Title: Restoration of the Image of Christ
Contents
Restoration of the image of Christ (Galatians 4:19-20))
I. What is the image of Christ?
We humans were originally created in the image of Christ. However, because man sinned and fell, this image of Christ was completely lost. Jesus Christ came to save us, make us children of God, and restore this lost image of Himself, the image of Christ. What, then, is the image of Christ? Holiness, righteousness, and love. The image of Christ, holiness, righteousness, and love must be restored in the saved children of God.
You must also be holy physically. No matter how corrupt the sexual ethics in this world, Christians must keep physical purity as well as life (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). This is not the moral standard of the world. It is the word of God. It is a commandment of God. The Roman Empire, which was persecuting Christianity, was completely corrupted in sexual morality. But only Christians were clean. It speaks of the corruption of sexual ethics among the signs of the last days. I pray that you will become holy saints who keep the purity of the body. All life must be holy. Language life must be holy. Material life must be holy. We must restore the holy image of Christ in us.
Second, the image of Christ's righteousness must be restored in us. Our God is a righteous God. He is a God of justice who never sees injustice. The Bible asserts that there are no righteous people (Romans 3:10). We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Children of God who have been justified through faith in Jesus Christ have the duty to live righteously. In today's world, the righteous lose and the shrewd gain. However, children of God must live a righteous life in the image of Christ. Beloved, I pray that you will become saints who restore the image of Christ by striving to live a righteous life.
II. How can we restore the image of Christ?
Restoration of the image of Christ! This is the request of the Lord who saved us. This is the duty of the saved children of God. This is the most important thing we need to do first. However, this is not just a human effort. The Bible clearly says it. “It is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:5). We can restore the image of Christ through the Word of God and prayer.
First, the image of Christ is restored by the word of God. The chaos, emptiness, and darkness above the deep, the heavens and the earth were beautifully created by the Word of God (Genesis 1). Today, our hearts can also be recreated and restored to the image of Christ when the Word works. “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow” (Hebrews 4:12). A sharper word, that is, a word that pierces and divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow. When this Word works, we humans can be renewed and we can restore the image of Christ. Dear all! I hope this year will be a year in which you draw closer to the Word of God. I want you to try to listen, to read, to meditate, and to write the Bible. I pray that the blessing of the restoration of the image of Christ abounds in you.
Second, the image of Christ is restored through prayer. “This kind cannot go out by anything but prayer” (Matthew 9:29). The image of Christ cannot be restored by anything other than prayer. When we pray, the Holy Spirit is present and full. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. If we are filled with the Spirit of Christ, we can naturally restore the image of Christ. You will live a holy life, you will live a righteous life, and you will become a person of love. I hope you will pray more fervently and more earnestly this year. I pray that you will be filled with the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Holy Spirit, and that the image of Christ will be fulfilled.
Dear all! A Christian without the image of Christ is useless. Gandhi said, 'I like Jesus. But I don't like Christians who don't have the image of Christ.' A Christian who does not have the image of Christ is bound to be the object of hatred by the world. I hope this year will be a year of doing our best to restore the image of Christ. I hope you are close to the word Please pray hard. I pray that you will restore the image of Christ and become saints who show the image of God.