Reflecting God

Scriptural Text: ;

The Velveteen Rabbit turned to the old wise experienced Skin Horse in the nursery, and asked ‘What is Real? Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?’ The Skin Horse replied: ‘Real isn’’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’ ‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit. ‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘Does it happen all at once, or bit by bit?’ It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse, ‘You become. It takes a long time…Generally, by the time you are Real most of your hair has been loved off and your eyes drop out, and you get very shabby…but once you are Real you cannot become unreal again. It lasts for always. (Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit)

The average person in the world today, without faith and without God and without hope, is engaged in a desperate personal search and struggle throughout his lifetime. He does not really know what he is doing here. He does not know where he is going.

Agreeing with Tozer, “Man has Lost God.” “Man, made more like God than any other creature, has become less like God than any other creature. Created to reflect the glory of God, he has retreated sullenly into his cave—reflecting only his own sinfulness.

Certainly it is a tragedy above all tragedies in this world that love has gone from man’s heart. Beyond that, light has gone from his mind. Having lost God, he blindly stumbled on through this dark world to find only a grave at the end!"

Humanity is created in the image or likeness of God. This image of God, given in creation, was damaged in the fall, but may be restored through Jesus Christ.

Certainly it is a tragedy above all tragedies in this world that love has gone from man’s heart. Beyond that, light has gone from his mind. Having lost God, he blindly stumbled on through this dark world to find only a grave at the end!"

Humanity created in God’s image (, )

Image and likeness are probably synonymous terms in Hebrew parallelism. No physical likeness between God and humanity is intended.

and likeness are probably synonymous terms in Hebrew parallelism. No physical likeness between God and humanity is intended.

See also

(ESV) This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

The divine image implies partnership with God in the stewardship of creation(, )

The divine image implies partnership with God in the stewardship of creation(, )

God created humans as his images or “royal representatives” to glorify him. “Image” implies an audience, so imaging God was in itself a missionary endeavor. God assigned his royal priestly representatives to spread out and subdue the earth, including all the wilderness outside the Garden and the rebellious creature who would tempt the new couple to sin ().

The divine image implies partnership with God in the stewardship of creation

God instituted the family as imaging procreation and organization, relating creatively and ruling beneficently. From the very beginning God designed individuals and families to glorify him as ambassadors, royal priests and prophets, “missionaries.” The only thing that changed through time under Israel and then via the Great Commission was the specificity of the message God’s people were to take to the world. The core message has always been “follow the true God like we do, and let us show you the way.”

God created humans as his images or “royal representatives” to glorify him. ().

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God instituted the family as imaging procreation and organization, relating creatively and ruling beneficently.

From the very beginning God designed individuals and families to glorify him as ambassadors, royal priests and prophets, “missionaries.” ... the message God’s people were to take to the world. The core message has always been “follow the true God like we do, and let us show you the way.”

Summary: “Imaging God” means showing God’s attributes in actions and attitudes, words and works.

Summary: “Imaging God” means showing God’s attributes in actions and attitudes, words and works.

Summary: God designed humans to fellowship with him, obey him, administer for him, and imitate him, including procreating more images, naming, prophesying, and influencing for righteousness.

Thus work of all types, “secular” and “sacred,” images God, especially when energized with the Spirit’s loving power that brings all things into submission to Christ (; ).

Jesus Christ the image of God (; , )

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(ESV) — 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:6 (ESV) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

(ESV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

See also

(ESV) In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

He is the exact representation of God ()

(ESV) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

He reveals God ()

(ESV) No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Jesus Christ is the perfect human being (, ; ; ; )

(ESV) — 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 1:4 (ESV) In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

(ESV) The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

(ESV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(ESV) — 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Restoration of the divine image through Jesus Christ

The divine image is renewed in all who are united with him by faith (, ; ; ; )

(ESV) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

(ESV) — 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

See also

(ESV) And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

(ESV) — 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

(ESV) — 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.