God creating us in His image is an essential truth for every believer. When a believer knows and understands that they bear the image of God or have the capacity to bear the image of God, they are more inclined to reflect on God’s standard and their shortcomings. They yield themselves to the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives that is transforming them into a more correct image of God.
When looking in a mirror, one may not feel that they see the reflection of God. The reflection of God’s image does have a physical element, as we see when Moses had to cover his face after being in God’s presence. Being a bearer of God’s image also has a character piece to it. The Holy Spirit renews the believer’s mind by reading the Word of God. It is the sanctification process, guided by the Holy Spirit, that transforms us into the image of God. Understanding God’s image is vital to the spiritual growth in a believer’s life; without it, you cannot know who you are or whom you belong to. The Holy Spirit reveals to us who God is so we want to be transformed into the image of God. It is God’s desire to have a relationship with mankind and, without man continually evaluating his own heart and making the necessary changes, fellowship is impossible. For a man to bear God’s image is for the Spirit to renew and transform us into God’s image.
All believers need to understand that God created them in His image and look in the mirror to see the reflection of God in their lives. God’s image is beautiful, and he made us after his image. One way that man displays God’s likeness is through love, love for God and others. Historical theologians have debated the meaning of imago Dei. The Bible clearly states that God originally created man in His image, but The Fall tarnished that image. Man needs restoration for the display of God to be complete in His people. For a man to reflect the image of God, he needs renewing by the Spirit, transforming him into God’s image. What does it really mean for God to have created us in His image? It is the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the sanctification process and us dying to our flesh daily. Through preaching and teaching the Word, the Holy Spirit illuminates characteristics and attitudes that need to change, so we can be transformed back into the image of God. The change in our hearts is what we see when we take a closer look in the mirror.
Have you looked in the mirror lately?
