MAN MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD Devotion #10 of 17

"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. 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)

SALVATION AND THE IMAGE

In Christ, the image of God is fully restored in humanity. The conformity begins in the realm of time, and will be consummated in eternity. Apart from Christ, humanity cannot reach its appointed objective. The Spirit affirms that the new creation is a renewal of the individual "in knowledge after the Image of Him that created Him" (Col 3:10). Man's cognitive and intutive powers are brought to their appex in the Lord Jesus Christ. His knowledge is honed to a fine edge as conformity to the XDivine Image progresses. Adam did not attain to the goal determined for him. Nature does not possess sufficient power or resources to bring man where God wants him. How abundantly this was demonstrated in Israel. They were given the land of promise, yet never possessed it in its fullness. They came short of the divine objective. This is a mirror of the condition in which the entire human family is found. Salvation is more than a covering of the past. It is more than recovering what Adam lost. Here is the appointed means of restoring the Image in greater clarity in order that we might advance in the purpose of God. Rescuing the lost is the way to get people on track again, but it is not the totality of the objective, only the beginning of it. Jesus is the "Finisher" as well as the "Author" of our faith (Heb 12:2), the "End" as well as the "Beginning" (Rev 22:13), the "Last" as well as the "First" (Rev 1:17), the "Omega" as well as the "Alpha" (Rev 1:8).

Predestinated to be conformed!

"For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). No one can disannul this determination! God has purposed that everyone in Christ will become like Christ. There is no salvation apart from this! Those who are in the Son, fighting the good fight of faith, are being conformed to His image. They are becoming more like Jesus in their thoughts, words, and ways. There is less of a distinction between them and Christ Jesus, as well as more enjoyable harmony. The "image of His Son" is a moral image. In the world, this involves knowing to choose the good and refuse the evil, a prophesied trait of Jesus (Isa. 7:15-16). From the eternal perspective, it includes becoming an "heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). How precious the promise that overcomers will "sit" with Jesus in His "throne," reigning with Him (Rev. 3:21). This is nothing less than being conformed to His image. The conformation begins here, but it is consummated in the world to come! Oh, the magnitude of our salvation!

-- TOMORROW: THE "ISM" SYNDROME -- -- MONDAY: WE ARE BEING CHANGED --