The Perfect Image

-


Scripture:

Col. 1:15   He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

Observation:

There is so much about Christ that is difficult for us to understand or to explain. Jesus “is the image of the invisible God.” As incarnate man he reveals to us the very nature of God and is an exact and perfect image of God. It is in the Scriptures that we read and discover all that we need to know about the Father, for the Father is revealed in the Son. In the Son we see the visible and the invisible nature of God. He is able to perform the works of the Father. It is through his power and activity that the Father is revealed. It’s not the physical image of the Father that we see, but it is the very perfect image of the nature of the Father which is revealed in Christ. The Father is seen in Christ because he performs the Fathers works. Jesus is not defined by what he became in the flesh alone, but by his nature; by who he is.

Jesus is the “eikon” of God. This is not just a symbol but it’s a term that means more than a symbol --  one that brings with it the actual presence of the object. Therefore he becomes the visible expression, or manifestation of God. Paul’s understanding is that Jesus bears “the image of the earthly, Adam, and the image of the heavenly, God. He was the unique manifestation of both God and man, always embodying the best of both wherever he was. In choosing the word ‘image,’ Paul stressed that God was present wherever Jesus was. He was the personal manifestation of deity.” (Melick, R. R. 1991) Jesus, the perfect image of the invisible God.

Application:

This blog is titled, “Reflecting the Image.” If we are going to reflect the Image, then maybe we need to understand a little more about the Image. In the early centuries of Christianity people tried to explain what it meant for Christ to be fully God and fully human. I believe that Paul was trying to explain this in this passage. In the opening chapters of Genesis we read about God creating humankind in his image. It is in Jesus that we see God and humanity coming together, providing a hopeful future for God’s children. Jesus came in the flesh, died and was resurrected so that we might draw closer to him — and reflect his image.

It is this perfect image that we are to reflect in the world. This includes the nature of the invisible God! The closer a mirror is to the original, the larger the original will be in that mirror. The closer we draw to Christ the more that we will reflect him and the Father’s nature and power. I’m afraid we see too little of God’s nature at work in the world these days and it’s not that God isn’t able, but it may be that we are too distant from him to be participating with him in these ways.

To get to know God, we need to be soaking in the scriptures and spending time in prayer. We need to be seeking his face and he will draw us closer to him. In this way the image of the invisible God will be reflected into our needy world. We become the instruments that God uses to fulfill his purposes. Get to know and reflect the Image.

Prayer:

Lord, please help me to know you more.  Amen.

If you would like to read more "Reflecting the Image"  click on the image to take you to the NPH bookstore.The book is also available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.


http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/nph/itempage.jsp?itemId=9780834135277

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more