The Image of God

Adam and Eve together were created to be the image of God. When they decided to turn from God and believe when the serpent said they could rule the planet without God, this image was marred. But Jesus, in His glorified humanity, has ascended into the heavens to make intercession for us.

The Scriptures say we don’t have a “high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin.” The Scriptures continue to say that “we can come boldly before the throne of grace.” The only hope we have is to continually fix our eyes on Jesus who is the “author and the finisher of our faith.”

When we look to Jesus, we can be changed into His image. Our character will be made like His. And we should be glad that all judgment is given to the Son because in Jesus, His humanity has become acquainted with all the things that overwhelm humanity and with all our difficulties. Jesus can take the error of Adam and Eve and restore us to relationship with the Father.

When the Bible tells us we must be sanctified or holy, it means to take on the divine nature. It’s to catch the spirit and the mind of Jesus. It’s to continuously be learning in the school of Christ.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

Because of the broken relationship that we have with God, it is impossible for any of us by our own power or our own efforts to work this change in ourselves. It’s only the Holy Spirit, which Jesus said He would send into the world, that changes our character into the image of Christ. And when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord.

The closer you get to Jesus, the more of His character you see. The closer you get to Jesus, the more you become like Him. And you begin to reflect His character as if you were a mirror.

This transformation is something that we don’t notice, but as we walk with Jesus day by day, we start to become like Jesus. We start to reflect His loveliness. And this is the way that we grow up into grace. It’s unconsciously reflecting God’s image as we walk with Him.

Unfortunately, professed Christians don’t walk with Christ. Their eyes are trained to see only common things. Their minds dwell on the things that their eyes see. Their religious experience is often shallow and unsatisfying. Their words are valueless. How can such people reflect Christ?

Enoch was always under the influence of Jesus. He reflected Christ’s character. He showed the same qualities and goodness, mercy, tender compassion, sympathy, forbearance, meekness, humility, and love. His link with Christ day by day transformed him into the image of Him with whom he was so intimately connected.

Are you connected to Jesus today? Or are your eyes looking on the common things—the things of this world? What image are you reflecting? Are you reflecting the image of Jesus?

If you want to be like Jesus … if you want to walk with Jesus … if you want to be the mirror of Jesus to this world, all you have to do is walk with Him. Come close to Him every day to learn to follow Jesus.

Pastor Anthony Nix

Anthony serves as the Pastor For Anderson Seventh-day Adventist Church in Anderson, IN. A charismatic communicator with a message that motivates discipleships to Jesus, Anthony teaches on a variety of topics, emphasizing God’s unfailing love and His desire to be in relationship with His creation. He is a graduate of Southern Adventist University. Anthony and his wife Nayeli have three beautiful and loving children.