The writer of Hebrews
says that God wants to show His people “the unchangeableness of His purpose”
(Hebrews 6:17, NAS). God will never deviate from His original plan for mankind. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and
over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male
and female created he them (Genesis 1:26-27, KJV). God plainly states His plan: “Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness; and let them have dominion.” God’s original plan is twofold: 1. Man being formed
in God’s image and likeness. 2. Man having
dominion over the earth. DEMONSTRATED DOMINION Our present-day lack of power—which has manifested itself in a lack
of demonstrated dominion—is directly related to our failure to bear His image and
likeness. It means we have not yet come into divine union with Christ on the level
required for Him to release His anointing and authority. This divine union is necessary if
we are to walk in divine dominion. Coming into such a place of divine union and dominion requires us to
become partakers of His divine nature. This will be crucial in these days. Dominion must
be demonstrated in order to be true authority. Mere words will not establish the kingdom
of God (see 1 Corinthians 4:20). The word used for likeness signifies the original after which a thing is
patterned. We are called to be an exact reproduction of the original. John said it this
way: “...as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). And Isaiah writes:
“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?”
(Isaiah 40:18). The problem is not God’s willingness to release true authority and
power; rather, it is our lack of response to His call to take up our cross and die to our
own self-centered ways. We have expected to walk in resurrection power without first
experiencing death! This is impossible. In order to be resurrected, we must first
experience a dying to ourselves. DEFECTING FROM THE
CALL We have, in many ways,
deserted, departed and completely defected from God’s original intent. The modern-day
church has generally abandoned our mission to call people into the likeness of Christ. It
is sad that we have spent many of our spiritual resources forming men into our likeness
and the image we have projected upon them. Once again we must exhibit the heart of Paul
the apostle when he stated, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again
until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19, KJV). Paul is speaking of taking time to build a loving, lasting, personal
relationship with people. He is speaking about spending time in prayer, seeking to do all
he can to help people become all that God has destined them to become. God is calling us back to His original intent. Only as we bear the image
of Christ can we walk in the power of Christ. Others must be able to see Christ Jesus in
us. This is the true definition of a CHRISTIAN: a Christ-like one. Paul stated, “For
me to live is CHRIST!” (Philippians 1:21). Our lives should be so directed by the power and guidance of the Spirit of
God that Christ Jesus is clearly seen in our actions as well as our attitudes. It is
reported of the early Christians that people could tell they had been with Jesus (see Acts
4:13). May we soon bear and clearly demonstrate this testimony that we too have been with
Jesus in such a transforming way. THE DIVINE DESIGN! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the
light of men (John 1:1-4, KJV). …who created all things by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9,
KJV). Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: For by HIM were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers; all things were created by him, and for him; and HE is before all things, and by
Him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence, For it
pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell (Colossians 1:15-19, KJV). Christ Jesus is both
the Author and the Finisher! What He starts, He will complete (see Philippians 1:6).
Christ declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says
the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation
1:8). Does this sound like a God who does not have a master plan? Not at all, for Christ
will complete what He has promised. God will fulfill His divine design for mankind: HIS
PLAN FOR MANKIND TO BEAR HIS DIVINE IMAGE. To be created in the image of God entails that we have the privilege, as
well as the ability, to know, love and serve Almighty God. Although the Bible does not
indicate exactly what it means for man to be in the image of God, some of the following
ideas are clearly included: 1. Man has personal, cognizant fellowship with Almighty God, by faith in
His Son. Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you”
(John 20:21). 2. We have been given a mind that enables us to make choices. 3. We each will exist
forever, either in hell or heaven. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see
him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure. In Romans 8:29-30 Paul adds some very important insights regarding
God’s plan to conform us to this image: For whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be
the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called;
whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also
glorified. God’s divine design is that each of us be conformed to the very image
of Christ Jesus. The degree to which this occurs is the degree of glory we will be able to
reveal to a lost world. So how does this transformation into His image take place? Only as we
remove our spiritual veils and behold Christ face to face: 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 (2 Corinthians 3:18). For this transformation
to occur, we have the responsibility to make no provisions for the wicked flesh, but to
put on the new man, the very nature of our holy God. Paul warns us, “But put on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans
13:14). We are also instructed by Paul in Colossians 3:10: “And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to
the image of Him who created him.” Christ Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. This is why He could say,
“If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:7-9; also see Matthew
1:23). There are many passages in the Bible presenting Christ Jesus as “the image of
the invisible God”: Giving thanks
unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints
in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: Who is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and
for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of
the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all
things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all
fullness dwell... (Colossians 1:12-19, KJV). The writer of Hebrews states that Christ is the “express image”
of God. Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by
the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high... (Hebrews 1:3, KJV). However, there must be a radical change in our way of living if this is to
become a reality. Each day we must make the decision to die to the self life and live to
the Spirit. Only then can we bear a true reflection of the glory of Christ. |
October 25, 2002