Portraits of Christ

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Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…

There is no surer sign of littleness than slavish imitation; yet this is not the case when the models are perfect. No artist is accused of a want of originality because he studies Greek sculpture or the works of Michael Angelo or of Raphael. It is even so with the imitation of Christ. To imitate other men is weakness; to copy Christ is strength. He who should imitate Him the most nearly, would be the most original man upon earth. If I should exhort you to imitate any one else, I should have a difficult task with sensible men. There is not a single biography about which you could say, "I will re-live this man's life precisely as he lived." There is but one model which a man can accept as his copy in every jot and tittle.

I. IN WHAT SENSE IS A BELIEVER TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST?

1. Negatively.

(1) Not as a penny bears the superscription of the Queen. There is something more required of us than having in some dark corner the name of Jesus tattooed into the skin of our profession.

(2) Nor is a cold morality conformity to the image of Christ. A statue may present the very image of a statesman or warrior, but it is dumb, and blind, and motionless. We are not to be mere dead pictures of Christ; we are to be like Him as living men.

(3) Nor is it enough to act publicly as Christ would have acted. Some are ever asking, "Would Christ have done this" or "that?" And then they answer it according to their own fancies. They see some Christian man who is not bound by the "touch not, taste not, handle not," of the old Mosaic spirit, and they cry over him, "Would Christ have done such a thing?" If he laughs or keeps a carriage, "Ah," they say, "did Christ ever do so?" And so they think that by putting on a face that is more marred than that of any man, they shall become the very image of Christ Jesus. You might put on a garment without seam, put sandals on your feet, and you might even ride through the streets of Jerusalem upon "a colt the foal of an ass"; but this imitation is not to be in mere externals.

2. Positively. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ.

(1) In character.

(a)  In humility: "though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor."

(b)  In diligence: in the Father's business.

(c)  In love.

(d)  In devotion and prayerfulness.But who can describe the whole? We can but say that whereas one man is admirable for his faith, another for his patience, another for his courage, and another for his affection, He is altogether lovely!

(2) In suffering. If we are ever conformed to Christ, we must bear His cross.

(3) In glory. If we be cross bearers we shall be crown wearers.

II. WHY SHOULD WE BE TRANSFORMED AS UNTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST? Well may we desire to bear the image of Christ, because —

1. It is that which we lost in Eden. If Eden were a sorrowful loss, and if it be desirable to obtain its paradise again, surely the image of God must be desirable first and foremost of all.

2. It is the ultimate end of God's decree. I do not read that the saints are predestinated to paradise, but to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, that He may be the first-born among many brethren.

3. It is the Spirit's great work in us. When we are regenerated, the new man is put into us; and the new man is renewed in the image of Christ Jesus. The moment that a sinner believes, there is put into him the first germ of a perfect Christ; it needs but that it should be nourished by the Spirit, and it will grow into the perfect stature of a man in Christ.

4. It is our highest glory on earth, and our crowning privilege above. What more glorious for a man than to be like Christ?

III. IS IT POSSIBLE? "I have tried," says one, "to make myself like Christ, and I cannot." Indeed, thou canst not. This is art which excels all art. Why, the most wondrous painters, who have never failed before, always fail in the portrait of Christ. They cannot paint the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely. Orators, before whose eloquence men have been swayed as the waves are tossed by the wind, have confessed their inability to reach the excellences of Christ. Divinest poets have been compelled to lay down their harps, and relinquish all hope ever to sing the song of songs concerning this fairest Solomon. And must it not be a vastly harder task for a man to be made like Christ? Indeed, if this were our work, it were impracticable, and we might dissuade you from the task. But it is not your work, it is God's work. It was God who predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son; and God who made the decree will fulfil it Himself. But wherein lies the hardness of our being made like Christ? It lies —

1. In the material to be worked upon. "Oh," saith one, "there is never a possibility of making an image of Christ out of me. I am but a rough hewn stone of the quarry; friable, unworkable; the chisel will only blunt its edge upon me." But what matters the material when you know the great artificer? To Him all things are possible.

2. In the world we live in. "How can I be like Christ?" saith another. "If you would build a monastery, and let us all live as Christian brethren together, it might be possible; but I have to mix with men that blaspheme; and my business is so trying to the temper. And then our trade has so many temptations in it. We get one touch, as it were, put into the picture on a Sunday, and we think we shall be like Christ one day; but the devil puts six black touches in during the week, and spoils the whole; it is not possible we should ever be like Christ." But God says it shall be done. Of course Satan will do his best to stay God's decrees; but what shall become of anything that stands in the way of God's decree?

3. In the perfection of the image. "If it were to be like David, Josiah, or some of the ancient saints, I might think it possible; but to be like Christ, who is without spot or blemish, I cannot hope it. It were presumption for such a fallen worm as I, to hope to be like Christ." And did you know it, that while you were thus speaking, you were really getting the thing you thought to be impossible? When you bowed before that image overawed, do you know it was because you began to be made like it? When I come to love the image of Christ, it is because I have some measure of likeness to it. And if you as believers will look much at Christ, you will grow like Him.

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