careful with the way we define blessing. While blessing may mean health and wealth, our greatest blessing is often much different. Jesus said it well in His sermon the mount:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
(Matthew 5:2-12)
These are the ones who are called blessed.
As the Lord blesses us, the only appropriate response is to believe God, know God, and glorify God. Has God blessed you with meaningful relationships? Those of family? Friends? Spouse? Glorify Him by building each other up, spurring one another on towards Christ. Love one another from within your hearts (Col. 3:12-17; Rom. 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13). Has God blessed you with a home? Food to eat? Glorify God through giving your resources back to Him and to those who are in need. Trust His promise to provide for you, and be generous in your giving. Has God blessed you through an awakening of His love for you? Glorify Him by offering your very life as a sacrifice unto Him.
God gives us exactly what we need in His perfect timing, that we might know Him and proclaim His excellencies. For some, this means being a missionary in a third world country. For others, this means living as an ambassador of Christ wherever you are and whatever your job description may be. I praise God for those of you who see it as your primary purpose in life to know and glorify God! You are a co-heirs and co-laborer with Christ (1 Cor. 3:6-9).
So then, whether in plenty or in need, in affliction or ease, in joy or sorrow, let us strive to see God for who He truly is. Throughout generations upon generations, God has revealed Himself to us, that we might know that He is God. These thoughts of mine have been shaped over time, but have been more recently confirmed through the study of Genesis and Exodus. The Lord relentlessly delivers this message: "I will do this or that...that they may know that I am God."
For further study:
Genesis 5:1; 6:18; 8:22; 9:11-13; 12:2; 15:5-6; 16:13; 18:1; 22:9-14; 26:24; 28:15-17; 29:31-35; 32:30; 35:10-11; 39:23; 41:16,52; 43:23; 45:8; 50:19-20
Exodus 3:6,12; 4:10-12,31; 6:6-7, 7:17; 8:19,22; 9:6,14-16,29; 10:1-2; 11:9; 12:17; 13:8-10; 14:13-14,17-18,31; 15:26; 16:12; 17:6-7; 18:8-11; 19:9,20; 20:18-21; 24:17
Even pop culture seems to grasp part of this truth, though incomplete. Kanye West sings, "That, that don't kill me, can only make me stronger." In fact, many celebrities and singers communicate this same message. And it's true, we do become stronger throughout the challenges of life. But why do we become stronger? Is it for our good, or for God's? When challenges come, this is an opportunity for God's strength to be made manifest in us. Though it does benefit us, we are not the end goal. God is. As we become strong, it's not really our strength at all. It is the divine strength of the One who made us. His strength is limitless, ours is limited. How freeing it is to draw strength from a source which has no end!
Not only do hardships come our way so that we might know Him, but blessings come with the same purpose. The danger of being blessed by God is that we might fail to see Him as the source of our blessing. He is the only one who is altogether good; therefore, all that is good comes from Him (James 1:17). He gives us good things, that we might glorify His name, as our eyes begin to see more clearly His kindness, provision, faithfulness, and graciousness. Also, He blesses us, so that we might be a blessing to others (Gen. 12:2). This truth is in perfect harmony with the two greatest commandments that Jesus later gives us in Matthew Gospel account: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:35-40). The symmetry in biblical texts, even over the test of time, is one of the many ways God has shown His word to be infallible, absolute truth. Loving God propels us and enables us to love one another, as Jesus laid it out for us in its proper order.
When we speak of the Lord blessing us, we must be careful with the way we define blessing. While blessing may mean health and wealth, our greatest blessing is often much different. Jesus said it well in His sermon the mount:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
(Matthew 5:2-12)
These are the ones who are called blessed.
As the Lord blesses us, the only appropriate response is to believe God, know God, and glorify God. Has God blessed you with meaningful relationships? Those of family? Friends? Spouse? Glorify Him by building each other up, spurring one another on towards Christ. Love one another from within your hearts (Col. 3:12-17; Rom. 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13). Has God blessed you with a home? Food to eat? Glorify God through giving your resources back to Him and to those who are in need. Trust His promise to provide for you, and be generous in your giving. Has God blessed you through an awakening of His love for you? Glorify Him by offering your very life as a sacrifice unto Him.
God gives us exactly what we need in His perfect timing, that we might know Him and proclaim His excellencies. For some, this means being a missionary in a third world country. For others, this means living as an ambassador of Christ wherever you are and whatever your job description may be. I praise God for those of you who see it as your primary purpose in life to know and glorify God! You are a co-heirs and co-laborer with Christ (1 Cor. 3:6-9).
So then, whether in plenty or in need, in affliction or ease, in joy or sorrow, let us strive to see God for who He truly is. Throughout generations upon generations, God has revealed Himself to us, that we might know that He is God. These thoughts of mine have been shaped over time, but have been more recently confirmed through the study of Genesis and Exodus. The Lord relentlessly delivers this message: "I will do this or that...that they may know that I am God."
For further study:
Genesis 5:1; 6:18; 8:22; 9:11-13; 12:2; 15:5-6; 16:13; 18:1; 22:9-14; 26:24; 28:15-17; 29:31-35; 32:30; 35:10-11; 39:23; 41:16,52; 43:23; 45:8; 50:19-20
Exodus 3:6,12; 4:10-12,31; 6:6-7, 7:17; 8:19,22; 9:6,14-16,29; 10:1-2; 11:9; 12:17; 13:8-10; 14:13-14,17-18,31; 15:26; 16:12; 17:6-7; 18:8-11; 19:9,20; 20:18-21; 24:17
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