Made in God’s Image

Made in God’s Image

by | Mar 10, 2020 | Simple Bible Truth

Made in God’s Image

Reflect God’s Image

We are made in God’s image and as Christians, children of light, we are expected to reflect that image to the world around us.  Jesus reflected the Father and we should reflect Jesus.

Paul told his listeners to imitate him because he imitates Christ.  That is a bold statement that many today would think you arrogant if you told someone that.  But, we should be able to make this statement in all honesty, not in arrogance.

In 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 Paul says that in Christ he became their father in the faith through the Gospel (of the Kingdom), therefore they should imitate him.

Christians must step up their game.  Too many are blending in with the world or passively sitting on the sideline.  Followers of Christ must stand out from the world and be discipling others.  Can you say to others, “Follow me as I follow Christ?”

Die to Self

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die.”  Too often people think that “coming to Christ” is just a one-time decision that requires no further thought.  Many unwittingly make an emotional decision without even knowing who the Christ is or what he taught and what he expects from those who follow him.

The decision we need to make is not only something we decide in our mind, but it is a heart issue as well.  The deeper aspect to truly following the Christ and reflecting God’s image, is that we must be willing to put our own desires on the altar.  We must release our grasp on our very lives in their entirety.  We must count the cost of being his disciple and we must be willing to leave everything for his sake.

God’s Image is Pure Holiness and the Saints Should Reflect God

In Ephesians 5:3 it tells us that sin should not even be named among the saints, meaning there should not be sin among Christians.  It is a very high standard and 1 Timothy 4:7 says that we should have nothing to do with worldly fables, and on the other hand, it is essential to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 reminds us to examine everything carefully and it exhorts us to avoid even the appearance of evil.  So, if something even looks like it could be evil, or if it resembles evil, we have nothing to do with it.  We shouldn’t watch it, listen to it or play it.

Deuteronomy 8:9-14 instructs God’s people to not imitate the world’s detestable practices.  Likewise, in the New Testament Christians are told they must be in the world, but they should not be of it.  In other words, we live in this world, but we should not imitate those in the world and what they practice.

God demands obedience and He has set a very high standard!  Christians cannot mix with the world.  It is as simple as that.

Obedience Leads to  Life

Ezekiel 11:18-21 orders God’s people to remove any detestable things that are among them.  He then promises to replace their hearts of stone with a heart of flesh.  He says that he will do this so that they can obey and follow His ways.  If people will obey, then they can be God’s people.  Only through obedience can we be God’s people.

God gave people free will.  They can choose to obey or disobey.  But, there are consequences if they make the wrong choice.  As God told the Israelites, He is still telling us today, chose obedience and life rather than disobedience and destruction.

Pursue Holiness and Righteousness

Ephesians 5:15-16 urges believers to be careful how they live.  Christians must be wise, not unwise, and they ought to make the most of their opportunities.

2 Peter 1:3 informs us that the Father’s power has given us the ability to keep our lives pure and be holy because He is holy.  We have no excuse.

2 Timothy 2:22 encourages its reader to pursue holiness.  That means to run after and chase down righteousness.  It is very active and not passive!

Training in Righteousness

Through obedience we are preparing to be kingdom citizens. If we do not desire to practice holiness today, or train in righteousness, then why should we expect that anything would be different in the kingdom.

Ephesian 5:11-12 explicitly says not to participate in deeds of darkness and that those things are disgraceful to even mention, let alone talk about or promote.  We are told not just to stay away from those things, but to even expose evil.

2 Tim 4:2-5 says that Christians should be trained in righteousness because people will be drawn away from truth and turn aside to myths.  We must be training others so they in turn can train others.

In Matthew 28:20 Jesus said to teach people to observe all that he commanded us.  He didn’t say pick three of ten or choose what suits your desires or lifestyle.  He said to obey all that he commanded.

Made in God’s Image to Receive a Crown of Righteousness

Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 that he fought a good fight and he finished the course.  I hope that is something we can say as well.  We know for certain that we have a crown of righteousness that we will receive when Jesus returns.  That should be enough to stimulate us to press on and strive for holiness today.

Righteousness is not just changing your behavior.  True righteousness is changing your heart.  What we sacrifice and give up now, can’t even compare to what we will receive in the future.  We must internalize this truth and keep it at the forefront of our minds.  Like Paul, this hope motivated and strengthened him as he strived to obey and please the Lord he that committed to follow.

Jesus taught about the narrow road and the wide road. We must be diligent and aware as to which road we are traveling on!  The righteous walk on the narrow road that leads to life.

Children of Light

Children of Light

by | Mar 9, 2020 | Simple Bible Truth

Children of Light

Walk as Children of Light

We are told in Scripture to walk as children of Light.  We know that if one turns a light on, the room is no longer dark.  Darkness and light don’t mix.

If a pail of clean water gets a little bit of manure in it, it all becomes contaminated and we won’t drink it.  We must keep the manure out of our lives!  Just as a little yeast raises the whole loaf, so does a little sin in our life.

How Righteous do I have to be?

There is an age-old question that many continue to ask today.  How righteous must we be?  How much or what sin can we commit and still be OK with God?

“For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  (Ephesians 5:5)

This verse does not differentiate between a “half-immoral” person or one who is more than half immoral.  People are either moral or immoral, there is no degree of immorality in God’s eyes.  Moreover, it states the fact that an immoral person will not have any inheritance in God’s coming Kingdom.  Therefore, we must choose daily to walk in God’s ways.

Children of Light are Cleansed from Sin

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.   And if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.  (1 John 1:5-10)

There is a difference from being a sinner, which we all are before we are washed clean by Jesus’ blood, and sinning from time to time.  As a Christian we should be sinning less and less and overcoming sin. 

Yes, we will continue to sin, unfortunately, until we are perfected in the resurrection, but this does not mean we should allow sin to reign in our lives.  We must take sin captive and expel it!

No Longer a Sinner, now a Child of Light

1 Corinthians 10:13 encourages us and speaks truth to the topic of sin in our lives.  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

Another way to get closer to the perfection we are called to is to focus on God and Jesus.  We should work to imitate them, not our neighbor or even the person next to us in the pew.  We have been bought with a price and we have been made righteous.  Christians are not righteous in and of themselves, but because of the work that Jesus did and it is him in us through God’s spirit that we are made righteous.  Thus, we are no longer a sinner.

For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth).  Ephesians 5:8-9

Abandon Worldy Attachments

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ.”

Each Christian must ask themselves if they are willing to abandon the attachments of this world.  This commitment to following Jesus is the question each must answer, like the rich young ruler.  Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Jesus?

Action & Obedience

Bonhoeffer also said, “Every moment and every situation challenges us to action and to obedience. We have literally no time to sit down and ask ourselves whether so-and-so is our neighbor or not. We must get into action and obey—we must behave like a neighbor to him.”

Each thought, word and deed must drive us to action and obedience!

Matthew 5:48 gives the simple command:  Be Perfect as God is Perfect.

Jesus set the standard high!  Are you up to challenge of walking  in God’s ways?  Are you willing to strive for this perfection?  Our fruit reveals how serious we are and if we are walking in the light as we were commanded.

Chidren of Light Strive for Perfection

Matthew 5:48 gives the simple command:  Be Perfect as God is Perfect.

Jesus set the standard high!  We are to live as children of light.  Are you up to challenge?  Are you willing to strive for this perfection?  Our fruit reveals how serious we are and if we are walking in the light as we were commanded.