The image of God
God is a Spirit. When God overshadowed Mary and she
conceived the Son/body of God, the Spirit of God was revealed in flesh.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
every creature:" - Colossians 1:14-15
When we are born again of water and of the Spirit, we take
on the image of God. He has chosen us to be His representative in this world.
We repent of our sinful ways, and our sins are buried/washed away/remitted by
water baptism by immersion in Jesus name. We take on His name by water baptism
in Jesus name, and are filled with His Spirit by receiving the gift of His Holy
Ghost. (Acts 2:38)
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren." - Romans 8:29
"And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall
also bear the image of the heavenly." - 1 Corinthians 15:49
There are some things we are to put off, and some things we
are to put on, in order for us to bear the image of our Creator. We no longer
have our old lifestyle, but by our new birth have a new life in Jesus. Our
affection should be set on Him, and on those things above, and no longer on the
things of the world. (Colossians 3:1-17)
We must put off sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil
desires, and greed, for a greedy person worships the things of this world. We
must get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
We must quit lying to each other, for we have repented and put to death our old
sinful nature, the “old man” and all its wicked deeds, and put on a new self,
the “new man”, with the Spirit of Jesus changing us into His Godly image.
As Gods holy people we must put on compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness, and patience, making allowance for each other’s faults,
and forgiving anyone that offends us, just as God has forgiven us. Above all we
must put on the love of God, which brings true unity among the body. The peace
and reconciliation we have found between us and God must rule our heart and
actions towards others, for it is by His mercy that we are now in the body of
Christ, and by our mercy and forgiveness of others that we will stay in the
body of Christ, whose mercy we should be deeply thankful for.
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18
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