Our Image in the Future

     Our eternal image was decided aeons ago.

     “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’  So God created man in His own image…”  Genesis 1:26-27

     ‘God’ in this passage is Elohim which is a plural noun, representing the Trinity.  Plurality is substantiated by the nouns ‘Us’ and ‘Our.’

     God ‘made’ or fashioned man after His likeness; however, He began by creating man out of nothing.  ‘Created’ in this context means the initiation of something and can only be done by God.  Thus ‘create’ precedes ‘make.’

     ‘Image’ and ‘likeness’ can be used interchangeably and they both mean representative, similitude or fashion.

     Therefore, man’s image in the likeness of God began with Adam.  God’s image includes life eternal and possession of His Spirit.

     Well, Adam put a detour on man’s odyssey; however, due to God’s grace He bought man back and reinstated His original intent.  The price He paid was the blood of Jesus, and redeemed man is once again on the path of life.

     Let’s fast forward to the days following Christ’s birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, to the revelations given to the Church.  Christ was resurrected with an eternal glorified body not subject to corruption.

     We’ll examine the writings of Peter, John, and Paul.  Their messages are the same.

     “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”  Romans 8:29

     ‘Foreknew’ means ‘foreordained’ while ‘conformed’ means to be ‘fashioned together in His likeness.’

     “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 8:29

     Note that ‘glorified’ is the past tense; it is a sure thing.

     Peter also addressed those whom God has called and have been given the knowledge of Himself and His Son.

     “…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world…”  2 Peter 1:4

     The ‘divine nature’ amplifies the words Paul used in the previous Scripture passage, i.e. ‘glorified.’  Such awaits those who not only believe in Christ, but those who have committed their entire life and being to Him.

     Paul, in his letter to the church in Philippi, confirmed God’s gift of grace through Christ…

     “…who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body…”  Philippians 3:21

     ‘Transform’ means to change the outward form or appearance of something.  From corruption (decay) to glory!

     John acknowledged the future transformation, but added that we don’t have full knowledge of exactly what redeemed man will be like until the glorified Christ is revealed as He returns.

     “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  1 John 3:2

     Our future is sure, inasmuch as Jesus Himself prayed for our future glory.

     “I do not pray for these (disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word (us); that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us…and the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.”  John 17:20-22

     And then Jesus prayed that we would be with Him where He is.

     “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me…”  John 17:24

     Jesus Christ was/is the exact image of the Father.  Man was created in the image of God.  Man sinned.  Jesus took on the image (appearance) of man to fulfill that which man could not do. The price of Jesus’ shed blood for man’s sins assured us that God’s plan would be fulfilled - that in the future we would be given glorified, eternal bodies in the image of the One who saved us.

     Perfect plan, perfect fulfillment.

    

The Image of Life

     The previous segment was entitled: An Image of Death while the present segment begins with the word ‘The’ instead of ‘An.’

     ‘An’ indicates there are multiple images leading to death while ‘The’ indicates there is a single image of life, and so it is.

     In Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse he expounds on God’s gracious gift of redemption made possible because of His Son.

     “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”  Colossians 1:15

     ‘Image’ means ‘representation’ or ‘likeness.’ And very significantly, Jesus ‘is the’ image of God.  ‘Is’ means ‘to be’ or ‘am’ or ‘are.’  Recall from “An Image of Death” an image was made or achieved by effort.  Jesus ‘is’ and ‘was’ and always ‘will be.’

     Jesus’ deity is confirmed, inasmuch as He is described as ‘the firstborn (preeminent) over all creation.’

     The writer of the Book of Hebrews makes similar proclamations as he describes Jesus relative to His Father.

     “…who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power…”  Hebrews 1:3

     In this case Jesus is described as the ‘express image’ of His Father.  The appropriate synonym for ‘express’ is ‘exact.’

     ‘Being’ in the above is akin to ‘is’ noted earlier.  And Jesus’ deity is again exemplified when it is said He upholds all things by the word of His power.  Jesus is ‘being’ the brightness of His Father’s glory; He is not made by effort as is ‘an image of death.’

     Jesus’ deity was reinforced in an earlier verse in Hebrews.

     “God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds…”  Hebrews 1:2

     The doctrine of Jesus being the image of His Father is also expressed in Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth.

     “…our gospel is veiled…to those who are perishing…who do not believe…the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…” 

2 Corinthians 4:3

     Again, Jesus Christ ‘is the’ image of God, not ‘an’ image made by effort.

     And then Paul reveals an astounding truth about Jesus and His assignment from the Father.

     Jesus, the Son of God with equal deity, forfeits equality with His Father for a season, for the sake of man, who was ‘created’ in the image of God.

     “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men…”  Philippians 2:5-7

     Jesus, ‘being in the form of God’ means that He was and always will be God.  No one or anything could be in the form of God without being God.  Jesus continued as God as He subsequently took on the form of a bondservant.  He then came to earth in the likeness of men, i.e. visible in outward appearance and identifiable form.

     Jesus was never without being God, but took on the likeness or appearance of men.

     When it is said that Jesus ‘did not consider it robbery to be equal to God,’ the meaning is that Jesus was always God and did not need to apply force, or to seize equality with God, as if by robbery; He already was God.

     And then Paul revealed the divine purpose of the God/man Jesus.

     “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”  Philippians 2:8

     The writer of Hebrews provides even more detail.

     “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9

     Thus Jesus took on the form (appearance) of a man to do that which created man could never do, i.e. fulfill the righteousness of God.  The Creator fulfilled the duty of the created and gave life to the dead.

    

    

    

An Image of Death

    Let’s begin with the Ten Commandments, specifically the second Commandment.

     “You shall not make for yourself a carved (graven) image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth…”  Exodus 20:4

     The Hebrew word for ‘make’ has several synonyms including ‘work’ and ‘carved,’ while ‘likeness’ means ‘shaped’ or ‘fashioned.’

     God gave Moses more details on His requirements and Moses conveyed all what he was told to the people.

     “So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments.  And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has said we will do.’”  Exodus 24:3

     Then the children of Israel sacrificed burnt and peace offerings to the LORD.

     “And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.’”  Exodus 24:8

     Everything appeared to be very well for the children of Israel.  God had given His commandments and statutes to the Israelites and they agreed full obedience.  Then the agreement (covenant) was ratified with the blood of the sacrificed animals.

     Not long after that, Moses was called back up the mountain where God would give explicit instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle where He would reside in the midst of the Israelites during their time in the wilderness.  God would also provide tablets of stone with the original 10 Commandments inscribed thereon.  

     Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

     Due to the delay in Moses’ return the people became restless.

     “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’”  Exodus 32:1

     Aaron had little control over the people and he succumbed to their wishes.  He asked for a collection of golden earrings…

     “…And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.”  Exodus 32:4

     Then the people said that the calf was their god that brought them out of the land of Egypt.  Aaron responded by building an altar and proclaiming a feast day.

     “Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”  Exodus 32:6

     However, the Almighty, omniscient God knew their thoughts and words from the mountain and informed Moses what was going on below.

     “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them.  They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”  Exodus 32:8

     Note how the children of Israel broke the 2^nd Commandment in specific detail. 

     Remember, ‘You shall not make…a carved image – any likeness of anything…’  and ‘make’ means to build or carve an object with a tool to be worshiped. 

     Aaron ‘made’ the golden calf (image) and fashioned (shaped) it with an engraving (graven) tool.  Then the people proclaimed the calf to be Israel’s god that delivered them out of bondage.

     Upon hearing God’s words Moses went down the mountain with the two tablets of the 10 commandments.  As Moses approached the people he saw the calf and the people dancing.

     “Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder…”  Exodus 32:20

     God gave immediate instructions to handle the unrepentant offenders.

     “Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor…and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.”  Exodus 32:27-28