The Images of God in Christ Jesus!

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

If we are followers of Jesus Christ, or starting to become one, we have been taught by the Spirit of God (John 14:15-27) that we have to crucify our sinful nature and abide in Him (Galatians 5:24-25) to become the images of God, filled in true righteousness and holiness like how God has been creating us to be (Genesis 1:27). “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30) The reason that we have been taught by the Holy Spirit is because nobody is able to become the children of God (John 1:12-13), unless the heavenly Father draws them (John 6:44), due to the fact that all of us have been sinning against Him, even though we did not know about it (Romans 5:12-14). Nevertheless, Jesus Christ keeps knocking on the door of our hearts to come inside of them in the Spirit (Revelation 3:20). This is exactly why He was crucified (Hebrews 2:14-15) and resurrected back (Luke 24:4-7) so that we may become the righteousness of God through Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, for this reason, the word of God says, ‘“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.’ (1 Peter 2:24-25) In addition, the Holy Spirit is for everyone, especially for those who want to follow Jesus Christ until the end of the age (Luke 11:13).

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” (1 Peter 1:13-17)

Furthermore, we are called to be lights of Jesus Christ to the world (Matthew 5:14-16) by loving others (1 John 4:11-12) and becoming ambassadors of Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). This is because He is the only way of the truth and the life (John 14:6). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) In addition to this, Jesus proclaims, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) Thus, for this reason, we ought to believe in Him (Ephesians 2:8-10) and do the Great Commission that Jesus has called us to do until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:12-14)