The Restoration of the Divine Image

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… 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

Have you ever looked into a mirror expecting to fix something on your face only to be surprised to see a replica of your mother or father? Do you recognize that God desires that we become a replica of Himself?

God created us originally in His image — a natural and moral image of God. The word “image” speaks of a reproduction, bearing some similarity with the original. God created us after His likeness, with intellect, emotions and will. We even had a moral likeness to God, being sinless. We lost this moral likeness in the fall. We also lost the position we were given over our environment as vice-regents or viceroys (dominion). As children, born in the likeness of Adam, we suffer the consequences of our fallen likeness (Genesis 5:3; Psalm 51:5).

Now the goal of the believer, in striving to be obedient to God’s revealed will, is to move back toward that original likeness.

• Romans 8:28-29 – 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.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18 – But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
• Ephesians 4:24 – And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
• Philippians 2:5 – Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
• Colossians 3:10 – And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
• 1 Peter 1:16 – Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

We know that there is no way we will fully achieve this status during our existence on this earth and yet this is our God-given assignment. The day is coming when we will indeed be like Him for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:1-2). And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself even as He is pure (1 John 3:3).

As God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus, we have God’s imputed righteousness. We also have within us the Holy Spirit of God, Who assists us in becoming more and more like Him. In Christ, we can say — “Christ liveth in me…the hope of glory” (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). We are to behold and partake of Christ’s glory (John 17:24, 25; Colossians 3:3, 4) so that we can magnify Christ in our bodies (Philippians 1:20).

As a result of our being “in Christ”, we have been given a spiritual or divine nature (Hebrews 2:14; 2 Peter 1:3-4). We have been given all we need to become more like Jesus Christ. Can you see this taking place in your life? Do you recognize yourself to be more like Him this year than you did last year?

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). The more we look at God, the Spirit of God will convict us of sin and assist us in growing into Christ’s likeness.

Just as Moses reflected God’s glory at Mt. Sinai, every believer ought to radiate the glory of Christ. However, the glory in the face of Moses faded, but in Christ, we are changed into the “SAME IMAGE.” We have been given the enablement to accomplish God’s will as commanded. The first aspect of our restoration took place the moment we received Christ as Lord and Savior. The second aspect is taking place daily and we refer to this process as sanctification. The last aspect will take place when we finally stand before Him. The anticipation of that moment ought to drive us daily to become increasingly like Him now. Is that taking place in your life?

The Ugly Duckling is one of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The young, ugly duckling did not begin to change until he encountered the beautiful swans. In the same way, the more we encounter God, the more we will become like Him. Choose to focus more on Him and pray for God’s Spirit to transform your life more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

---

The late George Stiekes served in several churches through his ministry. In his later years, he published a daily newsletter he called Reverent Reflections. We draw from his stock of devotions for occasional articles here on Proclaim & Defend.

---

Photo by Joeyy Lee on Unsplash