We’ve been discussing how God created us in both His image and His likeness. And how we subsequently feel from that likeness, yet how daily, we are transformed more and more back into the glory and likeness of God – a process which will not be perfected until the end of time.
- God created you to be His son (gender neutral) and He intended to endow your soul with the Spirit of Sonship, which is able to hear and see the Spirit of the Father and be taught by Him. And with this fellowship, you are able to mature into His character, wisdom and be transformed into His nature and glory.
- It is God’s glory and good pleasure to make Man of the earthly things (dust) into an organic being (flesh and blood) with a higher life (a living soul) than other creatures. In this sense, there is nothing special about man in our physical constitution. Yet, by God’s breath (the breath of life), you were given a soul that is able to sense and embrace love and understanding and become a perfect vessel for the workmanship of God. He transforms this dying physical body into a dwelling place for the Glory, Life, and Power of the Father and the Son as the Holy Spirit enters and does His work. You were meant to be the temple (tent, house, and tabernacle) of the Holy Spirit and the glory of God, the Father and the Son, which will become one through the instrumentality of your perfection and that of all mankind.
- God intended for Man to rule His creation and learn of His justice and righteousness, wisdom and love, thus becoming to all creation the image of God. Other creations were meant to learn of God and yield to God through Man’s perfect obedience and exact reflection or representation of God. (2 Cor 5:19, Heb 1:1-3, Rom 8:15-17) Man is meant to be priests and kings on God’s behalf to mediate and teach all creation in their approach to God. So that heaven and earth will be filled with the knowledge and the glory of God.
Cont’d tomorrow….
This post is _Part 3_ in a series on God’s image and likeness. To continue with this series, click on Part 4. To use this as a growth tool to better understand your own calling, you might start by reading the explanation of this series and then read Part 1 and Part 2.
Photo credit: eldar