First impressions count. Or so they say. How we present ourselves is important, first impressions may be the only impression we ever get to make. Yes that is valid, possibly more valid depending on the industry that you work in. If you sell fashion, you need to make a certain impression when someone comes in to buy something. If you are a solicitor you have a certain image, if you’re a cop you wear a uniform to present who you are.
But what about at home, who are we then, the image we want people to see or someone else? And what is the image we present? If we are made in God’s image do we present God in our first impressions? What part of us is in God’s image? The bible tells us that we are made in the image of God. So is the image of God that I am made in a true image of God???? Has God’s image in us been taken out and replaced with something else? Sometimes. Where does that leave us? Lets look at a few verses here. Genesis 1:26-27 GE 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” GE 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Notice is says image and likeness. In Genesis 5:1 this idea is repeated. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man. “ Here is another spin on it. 2 Corinthians 3:1818 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Made in God’s likeness or being made in God’s likeness – which is it????Both actually. What is this image of God that we have?
In what ways are we like God? Does it make us like God? Well to the last question – no. We go back to Genesis to the serpents misrepresentation of the situation. We’ll look at that in a couple of weeks. We do not become like God but we are made with His characteristics. Only God is God. We are copies and only copies in some ways. I think it comes back to something I preached about last year from Ephesians 5:1-2EPH 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Some of you may remember I spoke about being imitators of God. Having the capacity to imitate God requires of us some skills, tools, and abilities that allow us to do that. So part of the imitating has been done for us!!!! Our image is already there. Created with credibility. But let’s be real here. If we are made in God’s image, then He has created us with the capacity to be similar to Him in the ways He wants. I am not saying we are little Gods, far from it but we have characteristics that mirror God. What I concluded then was:God is creator– Then we are to be creative. He created out of nothing – Be originalHe is powerful – We have access to that power.He is sustaining the world – We look have to after it.He is a loving God – We find ways to express love.He is a caring God – We find ways to care. I suppose we are more comfortable with the concepts of God being love and God caring and us being able to imitate those characteristics. But I think there is much more to it. We are to imitate God – all of Him. Or as much of Him as we can. These are some of the characteristics that we are in God’s image and likeness. God wanted us to have some of His characteristics. To be able to do things for Him. There are a couple of views about Being in God’s image and likeness. 1. Substantive – a physical likeness. Most Christians these days would scoff at this view, actually most theologians would place a diminished importance on the likeness physically. But…we are similar because Jesus was God and He was also human – we are in many ways made in Jesus physical image. Besides the New Testament tells us that we will be resurrected just like Jesus was to a resurrection Body. Jesus was the first fruits, it is his resurrection body that ours will be like. Jesus has a physicalness – so do and will we. 2. Relational - As God is relational (relates to Himself – Father, Son and Holy Spirit) we are made with relationships possibilities. 3. Functional – We are made to do something. As God is a doing God we are made to do. Thus we love, create, care, use God’s creation etc.Which is right?Ok hands up – Who thinks the physical”Who thinks the Relational?Who thinks the functional? So who is right? Well biblically – all of them. Probably all of them at least a bit. I’ve said this before. Theological points of view often support each other as much as criticize each other. Sure there are differences but in reality we come up with a few real positives. Very often points of view are not opposing but different perspectives. Lets have a look. a. We are made like God – and He gave us something to do. GE 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.Just as God is a doing God – we are designed to do. I think if we aren’t doing God’s work then we are not imitating God!!!! Part of the issue with health issues like diabetes and stuff like that is because we don’t work physically any more. My doc says I have to be more physical – do stuff, exercise. Notice too what the work is – care for what God put us in the middle of.Now on this issue I asked 8 people their views and got 8 different answers. How do we do our work of care? Many different views. But my theory is – do it as imitators of God. What would God do? b. We belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:2019 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.We do God’s work – “we are on a mission from God” as John Belushi and Dan Akroyd said. God’s mission is our mission. Misseo dei and my mission too. c. We should pattern ourselves on God. This is the image of God bit. EPH 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.Yet again it comes back to us doing God’s work. But it gives us the practical. Live a life of love, just like Jesus – Copy Jesus. d. We experience full humanity only when we relate to God.Ephesians 3:19f16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Notice- all the fullness of God – Filled with it! Yeh! Its not as if God expects us to imitate him without resources. He offers us His resources to imitate Him. We are in His like, image and we have His resources. Now we are cooking!!! e. The image of God is universal in all man.(and women- Gen 1:26-27 and 5:1 state this) (Every human has the capacity to worship, relate to, minister for and love their God) When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man. “His leads us to the next point. f. God created boundaries. We are in His image – and He knows what is good and bad for us. Right form the outset.Look at Genesis 2:16-1716 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”Boundaries yet, God respects our decisions even if they are bad for us!!!! He allows us to choose to make mistakes. More about that in a few weeks. g. What is our response to made in God’s image and in God’s likeness? You can take hold of it and celebrate it or you can ignore it. You can test it, flaunt it or run away from it, but they are all responses. Even though we have optional responses. God wants us to be and do what we are designed for. To be in His likeness do His thing. Maybe we need to understand God image of us. He made us in His image and He likes it. Maybe, just maybe we need to let God’s image of us take hold. Like the old Hymn Says – Be thou my vision – in other words God give me your vision.
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