WHOSE IMAGE ARE YOU?

 An Image is a visual representation of an object. It is the likeness of something. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you will see an image of yourself. The image is the likeness of the object which is you. The image has nothing more/extra or less than what you have. This exactly means that the Image and the object are the same. Let's try and figure this out in the life of a Christian. I'll use myself as an example, before I got born again, I was living a different life. I was living a life of oppression. I was living in anger and bitterness. My life then wasn't pleasing to God. In this case, my life was an image/ clear indication of the kingdom I was operating in then. But when I got born again, my old man and his deeds were put off and I became a new man. With time, I was renewed in knowledge and I became an image of Him who brought me out of darkness into His marvellous Light (Jesus Christ). This is exactly what happens when one gets born again, the old self fades away and you become a new man. 

“Col.3.9 -10  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”

Now that you've become a new man, you are required to express the new man in you. When you become of Christ, Christ dwells in you. And when Christ dwells inside of you, you ought to start living him in all your ways. Your image begins to change and you start portraying the character of Christ. It is your image/ character that will make people know who you are. You don't need to tell people you are born again, your character ought to defend you at all times.

“1John.2.6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. (NLT)”

Your life ought to purely portray Christ. Christ lived a holy and Righteous life so we must also walk in Holiness and Righteousness. The image cannot be contrary to the real object. Similarly, if your life is contrary to that of CHRIST, then you need to rethink your salvation.

“2Cor.5.21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NKJV)” 

We are the righteousness of God in Christ and therefore, our lives ought to portray Righteousness.

Sin was hung at Calvary

We are no longer sinners

We were freed from the bondage of sin at Calvary

Now we are sons of God. John says that those who received Him was given the power to be called Sons of God.

I'm no longer a slave, I'm a son

But wait, you cannot claim to be a son of God when you still engaging in fornication. Sons listen to their father's instructions and the Father is saying, “Flee fornication” [1st Corinthians 6:18]

You cannot claim to be a son of God when all you do is to defile your body. Sons are always attentive to their fathers. The father is saying that you present your body as a living sacrifice to God. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in a clean place. He doesn't dwell in dirt and filthiness.

However, it is not about your power to shun all evil and ungodliness. There is the power that will teach you as a believer to say no to all that is contrary to who you are in Christ.

Titus.2.11 - For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Titus.2.12 - Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

This is it then, that trying on your own to portray the character of Jesus without depending on His grace is something that won't work. The grace of God can simply be defined as unmerited favour. How? See! God made His own son to become sin that we may become righteous when there was nothing that would qualify us.

Therefore Christ is what qualifies us before God thus we can only become acceptable to God by depending on Jesus. And that's how we give way for the grace of God to teach us to say no to all ungodliness hence we end up portraying the character of Christ in us without struggling. Christ enables us.

Agreeing with God on what He says about us is giving way for His grace teaches us to live righteously and holy.

Rom.5.17 The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. (NLT)

From this verse, it's clear that righteousness is a gift that we receive. A believer does not have to struggle to become righteous and thus be able to portray the image of Jesus in their life. Righteousness is already the state of being for the believer, not an achievement to be attained anytime in the future.

Agreeing with God's word on who he has made us be is what effortlessly yields the fruit of righteousness in our lives. Therefore, for the believer to be in a position of portraying Christ in their daily living, the solution is to let the reality of the Word of God shine through them.

The believer is the image of God. God is holy. God is righteous. And just exactly the same is the believer. Embracing this truth is what changes people inside out. Know who you are in Christ and acknowledge it and watch yourself get transformed by the power of God, the Gospel! Glory! Blessings!

Sis. Sakinah Eunice Tubula 

Assisted by Stephen Mwanzia