Bulletin Articles
Jesus the Perfect Image of God
God made human beings, male and female, in HIs image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27). There are many thoughts about what that entails. We might think about our spiritual nature, our moral nature, free will, the ability to reason, and the capacity to love. We can continue, but human beings have several contact points that reflect who God is. Yet there is more to the idea of being in God’s image, for Genesis directly ties this with having dominion over the created world. God made us in His image as those who would rule with Him over His created order. We are caretakers of this creation.
Because of sin, however, we have corrupted this world and essentially marred the image of God within us. We still have it, but we have harmed ourselves through sin and destroyed our fellowship with God in such a way that we hardly recognize God’s image within us. Yet God was not satisfied with such corruption, and He initiated His plan to restore and recover the true purpose of humanity through Jesus Christ.
Jesus came into this world as the perfect image of God (Col 1:15; 2 Cor 4:4). He is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb 1:3 ESV). To see Jesus is to see God (John 1:18; 14:8-10). Through Christ, then, God has made it possible for us to experience forgiveness and be reconciled to Him. In following His will, we are conformed to the image of the Son (Rom 8:29). As we grow closer to God, we look more like Him in character and are reshaped after the image of our Maker (Col 3:10). In the resurrection, our bearing the image of our Lord will be fulfilled (1 Cor 15:49; 1 John 3:2).
Since Jesus is the perfection of God’s image, He is also the fulfillment of what it means to rule over creation. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has been enthroned as King and maintains His rulership over all that has been made. As we are restored back to this image, we can participate in His reign just as God intended from the beginning (Rev 2:26-27; 5:9-10). The psalmist asks, “What is man?” The answer is that man (male and female) has been given “dominion” over the works of God’s hands (Psa 8:6). Jesus perfects this and gives the path to restoration for us (Heb 2:5-9). Through Him we are a “royal priesthood” belonging to God and proclaiming His excellencies (1 Pet 2:9).
When we think about the image of God, we might recall that God forbade making graven images of Him (Exod 20:4). Idols were made as images of various gods, intended to provide some kind of access to the gods. But these pagan images were lifeless. They could not speak, see, smell, feel, walk, or talk (Psa 115:4-6). In contrast, God made us in His image and gave us a living spirit (Gen 2:7). By walking according to His will, we reflect God in this world. Further, because we become like what we worship and trust (Psa 115:8), we are to worship and trust the true and living God and in so doing become more like Him. Jesus modeled this flawlessly and is our standard for what it means to draw near to God. We are not dead idols, but we are living images of God. Why would we try to carve out images of God that cannot speak or act when God has already made us to reflect His image?
To repeat a theme, we note that on the cross, the visage of Jesus was marred beyond recognition (Isa 52:14). This graphically demonstrates that the image of God is marred by sin in a most disgraceful way. However, in defeating death through the resurrection, we can be restored and remade to bear the image of our Lord so that we can reign with Him.
What makes Jesus the perfection of God’s image? He is none other than God in the flesh. God speaks through Jesus who is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact imprint of His nature, and who upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:1-3). Paul points to Jesus as the One who has preeminence over all things including dominions and thrones, for in Him all things are held together (Col 1:15-20). Through the blood of the cross, there is peace and reconciliation. This is the kingdom of God!
Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians for turning from idols to serve the true and living God (1 Thess 1:9). When we turn to Jesus, this is exactly what we are doing. We turn away from the lifeless and dead idols of this world so that we can see the true image of God in Christ. We also turn from glorifying self to glorifying Him, and in so doing, are conformed to His image and fulfill what we were made to be. Christ is the only One who makes this possible.
