A New Man Created According to the Image of Christ
The man made in God’s image is like a photo—the appearance is present but the reality of the person is lacking. In Genesis 2 man had the opportunity to partake of the tree of life, to receive the reality of God as life. However, in Genesis 3 man turned away from God and the way to the tree of life was closed.
Then God came in the man Jesus. He is “is the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). Jesus lived out the God who dwelt within Him. The love, wisdom, compassion, uprightness, and many other attributes seen in Jesus’ living were the image, the expression of the invisible God.
On the cross Jesus Christ created in Himself “one new man” (Eph. 2:15). And His death and resurrection reopened the door to the tree of life. This new man, partaking of the redemption and life of Christ, replaced the fallen man, the old man, as the corporate humanity to become God’s expression.
By believing into Christ we have received His life and “have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10). This renewing gradually saves us in full from every aspect of the old, fallen man and gradually produces God’s expression through us. The final stage of this process will be New Jerusalem.
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.
Posted by Don on June 24, 2024
https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/06/24/a-new-man-according-to-the-image-of-christ/
