As we near the end of the Creation story, we read Genesis 1:26 (New King James Version), "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  'Image', selem in Hebrew means: likeness, and resemblance.  The Hebrew word for 'likeness' means similitude (after His image).  When God created man, He created him in His own image.  According to the New Spirit Filled Life Bible commentary, "the phrase 'Own image' likely refers to such qualities as reason, personality, and intellect, and to speak."  We also read in Genesis 1:26 that "man was created to have dominion (rule over) the earth and all that dwells there in". Quoting the NSFL Bible  commentary again, it stated that, "During creation, God made a choice to delegate dominion to humankind on the earth.  The power and authority for exercising this rule originated in God's intent to make human beings in his own image and likeness."  We must realize though that "continued obedience to God's rule as King of all and man's faithfulness to obey God's law is a necessity for man to sustain that role."

Men were created to be righteous and holy.  Ephesians 4:23 and 24 (NKJV), "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."  The Greek word for righteousness is 'dikaiosyne, meaning: integrity, virtue, purity of life, up rightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting.  Aletheia is the Greek word translated 'true' in this verse.  Aletheia means truth as a personal excellence: that candor of mind which is free from affectation, pretense, simulation, falsehood, and deceit. Holiness is "hosiotes' meaning fidelity in observing the obligation of piety.  Wow!  Mankind, even in his regenerated relationship with God, falls so short of God's desire for him. 

As God is three in One - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so is man three in one - spirit, soul, and body.  1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV), "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."  In this verse, 'spirit' is the rational part of man, the power of perceiving and grasping divine and eternal things, and upon which the Spirit of God exerts its influence.  The 'soul' (psyche) is the breath of life, the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing.  The 'body' (soma) means the living body/physical nature.

As man is to represent God on the planet, the only way to accomplish that is for man to be like Him.  God said in 1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV), "because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."  2 Corinthians 5:20 (New Living Testament) tells us, "So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!"  As Christ is the physical representation of God to man, so we have been delegated to be the physical representation of Christ to the world.  Does that mean we are God?  Absolutely not!  We have been delegated the authority or the power of attorney to do His work and His will, while we are here on the planet. 

Look at what 2 Peter 1:2-4 (New American Standard Bible 2020),  reveals, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 for His  divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust."  Koinonos, the Greek for 'partaker' means, a sharer in anything.  'Divine', theios means divine nature, power and providence.  'Nature' or physis, is the sum of innate properties and powers by which one person differs from another (the holiness distinctive of the divine nature).  Can we fully comprehend what Simon Peter is revealing to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?  By God's glory and excellence, He has bestowed to us His promises so that we can be a sharer of His divine nature!  Do we understand what that should look like?  Is that where we live, as evidenced by the things we say, the things we do, the places we go, or by the things we think?

Are you ready?  Now we will look at Psalm 8:4 and 5 (NKJV), "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor."  The word translated 'angels' in verse 5 is actually the Hebrew word, Elohim, which is God!  Think about it.  We have just seen in His Word that mankind was made in His image, that He created him to be righteous and holy, that we have been created to have dominion over the earth and all that dwells therein.  Then, lastly we just read that we can be a partaker of His divine nature!  In the Kingdom Dynamics portion of The New Spirit Filled Life Bible, we read, "Capacity and ability constitute accountability and responsibility.  We should never be pleased to dwell on a level of existence lower than that on which God has made it possible for us to dwell.  We should strive to be the best we can be and to reach the highest level we can reach.  To do less is to be unfaithful stewards of the life entrusted to us."

How is all of this possible for a man who in the Garden of Eden, having been given one command to follow, instead, heeded the voice of the tempter (the devil) and sinned?  That sin caused a breaking of Adam's fellowship with God.  Thus, after man's fall, he was in need of One to restore him to a right relationship with God.  Because of that fall, all of us are born with a sin nature which causes us to also be in need of One to restore us to a right relationship with God. 

The only One who could fulfill the requirement to meet that need was Jesus.  Jesus, the Son of God who came in the flesh and dwelt among us.  John 1:14 (NASB20), "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."  Romans 5:1 and 2 (New International Version) reads, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."  You see, that restoration begins when we believe in and receive Jesus into our lives and we become new creations in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV), "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  As we are becoming new creations, we are being conformed to the image of Christ, Who is one with his Father God, according to John 17:22.

The apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would "be filled with the fullness of God" in Ephesians 3:19.

2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that "the Holy Spirit is transforming us into the image of Christ."  Philippians 1:6 (NKJV), "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete (accomplish, execute, perfect) it until the day of Jesus Christ"

I will ask you a question.  How is the church (the body of Christ) set apart and cleansed to be holy?  Ephesians 5:25b-27 (NLT) reveals the answer to that question. It says," just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  Rhema the Greek for 'word' in verse 26 means the spoken revealed Word of God.  The church is set apart and cleansed by the Word of God, that they may be holy, without spot or blemish.

As always, it is the Word of God which is abiding in us that the Holy Spirit uses to transform us into His image.  2 Timothy 3:16 and 17 (NASB20) reveals, "All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work."

The knowledge we gain comes through the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in those of us who are believers.  John 14:26a (NKJV), "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things."  Thank You Father!

The Lord wants me to end this blog today by giving you a strong exhortation!  In reading this blog, I hope that you would not just do a quick read and say, "that's interesting."  I cannot encourage you enough to not just read it and forget what you have read.  Meditate on the included Scriptures!  They are the Living Word of God!  It is only through His Word that we are and will be changed into who He desires us to be.

We must remember that our journey in this life is not about escaping - it is about our becoming who He created us to be.

God, help us to not be lazy, complacent, or satisfied with where we are, in our relationship with You.  We often think Your best for us is what is to our advantage or comfort.  Please give us discernment to realize what Your will is for us.  We were created in Your image so that we would be those whose will is perfectly aligned with Yours.  We were not created to be anything more or less than that.  We are to be dead to self and our own will and alive to You and Yours.

I believe many of us are missing what Your heart's desire is for us.  Your desire is for us to live every moment of the day as one made in Your image, doing Your will and fulfilling Your purpose for our lives.

God, you have desired for us to soar like eagles while most of us have become satisfied with an occasional three foot flight! Father, help us to be stirred up!  Lord, help us to lose the complacency and with Your help, accomplish Your will!

In Jesus' Name we pray,

Amen