How Can We Reflect God’s Image in Culture?
Good Morning Friends,
The nature of sin is that it makes us forget who we really are, it prompts us to try and create ourselves in some other image than of those things reflecting God. It is the willful act of trying to replace the divine, the willful act of claiming a power that is not ours to have for ourselves. The challenge is how to create without replacing the divine with our own agenda. The challenge is to discover the answer to today’s question. How Can We Reflect God’s Image in Culture?
Scripture: Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27 (NRSV)
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 1:1-3 (NRSV)
and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:24 (NRSV)
Message: Today we study God’s calling to rule over creation…all creation…including that which is created in us. It is the process of God’s grace shining a light on us and through us with a love that overcomes our sin and transforms us through a creative act into something that changes the culture in which we live. With that in mind we study what it means to be recreated in the image of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We ask how to live out the Christian faith in a morally corrupt world with submissive dominion. Friends, it is clear that when we disregard God we choose bondage instead of freedom. Christ shows us the way to reclaim our freedom and the heritage of God’s image within us. Jesus is better than every other means of experiencing God for through Christ we can begin to reflect the powerful and purifying person of our creator. There really is no other way. The writer of Hebrews helps us to see the Way as the reflection of God’s glory… a new creation… the perfect revelation of God. Here on the journey we see the person, position and purpose of Christ. Here we discover that the Kingdom of God is within us but its influence is meant to radiate out in relationship with others. Here God enables us to impact the world through the changes of grace…to subdue the earth in order to survive but also to persuade the soul and conscience to change our hearts and through that the lives of others. God calls us to rule like and for Him until His return but we must have a subdued dominion to be effective. Our assertiveness must also have a sense of belonging…our active engagement born out of a reflection that makes us into image bearers not image makers. Friends, if anything is to be sustained it needs to be sustained in Christ.
Pray we see Christ as the heir of all things. Pray we see Christ as the creator of all things. Pray we see Christ as the sustainer of all things. Pray we see Christ as the radiance of God’s glory…the exact representation of His Father… the Redeemer of mankind….the ruler of the universe. Pray we learn to live. Pray with praise for a creation that call us to be like Christ. Pray we gain knowledge. Pray we gain the will and desire to do what God requires. Pray we embrace the freedom in Christ. Pray we apply what we have learned even as we await Christ’s return, not as an outward conformity but as an inner work that makes all things new in God’s image. Pray that God grant us the grace to influence the world through the Christ in us…the hope of all mankind.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 