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UnderstandingtheImageofGod

NoonecomestotheFatherexceptthroughMe(John14:6b).Thisstatementis

obviouslytrueifoneacceptsthatJesustheChristisinfactthetruth(John14:6a).
However,Jesushadtomakethisclaim,becausetheChristortheMessiahisthe
mysterywhichhasbeenhiddenfromagesandfromgenerations,butnowhasbeen
revealedtoHissaints(lit.holyones)(Colossians1:26),andtheonlywaybacktothe
pristinestateasAdamwasfirstformedisthroughthelastAdam,(1Corinthians15:45;cf.
Romans5:14)JesustheChrist.Thus,JesusChristhadtobebornofavirginandbornof
theHolySpirit,becausejustasAdamwasbornfromthebreathofGod(i.e.SpiritofGod;
Genesis2:7)andthewomboftheearth(i.e.dust)sotoothelastAdamhadtobebornof
theSpiritofGod(Matthew1:20).Thiswasdoneinordertoreconcilethefallenstateof
man(cf.2Corinthians5:1720)whenAdamdiedaspiritualdeath(cf.Genesis2:17;3:67).
Genesis2:17says,Forinthedaythatyoueatofityoushallsurelydie.Itisclearfrom
thebiblicalaccountthatAdamlivedsome900yearslater(cf.Genesis5:45)afterthe
daywhenhepartookofthefruit;however,theRabbinicaltraditiontooktheHebrew
wordsmottamut(i.e.youshallsurelydie)toliterallymean,dying,youwilldie.This
inturnrepresentsaHebrewdoubleidiomforadoubledeath,henceaphysicaland
spiritualdeath.ItisbyvirtueofthespiritualdeaththatJesustellsNicodemus,hemust
bebornfromabove(or,bornagain)oftheSpiritinordertoseetheKingdomofGod
(John3:38;cf.1Peter1:2223).However,theHolySpiritrenewsallwhoarebornfrom
abovebackintotheimageofHisSon(Romans8:29),bybeingtransformedintothe
sameimageoftheLordfromglorytoglory(
;2Corinthians3:18).TheSpiritofGodrenewsthosebornfromabove
backintothenewmanwhichwascreatedaccordingtoGod[pasttense],intrue
righteousnessandholiness(Ephesians4:24;cf.Genesis1:2617),andbackintothe
imageofHimwhocreatedHim[pasttense](Colossians3:10),aspartakersofthe
divinenature(2Peter1:4).

BeforeJesuswasmanifestedintheflesh,theprophetsofoldreceivedtheSpirit
ofChristwhowasinthemwasindicatingwhenHetestifiedbeforehandthesufferings
ofChristandthegloriesthatwouldfollow(1Peter1:1011).Additionally,evenMoses
esteemedthereproachofChristgreaterrichesthanthetreasuresinEgypt
(Hebrews11:26).HowcanMosesandtheprophetsofoldparticipateintheworkofChrist
ortheworkoftheMessiahbeforethehistoricalJesus?Weseeaclearpicturethatis
formedwhichcentersontheworkofChrist(cf.1Corinthians10:14)beforeHisearthly
mission,namely,theChrististhemysterywhichhasbeenhiddenfromagesandfrom
generations,butnowhasbeenrevealedtoHisholyones.TothemGodwilledtomake
knownwhataretherichesofthegloryofthismysteryamongtheGentiles/nations:
whichisChristinyou,thehopeofglory(Colossians1:2627).Thisistheunveilingof
thefullparticipationandfellowshipwiththeGodhead,namelywiththeFather,Son,and
HolySpirit.Therefore,aconsistentthreadortapestrythroughouttheBibleisthatthe
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revelationoftheChrististoalsopartakeintheprocessofChristbeingformed
within(Galatians4:19)orasDavidsays,IshallbesatisfiedwhenIawakeinYour
Likeness(Psalms17:15).ComingtotheFatherthroughChristmustnecessitatea
transformationbytheSpiritoftheLordtogivethelightoftheknowledgeoftheglory
ofGodinthefaceofJesusChrist(2Corinthians4:6),becausethenewmanisrenewed
inknowledge(Colossians3:10;cf.Proverbs11:9).Essentially,Paulusesthemetaphor
ofthenewman,innerman,inwardman,newcreationtorefertotheprocessofbeing
transformedintotheImageofChrist(Romans8:29),anditistheImageofChristwhois
theoriginalImageofGod(2Corinthians4:4).TheBibleisveryclearthatJesusChristis
theonlywaytotheFather,Yahweh,becauseChristrepresentstheoriginal
birthrightthathumanitywasoriginallycreatedintobeforethespiritualdeathofAdam.
ThisiswitnessedinChristJesusbeingexemplifiedasthegloryofChristwhoistheimage
ofGod(2Corinthians4:4),HeistheimageoftheinvisibleGod(Colossians1:15),and
whobeingthebrightnessofHisgloryandtheexpressimageofHisperson(Hebrews
1:3).Thus,toreiterate,sincehumanitywascreatedintotheimageofGod(Genesis1:26
27),andChrististheimageofGod(2Corinthians4:4;Colossians1:15;Hebrews1:3),and
thosewhohavebeenbornfromabove(John3:3)arebeingtransformedintothesame
imageoftheLord(2Corinthians3:18),andarebeingconformedtotheimageofHis
Son(Romans8:29)astheinwardmanisbeingreneweddaybyday(2Corinthians4:16)
throughtheprocessofChristbeingformedwithin(Galatians4:19).Therefore,wemust
askourselvesandtakeagoodlookbyexaminingourselves(cf.2Corinthians13:5;etc)to
seehowweareexpressingtheChristinalldomainsofourlives.Therefore,areyou
expressingChristsworksinandthroughyourlife,nottoevenmentionthegreaterworks
thatwearepromisedweshalldo(John14:12)?Howareyoubringingeverythought
captivethroughtheobedienceofChrist(2Corinthians10:5),oristhisevenaconcernfor
you?Whatislifeallabout,andareyourbehaviors,words,thoughts,emotions,and
beliefsalignedwiththetwogreatestcommandmentsLoveYahwehyourGodwith
allyourheart,mind,soul,andstrengthandtoloveyourneighborasyourself?Beloved,
letusloveoneanother,forloveisofGod;andeveryonewholovesisbornofGodand
knowsGod.HewhodoesnotlovedoesnotknowGod,forGodislove.Ifsomeonesays,
IloveGod,andhateshisbrother,heisaliar;forhewhodoesnotlovehisbrotherwhom
hehasseen,howcanheloveGodwhomhehasnotseen(1John4:78,20).

Now,whatdoesthismeaninthedailyfaithwalkofeachbeliever?Allofthis
revealsthatThepowerofChristmayrest(lit.tabernacle,orabideupon)uponus(2
Corinthians12:9).However,whenitisdiscernedwhatitactuallymeanstohaveChristin
you(Colossians1:27),andyouinChrist(Galatians3:28)thenwecanappreciatethe
spirituallanguagewithitsrichnessanddepthbycomparingspiritualthingswith
spiritual(1Corinthians2:13).Whenwegetoffthemilkofthebasic101spiritual
teachinganddogma(andyestheyarenecessaryseeHebrews6:13),andentertherealm
ofembodieddirectexperiencewiththeGodhead(John14:17,2021,23;Ephesians3:19;
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Revelation3:20)thenwecanpartakeofthegoodWordofGodandthepowersoftheage
tocome(Hebrews6:5),yes,eveninthislife.Untilwecallouttobecleansedofevery
wickedwaywithinus(Psalms139:2324),andseektobefilledwiththeSpiritofGodand
TruthinordertoserveourMakerandtoserveHiscreation.Thisisbeautifullysaidby
Paultheapostle,FortheloveofChristcompelsus,becausewejudgethus:thatifOne
diedforall,thenalldied;andHediedforall,thatthosewholiveshouldlivenolongerfor
themselves,butforHimwhodiedforthemandroseagain(2Corinthians5:1415).

Thus,asleadersourworkistoembodyGodsWordastherighteousscriptureas
epistlesofChrist(2Corinthians3:13;cf.Colossians3:16)byreceivingtheimplanted
Wordonthegoodgroundthathasbeentilledandpreparedbylifetoreceiveitandbear
fruitwithpatienceandendurance(James1:21;Luke8:15;Jeremiah4:34)andtotrain
others(Matthew28:20;2Timothy2:45,15)toputasidethelowergamesofthefleshthat
masqueradeasculturallyacceptablereligiousdevotionandspirituality.Because,those
whobelongtoChristhavealreadycrucifiedthefleshwithitspassionsanddesires
(Galatians5:24),soitisnolongerIwholive,butChristlivesinme;andthelifewhichI
nowliveinthefleshIlivebyfaithintheSonofGod(Galatians2:20).Whereisthisin
theChurch(i.e.thePeopleofGod)todaybeingactivelyexpressed?Letusreasonwith
whattheScripturestellus.WhatdoeslivingasChristlooklike,whatdoesitlivelike,
whatdoesitsoundlike,whatdoesitbreathelike,whatdoesitfeellike?Whatdoesit
meantobeasacrificethatisstillliving(Romans12:1)?Whatdoesittrulymeanto
transformourselvesbyrenewingourmind(Romans12:2;cf.Ephesians4:23),orby
settingourmindsonthingsthatareabove,whereChristis(Colossians3:14)?How
canGodsWordbefirmlyfixedintheHeavens,yetbehiddenwithinourhearts(Psalms
119:11,89)?ThinkdoesputtingonthearmorofLightandtheLordJesusChristsimply
entailbehaviormodification,oristheresomethingmore(Romans13:1214)???

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