GOD'S DESIRE FOR SELF EXTENSION

"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26, NKJV)

Devotion 5 of 10

SALVATION REMAKES PEOPLE AFTER GOD'S IMAGE

When I use the word "salvation," I have something specific in mind. From the academic point of view, "salvation" means DELIVERANCE. It involves the rescue of someone in captivity, the release of one that is in bondage or confinement. The idea of RECOVERY is also included--like a sick person being made well.

When the Bible uses this word, it has a much broader meaning. It deals more with man's REAL need, and announces a PERMANENT resolution. Jesus is called a "horn of salvation" in Luke 1:69. The idea is that with Him came the announcement or proclamation of deliverance. This salvation is something that God has "sent" (Acts 28:28). It is something man needed. More than that, however, it is something God wanted to give! His purpose is the driving force behind salvation more than man's need and desire for it.

This is a salvation that teaches men to "say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:12-14).

This is salvation from sin and its effects. Jesus came to "save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). "Their sins" are the thoughts and deeds that drove a wedge between them and God. They are the things that caused us to become unlike Him, even though we bear His image. Until we are born again, we are like God in capacity, but unlike Him in expression. That is another way of saying we have been made so weak by sin that we cannot do what God intended us to do.

Sin, or violating the will and law of God, takes our moral power away. Moral power is the ability to choose what is right and reject what is wrong. It is always avoiding doing what is evil and never avoiding what is righteous. On these points, the entire human race has failed, or flunked the test. This is what the Bible means when it says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). That is another way of saying we have not conducted our lives in a God-like manner.

Salvation deals with our situation, and does so effectively. Remember, we have been made in the image of God. However, sin scratched and effaced the image- something like scattering spots of paint over the canvas of a valuable painting. The painting, in such a case, would be marred, or defaced. Humanity is like that. It has been defaced by sin. Salvation restores the Divine image, making us like God once again. This is exactly what the Bible says. "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:10). What is the Lord saying in this verse? Simply this: when we are saved from the guilt of our sin, we are also saved from its power over us. Not only is it wrong to lie to one another, we do not have to do so. We can "take off" our "old self," just like we take off dirty and torn clothing. We do not remove our "old self" in our own strength. When we are saved from sin we become strong with God's own strength. Then we are able to quit doing and saying things we could not quit before. We are even able to quit dwelling on such things in our minds. You then take "off your old self with its practices."

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name, thank You for a salvation so great it changes me, and empowers me to make and implement righteous choices.

-- TOMORROW: NOT ENOUGH TO REFRAIN FROM SIN --