Romans 8:28-39
Friday, 29 January 2021
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son… - Romans 8:29
God created man in His image and likeness (Genesis 1). But sin marred the image of man such that the glory of God which covered him was lost. Ever since, our Creator is in the pursuit of conforming us- (those who have accepted His offer of salvation through His Son)- to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
God has given man a free will to choose. The offer of salvation is to all (John 3:16) -yet each person has the choice to accept or reject. God has already preordained a purpose for those who choose His Son: “… He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself...” (Eph.1:4,5). Our adoption as sons through Christ is the greatest privilege we receive from our Heavenly Father!
Just as any parent is proud to have a son/daughter who has taken after him/her in physical features or character or career- just imagine how it would warm the heart of our Heavenly Dad to see His children become like Him and His Beloved Son. When Philip the disciple asked Jesus to show him the Father, Jesus replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father;…Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” (John 14:9,10). He and the Father are one! Hence the characteristics we see in Jesus are of the Heavenly Father Himself!
If we are to be conformed to the image of Christ, what are the traits of His image we are looking for? It is certainly not the physical features we are talking of; but the essence of His person! We would surely find so many if we diligently study on the character of Christ. But let us look into a few that the Father would surely love to see in us:
A Heart of Love & Compassion: The supreme demonstration of Christ’s love for us was when He laid down His life for you and me that we would be saved from the penalty of sin- death! He said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” In the gospels, it is mentioned several places that Jesus was moved with compassion with actions to accompany it.
A Meek & Gentle Spirit: Jesus said in Matt.11:29[GW] “… learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit;” We see His example of not returning evil for evil as He taught in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt.5:44) – He never retaliated when scorned, mocked at or spoken evil of; (1 Peter 2:3)
A Mind of Humility &Obedience: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… made Himself of no reputation… He humbled Himself and became obedient” (Phil.2:5-8). Think of the One- “by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth” (Col.1:16), willing to be born in one of his human creations just to take the human form so that you and I would not be destroyed forever! He is the Epitome of Humility! The Infinite God lived in a finite body 33 years, learnt obedience by what He suffered (Heb.5:8) and said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me…” (John 4:34).
Would we allow Father God“…who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all… (Rom.8:32) to work in our lives that we would conform to the image of His Son so that when we see Him one day, we shall BE LIKE HIM. (1John 3:2)
Think on: “As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor.3:18 GW)
Listen: ‘Let the beauty of Jesus’