The Image of God

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Genesis 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.

Adam and Eve, when God created them, had the image of God place in them. God was their Father. They inherited His image. His image is an intimate relationship with God. They were of one heart and mind. They knew each other.

UNTIL...

Sin corrupted the connection. Sin, their disobedience to God's one directive, separated mankind from the will of God. And the following generations were conceived in the image of THEIR father, their human father. There was no more image, no more intimacy with God, and they weren't of one heart and mind with God anymore. Genesis 5:1ff tells us that. Genesis 6:5ff tells us that the human race was wholly separated from God.

SO...

God sent the Son, who we know as Jesus of Nazareth, into His fallen and broken creation in order to lead people to be "born again" of water and the Spirit (John 3:3-8). Through faith in Jesus, being reborn through Holy Baptism and the Word of God, the image of God, the relationship, the intimacy, and being of one heart and mind is put into the life of the believers.

NOW...

Comes the Holy Spirit, the helper who Jesus said was coming,  who teaches us and reminds us of everything Jesus taught, who is full of energy, power, strength, and grace who leads the people of God who are born again, renewed, and recreated to live their lives for their Father, their heavenly Father. God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for who You are and what You've done.