As the context of whole of Colossians 3:1-17 is ‘Living as
Those Made Alive in Christ,’ we need to see every human being as those who
bears God’s image whether we are believers in Jesus Christ or not. In today’s ‘Our
Daily Bread’ devotional the writer, Dave Branon, ended his writing like this: “Everyone
we meet bears the image of God.” What do these mean? Does not the Bible tell us
that if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we must become Christ’s image bearers
and are called to live different lives than non-believers? The Bible states
that we ought to become God’s image bearers as we follow Christ but if we look
in the beginning of the Bible, Genesis
1:26-28 declares,
God said, “Let us make human beings
in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the
birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the
small animals that scurry along the ground.”
So God created human beings in his
own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created
them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be
fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the
sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Therefore, if we, as Jesus’ followers, long to see others come
into the faith in Jesus Christ, we have to let the peace of God to fill our
hearts (Colossians
3:15). Otherwise, we may become judgemental and deny to do the Great
Commission that Jesus has called us to do (Matthew
28:18-20). We also have to let the message of Jesus Christ to dwell within
us, so we can teach about God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to others or
include God in conversations. At the life-group on Wednesday night, one church
member told that she and others went to watch sunset or went to somewhere. When
she looked at the gorgeous view of the world, she started to praise God. At
that moment, others asked whether she know God and they become believers in
Jesus Christ I think. I wish that I can influence non-believers like her as I
desperate want to share the message of Christ to everyone. However, my mentor told
me that I have to evangelise Jesus Christ by my actions rather than words
before I properly can teach others about God. When they ask me the reason of
doing good deeds, she told me that I can share the hope and joy of Christ I
have (1 Peter 3:15). Thus, I have to develop of having God’s perspective on
everything as followers of Christ are called to be the salt and light of the
world (Matthew
5:13-16). Nevertheless, I am grateful that God has given a spiritual gift
and such an important task of preaching the message of Jesus Christ through
writing. Hence, I have 11 social networks to put my devotionals on and I e-mail
them through MailChimp. I long to see others to come into the faith of Christ,
even if they are strangers, so my biggest aim for this is that every subscribers
and followers of my devotionals see my devotionals as a guide on how to become
a follower of Jesus Christ and get spiritual encouragements from them. Although
writing my daily/weekly devotionals can take a while, I feel that I am prompted
to do them.
Thankfulness towards God is not only the aspect of
Christianity we should have when we receive blessings from God, but it is the
main aspect of the reason that we are doing theology and living as the children
and servants of God. I think I realised this when one of my lecturers or one of
the Carey students in my class said this to the class. I agree with this.
Without thankfulness towards God, the meaning of doing theology and honouring God
with our lives are pointless, I believe. In addition, these may become
legalistic. Why do we honour God with our lives and we are living for Him
through faith in Jesus Christ as these are not easy method to live by (Matthew
7:13-14)? Christians believe the reason that they are living as followers
of Christ is not because of the blessings they often receive blessings from God
but because of how much God did for them. To be more specific, they focus on the
crucifixion (Hebrews
2:14-15) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Luke
24:4-8) I think. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced
that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those
who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and
was raised again.” (2
Corinthians 5:14-15)
Praise be to the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for
adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and
will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the
One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With
all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will
according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into
effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in
heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having
been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in
conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first
to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also
were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised
Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption
of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians
1:3-14)
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