ONE IMAGE OF GOD

Friday 4 April

A lot of Christians believe that when they get to heaven, there are going to be three thrones. One for the Father, One for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. Others believe that there will be two thrones. One for the Father and one for the Son. Which one do you believe? I hope neither.

The first one comes from the idea of the trinity. Many don’t realise however that God separated Himself into Father, Son and Spirit solely for the redemption of man. So there are actually three personalities but only two persons. The Bible says ‘our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ’. One who is visible and one who is invisible. And the throne is probably not where you think it is.

Colossians 1:15 says ‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.’

In other words, Jesus is the visibility of the invisible God.

Hebrews 1:3a confirms this to us.‘The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.’

Now the Father ‘lives in unapproachable light that no one has seen or can ever see’. This tells us that even in eternity future we will never see the Father. Think about it. He is Spirit. Jesus is also Spirit but was raised from the dead bodily and received his new glorified body. This is why Jesus could be seen while on earth but also after the resurrection in a physical form. Our new incorruptible bodies have flesh and bone as Jesus said to Thomas and not flesh and blood.

Because the Father cannot be seen, He is not the image of God to us. Jesus on the other hand, is the man who was God, made in the image and likeness of God.

Some people think that Adam was the first man that was made in the image and likeness of God but that is simply not the case.

Romans 5:14 shows us

‘Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a TYPE of Him who was to come.’

Who is the type or figure of the Him who was to come? Adam. Who was the Him? Christ. Therefore Adam was patterned after the original image of God who was Christ.

In Genesis 1:26-27 God says (in counsel with Himself as Father, Son and Spirit, ‘let US make man in OUR image according to our likeness’. Who then is the first man that was created in the image and likeness of God? Christ not Adam. The next part refers to the male and female element of Adam or man when God said ‘and let THEM have dominion’…

Did you catch it?

So Jesus Christ is the image of God and then mankind was created as a type after the original design or prototype.

Apostle Paul referring to Genesis penned ‘for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the FACE of Jesus Christ.’ How do we recognise somebody? Usually by their face. This is why there is facial recognition technology used in the world today. How do we see God? In the face of God manifest in the flesh; Jesus Christ.

When we realise who Jesus is there can be no confusion about what God is like. It is not just about physical image but also the characteristics of a person that reflects the reality of who they are. It’s the same with God. No wonder Jesus said ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father.

The Lord leaves no ambiguity when it comes to making Himself known. Christ is the firstborn over all creation.

John 1:3 says ‘all things were made by Him’; Created by the person of the Word, Jesus Christ. One reason why Jesus is the firstborn over all creation.

The second reason is He was born again in the resurrection and so He was also the firstborn of another creation; the new creation breed of humanity.

God is not hiding the truth about who He is. The problem is that most people are looking to other false images of God to find God when there is only one image; Jesus Christ.

Like the old song says ‘turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace’.

APPLICATION

Live in the revelation that if you are a child of God, heaven is in you and the throne that is mentioned in the New Testament is located in your heart where Jesus dwells by His Spirit.