“God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. . . . We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.” Romans 8:29 (MSG)
From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make me like his Son, Jesus. God announced this intention at creation: “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness’” (Genesis 1:26 NCV).
In all of creation, only human beings are made in God’s image. It’s a great privilege—and it gives me dignity.
What does it mean to be made in God’s image? It’s one of those concepts that’s too big to fully understand, but here’s some of what it means:
Like God, I am a spiritual being. My spirit is immortal and will outlast my earthly body.
I am intellectual. I can think, reason, and solve problems.
I am relational. I can give and receive real love.
I have a moral consciousness. I can discern right from wrong, which makes me accountable to God.
But there’s a problem: The image of God in me is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by sin. So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that myself—and everyone else ever born—have lost.
What does the full “image and likeness” of God look like? It looks like Jesus Christ!
The Message paraphrase says: “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. . . . We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him” (Romans 8:29).
The Bible says Jesus is “the exact likeness of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT), “the visible image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 NLT), and “the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV). Jesus is God!
People often use the phrase “like father, like son” to refer to family resemblance. When people see my likeness in my kids, it pleases me. In the same way, God wants his children to bear his image and likeness. The Bible says I was “created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24 NLT).
Live like an image bearer today so that when people look at me, they’ll think of how much I'm like my heavenly Father!
In summary:
From the beginning, God’s purpose has been to shape those who love Him into the likeness of His Son, Jesus—the true and complete image of God. Humans alone are created in God’s image, giving us spiritual depth, intellect, relational capacity, and moral awareness, yet that image has been distorted by sin. Through Jesus, God works to restore what was damaged, forming our lives according to Christ’s character, who perfectly reflects the Father. Spiritual growth, then, is the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus—living in righteousness and holiness—so that as God’s children, we visibly reflect our heavenly Father to the world.
Bottom line:
I was created to reflect God—and His ultimate goal is to shape my life to look like Jesus.
Next Steps:
Based on who I am—and my calling to lead, align, and equip others—my next step is to shift from asking “What should I accomplish next?” to “How is Christ being formed in me right now?”
If God’s primary goal is Christlikeness, then my leadership, coaching, and 2026 vision must flow from that formation.
Practically:
1. Choose One Christlike Trait to Intentionally Develop, Not ten. One:
Humility, Courage, Patience, Integrity, Compassion, Obedience
Make it your 60–90 day formation focus.
2. Audit Your Leadership Through the Lens of Image-Bearing
Ask weekly: Did my responses reflect Jesus? Did I lead from identity or from ego? Did I model what I’m equipping others to become?
3. Align my 2026 Goals With Formation, Not Just Expansion. Impact without Christlike character weakens influence. Character alignment strengthens it.
My calling is not just to help people succeed. It’s to help them become who they were created to be. And the most powerful way to do that is to visibly live as an image-bearer first. Formation precedes multiplication. Identity precedes impact.
0 comments:
Post a Comment