REPLICATING THE IMAGE OF GOD

In Genesis 1:26 we find God saying, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness."

One of the foundational truths that we discover early in the Word of God is that God created us in His image. As we follow this theme through the Bible we see clearly that:

1. The pure nature and character of created man was corrupted when the first couple transgressed a simple directive from God.

2. Jesus Christ came to this earth on a mission to provide created man with the opportunity for remission (forgiveness) of sin, reconciliation into a relationship with our Creator, and restoration of a pure nature and character.

Great lengths of time and effort are being spent in this wonderful age of revelation to instruct the Body of Christ in matters of precepts and principles and it seems to this one that so much of our great learning is either

1. Directed at gratifying and satisfying our own carnal lusts for status.

or

2. Directed at accepting our fallen condition as the plight of the Christian.

Genuine biblical Christianity has fallen into such a terrible state of disrepair! For the most part it seems that God's children are either chasing after all the luxuries and dainties of this present world or else they are satisfied with merely cashing in on an eternal fire insurance policy. And, in both instances, as a spiritually hungry world looks on, it fails to see the very thing that mankind was originally created to represent - THE IMAGE OF GOD.

This idea of imaging God is so very important. What a pity that so many of the "great" and "respected" names in the Christian arena are neglecting to invest themselves in instructing believers in this area.

The Apostle Paul said, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

In a nutshell, Ephesians 5:1-2 gives us the God given design for a disciple.

In talking about the proper place and position of his disciples, Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher and the servant like his master." (Matthew 10:24-25)

The word "student" here is the same word that is translated "disciple" in older translations.

There is a question that's worth asking here.

What is the difference in being a "believer" in Jesus and being a "disciple" of Jesus?

Think about the crowds that followed Jesus around the streets and hillsides during his earthly ministry? Did they "believe" in Jesus? Yes. But how many of them followed Jesus to the point that they committed their lives to "imitating" him? It must have broken his heart as he rode into Jerusalem listening to the crowd applaud him only to have the masses turn their hearts against him and call for his crucifiction.

Only a handful of the people that made up the crowds actually remained true to him up to end after his crucifiction. In fact, in Acts 1:15 we find that the believers numbered only one hundred twenty.

Don't let large followings lead you astray. Crowds don't equal disciples. Jesus didn't tell us in Matthew 28:19-20 to "go make crowds." He said, "Go make disciples."

Please don't misunderstand me. Crowds are important and have their place in all that we are doing. But there is an even more important issue here that must not be missed. If active disciples of Jesus Christ are not a calculated and visible product of all that we do then perhaps we should take the time to evaluate our objectives and see what really drives us - do we desire to have a crowd and all the accolades and approvals that go along with it or do we desire to truly see the nature/image of Jesus replicated in the lives of people. This is a serious issue and one that needs desparately to be addressed while we yet have time to assemble a militant body of disciples who will undauntedly and unashamedly carry the message of the Gospel to the perishing world in which we live without fear of making personal sacrifices along the way!

Too much time is being spent tickling the ears of our listeners for the sake of our own personal comforts and too little time is being spent dealing with the very real biblical issues that serve to sharpen our image.

The Sermon On The Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7) is beautiful to read but contains some things taught by Jesus that are a challenge to put into practice. It's full of image sharpeners. Consider what Jesus said about loving our enemies:

"You have heard that is was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of you Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)

What is the perfection that is perfect in God's eyes?

We look for all sorts of ways to justify ourselves for not loving as God loves. We adopt "religious" codes and ethics that are far from loving and do little more than to create a facade of "outward holiness" and then call ourselves faithful. But the perfection that is perfect in God's eyes is a pure heart that loves with the love of God and resists qualifying our benevolences according to our own likes and preferences.

If we are going to replicate the image of God we are going to have to begin by accepting and personalizing the plain and simple teachings of Jesus. If we fail at this point then we disqualify ourselves as disciples seeing we are not doing what our Teacher did.

Here is another set of real image sharpeners straight from the mouth of the Teacher.

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:27-28)

Jesus is talking about every day ordinary life here. He's talking about simple little things that go great lengths in revealing the nature and character of God in us as we give ourselves to replicating the image of God. He's talking about things that make our carnal old nature want to rise up and say, "I can't, I won't do that."

We need to give ourselves to understanding the magic and mystery of mercy. And what is that? Simply this - mercy works! And we must continually examine ourselves to find the obstacles in our lives that we must overcome in order to put into practice the things Jesus is telling us here.

But when we say "no" to the things that sharpen our image we are disqualifying ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. Discipleship demands that we accept and personalize the teaching our our Teacher.

The Word of God is full of information that leads us in the theme that we are following.

Consider this:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)

What nature/image are we striving for? This is an important issue. Especially considering the proliferation of winds and waves of doctrines in these end times that exalt the self and diminish the Savior and the model that He gave us.

Our attitude must be the same as his if we are going to be seen in this world as the image or likeness of God. And contrary to some of the things that men in these times are saying, Jesus was not concerned with accumulating to himself the goods of this world. In fact, an honest evaluation of what he taught reveals that he instructed those who followed him to not be given to heaping unto themselves the riches of this world!

What can be more simpler than,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

When Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and do the work of the ministry he told them,

"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep." (Matthew 10:7-10)

At the cost of being rejected by a large percentage of charismatic believers, Jesus did not make a ministry of preaching prosperity doctrines. He made a ministry of preaching the kingdom of God, healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers and driving out demons!

Nor did the apostles make a ministry of preaching prosperity doctrines! The Apostle Paul was used of the Lord to pen the largest portion of the New Testament. The Lord, apparently, had confidence in him to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Concerning this theme, he said,

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:3-10)

Similarly, the Apostle Paul said,

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17)

All the symbols of glamour and status that we accumulate to ourselves do absolutely nothing toward cultivating the image of God in us. But growing in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit does.

There is a foundational question that is appropriately raised here.

What/who is it that we desire to replicate in this life?

The answer that we give to this question will qualify the degree to which we will replicate the image of God in our lives.

Imaging God begins in our minds.

The Apostle Paul directs out thinking here.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present y our requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:4-8)

Because we are so conditioned by the world that we live in, it is necessary that our minds go through a process of renewal to undo the standards of the world that we have all acquired. These are standards that promote self and satisfy our carnal desires. Unless our minds are renewed, unless our thinking patterns are changed, we can't understand and do the will of God in our lives.

That's why Paul tells us,

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be name new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24)

King David wrote a beautiful song of repentance after the prophet Nathan came to him and revealed to him his adulterous sin with Bathsheba. David knew what he had done and now he knew that his sin was not a secret. In his prayer song we find him saying to God,

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

Our prayer should ever and always be, "Renew a right spirit within me, O God, so I can walk in your image." As the world presses against us in its attempt to lessen our effectiveness in replicating the image of God we must continually give ourselves to renewal lest our adversary gain a foothold in our lives and eventually grow that foothold into a stronghold thus dimming and diminishing the beauty of the image of God that he desires to reveal in us.

Again, the Apostle Paul gives us insight into this by saying,

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2)

Don't be satisfied with less than the Lord desires for you.

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