Spiritual Formation- Humanity's Image

Genesis 1:26

In 1980, the Vatican embarked on a restoration process of the Sistine Chapel. After hundreds of years from smoke from candles, the original work of art had become dull and dim.

In fourteen years, art restorationists worked diligently to restore the masterpiece to its original form. Some celebrated their work and others criticized. The concensus of many was no matter how hard the restorers tried, they could not capture the original image.

As the art restorers attempted to recapture Michelangelo’s original design, God’s people are also in a restoration process. However, the difference between the work at the Sistine Chapel and the work in our lives depends on the restorer.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to make a way for humanity to enjoy a restore image. Not one corrupted by sin, but one that mirrors God’s original design and intention.

The process of being restored to God’s plan for our lives is called Christian Spiritual Formation.

Christian—meaning the focus is not on self-help, but in a transforming relationship with Christ.

Spiritual— meaning God’s interest in every aspect of our lives, spirit, soul, and body.

Formation— meaning being shaped into the image of God.

Dianne Chandler defined Christian Spiritual Formation as, the process of being restored into the image of God through Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Much is written about salvation. Messages are preached about giving our lives to Jesus. Many have heard the simple truth of the Gospel— God will accept anyone who believes in His Son.

Why did God save us?

What is the end goal of salvation?

What does salvation mean to God?

Much emphasis is placed on praying the sinner’s prayer and trusting that when we die we will go to heaven. But if we view salvation only in terms of eternity, we shortchange ourselves in what God can do in and through us in the present.

Salvation is an instant work of grace, but living out our salvation is a process of depending on the Holy Spirit.

For the next six weeks, we will focus on the Spiritual Formation process. God has so much for us, and salvation is the open door. To realize the potential of Spiritual Formation, we need to begin with Humanity’s Image.

Original Image

Genesis 1:27-28

The climax of creation was when God made man. Unlike other gods in false religions, our God is a personal God. He did not work from a distance in creation.

Instead, he worked closely with his creation, not far removed, but up close and personal (Chan). When the God determined to create man, He decided to make him in His image.

What is the image of God?

How do we envision God’s personality?

Genesis 2:7; 18

If we want to delve into the image of God, we need to look at humanity. God infused Adam and Eve with life. He breathed His breath into them.

They were not born and grown, they were created. God did not make a body and then slowly teach them how to walk, how to understand emotions, how to think, or how to build relationships. (Chandler)

Instead, He made Adam and Eve like Himself. He created Adam and Eve with a body and a spirit. Therefore, their original image was that of God.

How is our current image different than our original image?

What changed our original image?

Corrupted Image

Genesis 2:15-17

With full human intellect and capabilities, God instructed Adam to tend to the Garden, his own paradise. However, he had one instruction, do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Should he eat from the tree, he will die.

Often people think that Adam and Eve were perfect. That is not the case. Adam and Ever were innocent. Perfection cannot take on imperfections, or else they were never perfect at all.

Instead, God made Adam and Eve innocent. They never knew sin. They had not concept of sin.

What would life be like without sin?

How does sin negatively affect humanity?

Adam and Eve faced temptation. Satan came into the Garden in the form of a snake to twist God’s words.

Genesis 3:4-5

He made Eve and eventually Adam to believe that God withheld something they really needed. Therefore, they both willfully disobeyed. It was not a mistake, it was an evil choice.

When tempted with sin, they made the evil decision to partake in what God strictly told them to avoid.

What did the consequence of death mean?

How did Adam’s evil choice change the world?

The moment they sinned, innocence took on corruption. No longer did Adam and Eve look at each other and their surroundings in innocence.

They felt intense shame, specifically because of their nakedness. They hid out from God, who came looking for them.

Genesis 3:8-10

We see the personal nature of God. He was not a distant deity who had little to no contact with His creation. Instead, God created humanity for the purpose of staying in close contact with them.

Now, sin separated God from mankind, who had an image corrupted by sin.

Redeemed Image

Genesis 3:14-15

Before God dealt with Adam and Eve, He confronted the culprit of their temptation. He cursed Satan, and in the process issued a promise.

God created humanity in His image. They enjoyed innocence because they were made like God. Now, their innocence is destroyed and their lives corrupted.

Therefore, God promised that He would send the Seed of the woman who would one day come and overcome the seed of Satan, which is sin.

What was God’s plan to deal with sin?

Who did God send to overcome sin?

In the genius of God, He opted to claim victory over sin through the work of His Son, Jesus. Jesus came and lived on earth for thirty-three and a half years, before He died and rose again.

Why did God send Jesus as a Man?

Why did God allow Jesus to live into His thirties?

Because Jesus knew no sin, He came to earth in our original image. Therefore, Jesus could have came as a baby, died as a baby, rose from the dead as a baby, and ascended to heaven as a baby, and the wrath of God toward sin would have been satisfied.

Instead, God allowed Jesus to live a full life, especially in ancient times. Part of this was to show us how to live. Jesus is the essence of what God expects from us. He is the model that we should aspire to emulate.

Therefore, if we want to know the purpose of Spiritual Formation, we can look to Jesus. He shows us how we are to live.

Application

Why should we desire to live like Jesus?

Who can honestly say, we live like Jesus 100% of the time?

Because we often fail and fall short, we need Spiritual Formation. The goal of Spiritual Formation is to live through the process where we become the image of who God want us to become.

Christians often focus on God’s desire for their spiritual lives, but God has a desire for every part of our lives. He is concerned about our spirit, emotions, relationships, intellect, vocation, health, and resources (Chandler).

Therefore, salvation begins the process where we invite Jesus to help us. Not just to take care of us when we die, but to help us live like Him in the present.

What does God desire for us spiritually?

What does God want for us physically?

Within Jesus is the image God has in mind for us. God does not make mistakes. Every person is still made in His image. The difference between God’s original design and its present form is the corrupting influence of sin.

However, we have a redeemer, named Jesus. One one hand is our corrupted image on the other hand is the perfect image, the Holy Spirit works in the middle, methodically making us more and more like Jesus!

Why should we have interest in spiritual formation?

How can we become more like the Lord?

Challenge

Think of ways to include Jesus into your schedule.

Pay attention to His presence in every area of your lives.

Ask Jesus to make you more like Him.