Well, why don't I pray and we'll get started. I'm excited to get into this topic this morning.
Heavenly Father, thank you so much that you've given us everything in Christ Jesus.
That we, although lost and all but obliterated in our sinfulness, you came, condescended yourself in the person of your Son, Jesus Christ.
And that you've given us the ability to study you, to contemplate you, to renew our minds to a worshipful life that anticipates the glory that we have in you.
Help us focus on you this morning.
Let everything that is said be said to your glory.
We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.
Well, today the topic is the image of God in Christ.
And the technical term is the imago substantialis, the essential image of God that's in Christ Jesus.
I'm excited to get into that.
But today we're going to recap a little bit first and talk about the image of God in man first.
There are a few steps that we have to take before we get directly into the image of God in Christ.
So you'll recall that last week, if you were here, we looked at Psalm 8 as well as Genesis 1 and 2.
And we concluded that the image of God in humanity is humanity itself, united in both body and soul.
It's everything that pertains to the human being.
And that's important for how we reflect God and his goodness in creation.
But it's also important secondarily and related to the first for ethics.
We talked about that a little bit.
In fact, there's a deep significance there.
Earlier last week, in fact, Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia signed in to effect the fetal heartbeat bill,
which directly ties to this idea of what we consider to be a person,
a focus on the actual human person in the womb,
which the Washington Post noted.
They had an interesting article.
And it was interesting seeing some of the reactions as well.
CNN's Christine Quinn says this,
quote,
When a woman is pregnant, that is not a human being inside of her.
End quote.
Contrarily, Psalm 139.13 says that it uses the same potter imagery from Genesis 2.7
as saying that we're fearfully and wonderfully made,
woven together by God inside the womb.
In fact, David in Psalm 51.5 says that he's conceived in sin
and refers to himself as an I or a me.
And both of those passages are drawing on this cosmological language, right,
of the image of God as consisting in the body as well as the soul in the womb.
And this dehumanizing sentiment that we see today
is an affront, in fact, to the image of God in man
that's continuing.
We see, in fact, in Genesis 9.6,
it says that whoever sheds man's blood,
by man his blood shall be shed.
For in the image of God he made man.
In fact, that verse talks about the image of God
as kind of this grounds for our moral accountability before God.
Where, of course, all sin is directed ultimately towards God.
Now, this points to the deterioration of the image in God
when we talk about sin and its effects.
We used last week the phrase that we've been defaced but not erased.
The image has been defaced but not erased.
And that means that it breaks our communion with God.
It affects our whole person, body, as well as soul.
In Genesis 3.7, it talks about the shame that Adam and Eve had bodily
when sin had affected it after the fall.
In fact, Augustine refers to that verse as,
quote, a novel disturbance in their disobedient flesh.
Now, there is a plethora of passages that talk about this state
as being, in fact, a kind of deadness, a separation from God.
Ephesians 2.1 refers to it as being dead in our trespasses and sins.
Colossians 2.13 says that you were dead in your transgressions.
And Romans 6.23 states that the wages of sin is death.
However, in that verse, Paul immediately qualifies it by saying,
but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Lord, we're going to be talking about Christ as the very image of God,
equivalently, substantially, and essentially.
And we're going to be entering upon the threshold of high Trinitarian theology.
There's going to be a lot that's difficult to understand today for me and for you,
which is why we're going to stick close to the text.
This is going to be another Lerman lecture sermon.
And we're going to be staying in Colossians in particular,
which talks about the sufficiency of Christ,
or that classic Reformation doctrine of Christ alone
as the boundaries for our faith and our salvation.
It was John Calvin who wrote,
outside Christ there is nothing worth knowing.
And elsewhere, that Christ is all-sufficient.
He says that in his sermons on Ephesians in particular.
Particularly, we're going to be talking about Colossians 1, 15-22.
However, as R.C. Reid once says,
to know just how much we are indebted to Christ,
we must know how much we are indebted to Adam.
So in order to get there, we're going to turn to Romans 5.
If you have your Bibles,
we're going to be looking at Romans 5 real quick.
Of course, the synthetic nature of theology,
like we said last week,
that means that we have to cover a lot of ground
in order to get to who Jesus Christ is
in order to understand the name of God and Christ.
I'm going to read Romans 5, 12-21.
Therefore, just as through one man,
sin entered into the world,
and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
For until the law, sin was in the world.
But sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses,
even those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offensive Adam,
who is a type of him who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one,
the many died,
much more did the grace of God
and the gift by the grace of the one man,
Jesus Christ,
the bound to the many.
The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned.
For on the one hand,
the judgment arose from one transgression,
resulting in condemnation.
But on the other hand,
the free gift arose from the many transgressions,
resulting in justification.
For if by the transgression of the one,
death reigned through the one,
much more those who receive the abundance
of grace and the gift of righteousness
will reign in life through the one,
Jesus Christ.
So then,
as through one transgression
there resulted condemnation to all men,
even so through one act of righteousness
there resulted justification of life to all men.
For as through the one man's disobedience
the many were made sinners,
even so through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.
The law came in
so that the transgression would increase,
but where sin increased,
grace abounded all the more.
So that as sin reigned in death,
even so grace would reign through righteousness
to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now, that's a confusing passage.
And in fact, it sounds like word salad
when I'm reading it out loud, doesn't it?
But it's actually a very important passage.
Paul places it central in his logic
for how we understand our relation to Christ.
And historically,
it was the center of a controversy
known as the Pelagian controversy
between Augustine of Hippo on the one hand
and Pelagius, who's a renowned heretic,
on the other.
The controversy revolved around
what's called original sin.
Where does sin come from
and how does it affect our person?
It was sparked when Pelagius,
who's a monk in Jerusalem,
heard Augustine being read aloud,
Augustine's Confessions.
And the passage was this one
from Confessions chapter 10.
My whole hope is in thy exceedingly great mercy
and that alone.
Give what thou commandest
and command what thou wilt.
This meant that humans can contribute nothing
to God's grace
and that God's grace is everything
in the act of salvation.
However, that didn't sit well with Pelagius
or his student after him, Julianus.
And they caused quite a controversy about this
by saying that man is completely neutral
in his ability to choose good or choose evil.
Augustine's response to this came,
in fact, from Romans 5,
the passage we just read.
Again, it's a confusing passage,
but there's a basic key to understanding it
the next time that you have to read through it.
And that's the key of considering it
as an imperfect analogy.
There's a comparison on the one hand
between Adam and Christ,
and there's a contrast on the other hand
between their various functions.
This is called,
just to give,
for those of you who are curious,
it's called synkresis.
It's the comparison of comparable persons,
objects, or things
with deficiencies or superiorities highlighted.
It was a classic literary device.
And this militates, in fact,
against the claim
that this was not doctrinally central
to Paul's theology.
Occasionally you'll see people
say that this verse
is too imprecise
to make any theological claims about it.
But Paul places it very central here.
And note also that
it's a cosmological argument.
That is to say,
it's grounded
in how we understand
creation is told to us in the Bible.
So the comparison
teaches the means of participation,
either in Adam, on the one hand,
or Christ, on the other.
The Greek word in verse 14
is tupos,
which is a type.
It's the pattern
against which a coin
is struck from the mint.
And that speaks
of that same function
that Christ has
as Adam does.
That is to say,
they're both representatives
of their respective races.
And look at verse 19.
It says that
the word made is used.
And that word made
is kathistimit,
to ordain
or to establish.
And the actual Greek form of it
means that it's a
sole act of God alone.
God places
either in Adam
or he places in Christ
as representatives.
Now, that's the comparison
in how they're functioning
as heads of their respective races.
The contrast
is their differing acts
and results.
The one act
of being an Adam
is transgression
resulting in condemnation.
And that has to do
with that covenant
found in Genesis 2,
16 to 17.
You recall
God is talking to Adam
in the garden
and he says,
it says,
The Lord God
commanded Adam
saying,
From any tree
of the garden
you may eat freely.
But from the tree
of the knowledge
of good and evil
you shall not eat.
For in the day
you eat from it
you will surely die.
This is why
we speak of having
sinned in Adam,
by the way,
not in Eve.
Eve ate first, right?
But Adam
was constituted
federal head
of the human race.
That's also why
the verse here
talks about
the imputation
of one sin,
not all of Adam's sins
to the human race.
So Adam was created
by God
to be the perfect
representative
for all humans
after him.
And that's why
we inherit both guilt
and corruption
from him.
Ephesians 2, 3 says,
By nature
we are children
of wrath.
And Genesis 8, 21,
speaking after the flood,
says that the intent
of man's heart
is evil from his youth.
In Augustine's words,
we are born sinners.
Yet,
on the other hand,
there's a distinct
contrast in this passage.
The parallel idea
to the one act
of condemnation
is the one act
of righteousness
resulting in justification.
That is to say,
on the one hand,
the one man,
Adam,
brought sin
and condemnation
to all men
who are under
his headship.
And on the other hand,
the one man,
Jesus Christ,
brought salvation
to all who are
under his headship.
Now,
you may be asking,
what does this have to do
with the image of God?
Well,
it has everything
to do with the image
of God.
Turn with me
to 1 Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15.
And this verse
is actually
underlying Paul's theology.
It shows that
underlying Paul's theology
is a primarily
kind of cosmological sense
of our origins in Adam,
which is the basis
for our participation
in Christ.
And he draws that out
more in this section.
The context here
is that Paul
is attempting
to underscore
the importance
of Christ's
actual resurrection.
He's applying it
to our resurrection.
and in doing so,
he's pitting Adam
versus Christ.
And he uses
very similar language
to that which we just
read in Romans 5.
In verse 22,
for as in Adam
all die,
even so in Christ
we'll all be made alive.
And that's the ground
in Paul's logic
for our resurrection
and even glorification.
And the ground
is the image of God.
Let's read verses
38 to 39.
But God gives it a body
just as he wished.
And to each of the seeds
a body of its own.
All flesh is not
the same flesh,
but there is one flesh
of men
and another flesh
of beasts
and another flesh
of birds
and another of fish.
There are also
heavenly bodies
and earthly bodies,
but the glory
of the heavenly is one
and the glory
of the earthly
is another.
There is one glory
of the sun
and the glory
of the moon
and another glory
of the stars
for star differs
from star and glory.
So also is the
resurrection of the dead.
It is sown
a perishable body.
It is raised
an imperishable body.
It is sown
in dishonor.
It is raised
in glory.
It is sown
in weakness.
It is raised
in power.
It is sown
a natural body.
It is raised
a spiritual body.
If there is
a natural body,
there is also
a spiritual body.
So also is it written,
the first man,
Adam,
became a living soul.
The last Adam
became a life-giving spirit.
However,
the spiritual
is not first,
but the natural.
Then the spiritual.
The first man
is from the earth,
earthy.
The second man
is from heaven.
As is the earthy,
so also are those
who are earthy.
And as is the heavenly,
so also are those
who are heavenly.
Just as we have
borne the image
of the earthy,
we will also bear
the image
of the heavenly.
Now,
I chose
several passages
this morning
that were word solid,
right?
This is another example
of a difficult
and interpretively
difficult passage.
And I don't have
the time to
comprehensively explain it,
unfortunately,
this morning,
but just to simplify,
note the parallels here.
There's the first man
who is Adam,
and he's described
as being earthy.
The last man
is Christ,
and he's considered
heavenly.
In fact,
the cave verse here,
however,
that I want to zone in
is verse 49.
Just as we have
borne the image
of the earthy,
we will also bear
the image
of the heavenly.
That's not speaking,
in fact,
of a spiritualization
of the body,
right?
We're not going to be,
when we're resurrected,
intangible ghosts
floating around
as orbs in heaven.
That's contrary
to Paul's logic,
in fact.
Paul isn't
a Platonist.
He's not
positing kind of
spirit versus
matter dualism.
He's assuming
that heaven
is a very real place
where God's presence
is manifest.
And in Paul's logic here,
he's saying that
Christ,
as the image
of the heavenly,
is bringing
a restoration
of the relationship
lost in Adam.
This is total,
in fact.
The more I read
this passage,
I see the focus
is on the body
as essential
for renewed communion
with God
as part of that image.
We'll talk about
this passage a bit more
and the future
state of glorification
next week
and what that looks like.
Now,
I want to focus
on the centrality
of Christ
as the essential
image of God
into which
mankind's image
is restored.
And we're going
to be focusing
on Colossians.
We're doing a lot
of Bible hopping.
Good systematic theology
is synthesizing
Bible.
Oh, they teach me
how Yale.
So our primary text
this morning
is going to be
Colossians 1 here.
And you'll note
that this text
is going to be
speaking of
Christ's perfect
mediator,
which is an important
reality.
We talk about that
in my Bible,
the Bible study
that I attend
on Thursday nights.
Another example
where we're talking
about union with Christ
and we ended up
having to talk about
every other doctrine
attached to union
with Christ.
Christ.
But it's important
to understand
that Christ
is our perfect
mediator.
1 Timothy 2.5
says there's one
God and one
mediator between
God and men,
the man Christ
Jesus.
That begs the
question,
why Christ?
Why is Christ
our perfect
mediator?
Why couldn't it
have been the
Holy Spirit?
Why couldn't
God have chosen
some other means
to save us?
Christ.
This text,
and that text
in 1 Timothy 2.5
I read,
directly equates
Christ's mediation
to his deity.
It was Stephen
Charnock who said
that Christ is said
to be the one
mediator in the
same sense that
God is said to
be the one God.
And in our passage,
it talks about
Christ's mediatorial
role in verse 20
as being reconciled
all things to
himself,
having made peace
through the blood
of his cross.
So why?
Why does that
constitute him
as mediator?
Well, Paul provides
the theological
answer here,
beginning in verse
15.
It says here,
He is the image
of the invisible
God, the firstborn
of all creation.
For by him all
things were created,
both in the heavens
and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones
or dominions or
rulers or authorities.
All things have
been created through
him and for him.
He is before
all things,
and in him all
things hold together.
He is also head
of the body,
the church,
and he is the
beginning,
the firstborn
from the dead,
so that he himself
will come to have
first place in
everything.
For it was the
Father's good pleasure
for all the fullness
to dwell in him,
and through him to
reconcile all things
to himself,
having made peace
through the blood
of his cross.
Through him,
I say,
whether things on
earth or things
in heaven.
And although
you were formerly
alienated and
hostile in mind,
engaged in evil
deeds, there it is,
that original sin
concept, yet he has
now reconciled you
in his fleshly body
through death in
order to present
you before him
holy and blameless
and beyond
reproach.
Now, Christ is
spoken of here as
the image of the
invisible God.
Now, I do have to
distinguish that's not
the same as our
image.
We have a similar
image, a likeness,
an analogy is the
word theologians
will use.
However, Hebrews 1.3
will be even more
explicit to say that
he is the radiance
of his glory and the
exact representation
of his nature and
upholds all things by
the word of his
power.
His very nature is
the Son of God,
is what's being
talked about here.
That he is, in
fact, God himself
derived from the
essence of God
and therefore
fully God.
Christ once said
to Philip when
Philip was asking
him, you know,
show me the
Father.
And Christ turns
to him, kind of
offended almost in
his voice and
says, he who has
seen me has seen
the Father.
In fact, that's
the entire theme
of the Gospel of
John, right?
The idea that the
word became, the
word became flesh,
the word was with
God and was God.
And John 1.18
talks about Christ
as the only
begotten of the
Father, the
monogamous, that
is, he's uniquely
the second person
of the Trinity and
he's the same
essence as God the
Father.
Now, exactly how
this works within
the Trinity, a
kind of Trinitarian
dynamic inherent
inside itself, is a
great mystery.
It's a profound
theological mystery.
It doesn't mean we
can't articulate it
well.
But we'll never be
able to understand
it.
In fact, the
greatest theological
minds, Augustine
talks about it in a
work on the Trinity
and Jonathan Edwards
talks about it quite a
bit.
He has this idea that
the Father's perfect
and he has a perfect
idea of himself when
he thinks about
himself and that
perfect idea of
himself has to be
equally himself because
he is himself
perfect and so that
is the Son.
And, you know, Edwards
gets into this whole
thing but there are
certain problems that
people have with
that and he's
accused of actually
some people accuse
him of a kind of
heterodoxy because
of that idea.
It has some
problems and I
think it's more
correct to simply
hedge with Calvin
on this one.
And Calvin once
said, quote, it is
not lawful for
mortal men to
intrude upon the
secrets of God.
So the Bible has
revealed very high
Trinitarian doctrine
to us but we may
never actually be able
to make sense just
thinking about it in
our hearts.
And in fact, that's
probably a mystery that
we'll be able to delve
deeper and deeper into
in eternity forever.
That's a wonderful
concept.
All we need to know for
this present study,
however, is that Christ
is the self-same image
of God.
There's a regulation
that goes on there
when it talks about
Christ as the image
of God in the
superlative.
Calvin says this,
quote,
God is comprehended
in Christ alone.
In Christ alone.
In fact,
Francis Turretin,
who's a Genevan
pastor and theologian
in the 17th century
after Calvin,
he draws out four
points of why
Christ himself had
to be our mediator.
And the third point
is directly related
to his nature
as the image of God.
He says this,
quote,
it was his to recreate
who it was to create.
What the word
by which all things
were made in the
first creation
should reform us
after his image
in the second.
The image of God
obscured by sin
and all but destroyed
could not be repaired
in us better
than by him
who was the image
of the invisible God.
End quote.
That is to say,
Christ,
as the image of God,
is the pattern
for our renewal.
And that's exactly
why Colossians 3.10
says that we,
quote,
have put on the new self
who is being renewed
to a true knowledge
according to the image
of the one who created him.
Or Ephesians 4,
verses 3 to 24,
says that
you be renewed
in the spirit of your mind
and put on the new self
which,
according to God,
has been created
in righteousness
and holiness
of the truth.
Or,
speaking of
the image of God
in Christ,
Romans 8.29,
for those whom he foreknew,
he also predestined
to become conformed
to the image of his Son
so that he could be
firstborn among
many brethren.
John Owen writes this,
the infinite wisdom
of God
had this design,
namely,
that Christ
might be
the pattern
and example
of the renovation
of the image
of God
in us
and of the glory
that doth and see
thereon.
He is in the eye
of God
as the idea
of what he intends
in us
in the communication
of grace
and glory
and he ought
to be so
in ours
as unto all
that we aim
at
in a way
of duty.
Now,
there's a final
aspect here
and that's the aspect
of the Holy Spirit.
So,
I'm going to take a look
real quick
at John 16
because I think
that's an important
aspect
in how we
have our image
of God
renewed.
John 16,
7 to 11,
Christ is speaking
of what he gains
by his ascension
into heaven
and it says this,
but I tell you
the truth
it is to your
advantage
that I go away
for if I do
not go away
the helper
will not come
to you
but if I go
I will send
him to you
and he
when he comes
will convict
the world
concerning sin
and righteousness
and judgment
concerning sin
because they do
not believe me
and concerning
righteousness
because I go
to the Father
and you no longer
see me
and concerning
judgment
because the ruler
of this world
has been judged.
That speaks of
Christ's
mediatorial mission
obtaining
the work
of the Holy Spirit
and that idea
in this text
the idea of
convicting
of sins
is found
in fact
in Titus
when Paul talks
a little bit
about regeneration
and he has
this kind of
liturgical
almost passage
it says
but when the
kindness of God
our Savior
and his love
for mankind
appeared
he saved us
not on the basis
of deeds
which we have
done in righteousness
but according
to his great mercy
by here
it is the washing
of regeneration
and renewing
by the Holy Spirit
whom he poured
out upon us
richly
through Jesus
Christ our Savior
so that being
justified by his grace
we would be made
heirs
according to the hope
of eternal life.
And that's
noted especially
in 2 Corinthians
3.18
which says
but we all
with unveiled face
beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord
are being transformed
into the same image
from glory to glory
just as from
the Lord
the Spirit
there's an equation
in these verses
the work of the Holy Spirit
is what's returning
that image of God
and restoring it
to our hearts.
This gives us
a remarkable glimpse
into the divine plan
doesn't it?
The Father
sent the Son
the Son
saves his people
and the Spirit
secures the renewed image
of God
in our hearts
He is the seal
that makes certain
the image of God
forever
onto our
very hearts
that's why
we don't have to worry
about
from this point on
having that same
kind of
mutable will
that Adam did
where we could
maybe fall out
of God's grace
Christ makes that certain
and he makes it certain
through the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1
13-14
in fact
in him
you also are
after listening
to the message of truth
the gospel of your salvation
having also believed
you were sealed
in him
with the Holy Spirit
of promise
who is given
as a pledge
of our inheritance
with a view
to the redemption
of God's own possession
the praise
of his glory
that's an
ever increasing
intimacy
that we have
with God
we'll be able to
in fact
participate
in some way
in the Trinitarian
harmony
even into eternity
that's why
Christ prays
on our behalf
as our faithful
mediator
and high priest
in John 17
the glory
which you have
given me
I have given
to them
that they may be
one
just as we are
one
and I
in them
and you
in me
that they may
be perfected
in unity
so that the world
may know
that you sent me
and loved them
even as you
have loved me
father I desire
that they also
whom you
have given me
be with me
where I am
so that they
may see me
in glory
which you
have given me
for you
loved me
before the
foundation
of the world
now we've
been speaking
of a
renewed
spiritual image
right
and this is
happening
presently
for those
who are
regenerated
in Christ
Jesus
of course
that means
that we're
still awaiting
renewal
and many
of you
eagerly
waiting
for the
renewal
of our
bodies
in the
future
state
in the
likeness
of
Christ
right
1 John
3
2
in fact
talks about
that future
reality
that we're
going to be
like him
when he
appears
because we're
going to
see him
as he
is
it's a
remarkable
concept
that our
bodies will
be raised
incorruptible
bearing the
image of the
heavenly
family
and we're
going to
have to
talk more
about that
next week
so there are
several points
of application
that we could
give
in fact I
think on a
pastoral level
the idea of
having our
image the image
of God renewed
body and soul
is wonderfully
comforting to
the believer
and a great
pastoral emphasis
let me just
give you a few
points of
application that
we could possibly
take away from
this
on the
pastoral level
it's very
humbling
doesn't it
because it
takes the
focus away
from ourselves
and it gives
complete honor
to God
it talks about
the undeserving
grace that we
have in Jesus
Christ
he didn't have
to condescend
he didn't have
to come down
from heaven
but he did
he took the
form of a
bondservant
and emptied
himself
as it talks
about in
Philippians
in fact
that's why
Paul says
in Ephesians
1-6
he talks
about this
whole scheme
of salvation
being
to the
praise of
the glory
of his
grace
which he
freely
bestowed
on us
in the
beloved
and in fact
that's why
Ephesians
2-8-10
then goes on
to talk about
how it's by
grace we've been
saved
by faith
and that not
of ourselves
it is the
gift of God
not by works
for we are
his workmanship
created
there's that
recreation language
in Christ
Jesus
for good
works
which God
prepared
beforehand
for those
who love
him
and that
causes us
to want
to
in the
words
of
Hebrews
12
to look
unto
Jesus
the author
and perfecter
of our
faith
in him
is all
the sufficient
requirements
for everything
that we need
to grow
spiritually
and that's
wonderfully
comforting
all we have
to do
is look
to Jesus
Christ
Colossians
2-67
says
therefore
as you
have received
Christ Jesus
the Lord
so walk
in him
having been
firmly rooted
and now being
built up
in him
and established
in your faith
just as you
were instructed
overflowing
with gratitude
wonderful
doctrine
in fact
it goes on
we could draw
this even
further
to talk
about
our
sanctification
it isn't
that we
are necessarily
driving
our own
sanctification
yes we
are part
of this
process
but
sanctification
itself
that's
conforming
us to
the image
of God
is empowered
solely
by
the Holy
Spirit
Philippians
2
12-13
says
that we
are to
work out
our salvation
with fear
and trembling
for
it is
God
who is
at work
in you
both
who will
and to
work
for his
good
pleasure
and 2
Corinthians
3-17
says
where the
Spirit
of the
Lord
is
there
is
liberty
right
so it's
the Holy
Spirit
that's
giving us
that ability
to want
to be
conformed
to the
Son
to want
to love
him
and pursue
him
and pursue
holiness
and pursue
likeness
with Jesus
Christ
and finally
that provides
quite a great
degree of
assurance
for us
doesn't it
we are
protected
by that
same power
of God
that breathed
the world
into existence
that's the
point of
Colossians 1
in fact
that our
reconciliation
with Christ
is rooted
on his
mediatorial
reconciliation
of all
things
in him
as the
image
of the
invisible
God
and that
provides us
finally
comfort
in trouble
to know
that no
matter what
we go
through
we just
have to
set our
eyes
on
Jesus
to look
at
look into
the heavens
and to
see where
Christ
Jesus is
seated at
the right
hand
of the
Father
now
on the
more
outward
level
not just
personal
spirituality
I think
this also
has great
evangelistic
appeal
because
we now
have a
platform
we talked
about this
a little
bit last
week
a platform
for talking
about the
renewal
of image
in Christ
alone
we have
this
ability
profound
ability
to be
able to
speak
into
the
various
issues
that people
have
in their
lives
and to
be able
to say
well
look
we're
all
dead in
our
trespasses
and sins
the Bible
tells us
this
the Bible
tells us
that we've
fallen after
Adam
and that
the image
that we
have
the communion
we have
with God
has been
lost
but that's
renewed
in Jesus
Christ
that he
gives us
this remarkable
pattern
and that by
faith in him
we're renewed
to this
understanding
of who he
is
and we
get to
partake
in what
was lost
this speaks
directly
in fact
on a
more
social
level
to the
futility
of social
endeavors
for the
sake of
social
endeavors
doesn't
it
you hear
this a
lot
but
whenever I
hear some
of these
problems
and not
that these
aren't
important
problems
that's
actually
the
point
these are
important
problems
and the
problem
is human
simpleness
isn't it
and that
means that
only Christ
can transform
us
in 1
John 2
15
it says
do not
love the
world
nor the
things
in the
world
those
things
are
passing
away
but if
we look
to Christ
he is
the only
the sole
platform
in which
that can
be renewed
and in which
we can
look ahead
to a
heaven and
earth
in which
the image
of Christ
fills
the new
heaven
and earth
and we
are able
to commune
with God
and our
renewed
bodies
and souls
forever
and ever
so let
me pray
and we
can have
some
questions
and answers
father as
we are
here on
earth
we know
that
our minds
can't fully
grasp the
glorious reality
of what this
means for us
that we
are
encumbered
not just
by that
first boundary
of our
finitude
as created
beings
but
that we
are sinful
even in
our state
in you
we still
have the
remnants
of sin
we just
pray that
you would
lift that
from our
hearts
so that
we could
pursue you
in humility
of lives
transforming
ourselves
by your
spirit
into your
image
may we
be shining
lights
images
of your
glory
representatives
in fact
of the
great
representative
who is
the head
of the
redeemed
race
christ
jesus
we pray
this
in
his name
amen
so questions
and answers
we've got
about
seven minutes
yeah
of the
image
the face
the perfect
image
in christ
the perfect
image of
god
in christ
does that
have to do
with his
human nature
no
that would
have to do
directly with
his essence
yeah
with who
he is
in himself
that
doesn't
have to
do
with his
incarnation
that has
to do
with his
existence
in the
trinity
so that's
an eternal
reality
so the
image to
which we're
renewed
in christ
it may
be related
is related
image in
adam
but is
right
that's
the step
of him
in his
messianic
mission
as mediator
is needed
in that
right
so that
him as
the perfect
image
makes him
the perfect
mediator
makes him
the perfect
as it were
trinitarian
candidate
to condescend
himself to
renew
the image
in adam
so there's
some steps
that we had
to take
to get
there
but
did that
help
so the
renewed
image
that we
have
through
christ
is it
basically
the same
as the
original
image
that adam
wore
yeah
i think
that's
fair
i think
that's
fair
there's
an added
element
of the
permanence
that comes
from
god's
grace
though
that i'm
trying to
yeah there's a permanence
through the holy spirit
that you have
not necessarily
just
you know
we're not having
something added
to our natures
we're not changing
necessarily
we're not becoming
superhuman
i guess is what
i'm trying to say
our humanity
is good
so
you might hear
some people
try and talk
about
maybe we'll
become more
and more
human
or more
extra human
in heaven
or we'll
become
some people
will try
and use
that verse
from matthew
22 to say
we'll be
like angels
i think
they're making
a leap
in logic
when they
read that
we're gonna
be like
the angels
and that
we'll
neither be
married
nor given
a marriage
that's
that's one
qualification
there
but i don't
think that's
going to say
that we're
going to
literally
become angels
in heavens
where we
don't have
bodies
we're going
to be
renewed
human beings
and there's
going to be
a permanence
in our
ability to
commune with
god
through our
human bodies
that explain
it
was that
helpful
okay
just one
quick follow
yeah
so the
image in
christ
you said
that
is eternal
yeah
but
so is
that
distinct
from the
image
adam
bore
and that
he will
bear
well i
think it's
it's helpful
to see us
as obviously
christ is
fully god
and the
image of
god in
adam reflects
that
so that's
part of the
renewal
that's going
on there
is we're
brought to
reflect that
and we're
brought to
be renewed
into that
image
yes
great
i've always
been struck
by the
image of
god
so jesus
christ
being described
as meek
and humble
which god
himself
is
and he's
meek
but it's
not described
that way
like people
are beings
they realize
how low
they are
in comparison
to the
father
so is
that just
when jesus
christ came
down god
was always
humble
with me
is that
just like
a
amplification
like
manifestation
of his
humility
by coming
down as
a
bond
servant
is he
like just
in the
flesh
jesus christ
is he
just kind
of putting
that on
display
as before
where
god was
he was
in the
form of
a bond
servant
yeah
i think
that's a
good way
to look
at it
that creation
the creation
itself even
was created
as an act
of god's
grace
he could
have been
perfect
god didn't
need us
you know
he could
have been
perfectly
content in
us
and he
in fact
he didn't
even need
to save
us
but that
in him
condescending
taking on
the form
of a bond
servant
this is the
ultimate
act of
grace
and john
114
says that
he's
you know
jesus christ
is full
of grace
and truth
this idea
that he
could have
been perfectly
content in
heaven
but that
part of
his character
led him
to want to
dispose himself
to come
down
and the
infinite quality
of his love
demonstrated that
grace
so i think
that's helpful
the next
question that
some theologians
like to
tinker with
is does
that mean
that god
in his
character
did make
that does
make creation
necessary
so that's
that's this
whole other
dynamic aspect
i don't think
we have to
get into
that the
bottom line
is that
part of
his character
is that
he's so
infinitely
gracious
that he
could do
something he
didn't have
to do
so could
god properly
describe as
meek
before
jesus
i mean
before jesus
came down
and became
like you know
so dependent
on i guess
he must have
been
yeah
it's a
special
quality that
christ shows
by his
dependence on
the father
in weakness
yeah i guess
that has to do
with so
there's there's
an interesting
exercise in
theology of
when you're
defining the
attributes of
god or
virtues or
whatever it
is you define
it first in
relation to
god and
then second
in relation
to us
and that can
be fun with
something like
humility i think
that's kind of
like what your
meekness right
it's kind of
what you're
asking and
if you go
with you know
edwards has
this definition
of humility
which is
recognizing and
being content
with your
proper station
or something
like that
and so if
that's true
then god is
infinitely
perfect perfectly
meek he's
perfectly
content
his station
because his
station is
perfect and
that never
changes so
yeah yes
i think in
that idea
our first
to first relate
that idea of
meekness to
heaven we
first are
introduced to
god in
creation and
i think that
the delicate
quality of
so much in
creation would
infer an idea
of this
this nuance and
i think it's
like gracious
distance and
for there and
i think all of
this is
kind of
about
meekness
hmm
yeah
that's good
thank you
well it's
950
so i suggest
we
ascend
to the
sanctuary
as it were
thank you
everyone
so Agent
thank you