In His Image

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

—James 1:18-19 (NLT)

Out of all creation, we are God’s prized possession. He fashioned us in His image and created us to know Him. The Word existed with God, and in Jesus, became flesh just like us. But unlike us, Jesus was without sin. God chose to birth His life in us through the gift of His Son’s life for our sins. When we believe by faith in Jesus, the righteousness of Jesus is gifted to us. God claims us as His children. Then we are no longer just one of His creations. We are prized and loved by Him—heirs to all of His promises.

Our Father never changes. He is the same as He was yesterday, and He will be the same in the future. God is not the author of evil. Whatever is good and perfect in our lives is His gift to us. Jesus came into the world to save it—not to condemn it. There is no condemnation in Him. God is redeeming love.

Have we experienced the glory of Jesus, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth? We say we believe, but do we? If we did, wouldn't we walk in His freedom unhindered by fear? Wouldn’t we be free in His grace to experience forgiveness without retribution—to receive peace without hesitation—to know joy without a doubt? Perhaps we don’t know who Jesus has made us to be.

Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and guide them into all truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a divine revelation of what Jesus has done for you. He has taken your sins from you and given you His righteousness. You are forgiven. You can go freely to your Father and rest in His presence. God sent His Word and healed you. His Word was flesh in Jesus, and that Word died in Jesus for you. Every sin was taken to the Cross, and you have risen with Him to walk in the righteousness of God. 

Just as your Father is three-in-one, so are you! You are spirit, mind, and body. His righteousness lives in your spirit because that is where you were born again. When you are renewed in your mind by the righteousness you received at salvation, you are transformed by the gift of His life for yours. And your body lives out what your mind believes. When you behold Jesus’ grace in all of its beauty and wonder, you experience the freedom and joy of His love. You experience the fact that God sent His Word and healed you in spirit, mind, and body. You believe the Word was flesh in Jesus, and that flesh died to give you the magnificence of your Father.

Jesus said on the Cross that His work for us was finished. There was nothing more to be done. God sent His Word and healed you in spirit, mind, and body. His Word was flesh in Jesus, and that Word died for you so you might have its life.

“May God himself,” Paul wrote, “the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NIV).

© 2019 Lynn Lacher

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