Wednesday, May 8, 2013

WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM

Because of the fall of Adam, man has not been born in God's likeness, but we have been born in the likeness of Adam (Gen. 5:3).  That is the bad news, in that, the Bible says, "For as in Adam all die. . . " (1 Cor. 15:22).  However, there is good news!  The same verse continues:  "even so in Christ shall all be made alive."  To all those who believe the Gospel, and put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God has promised that they will one day be change into the image and likeness of His Son; they will become His adopted children (Jn. 1:11-12; Rom. 8:15, 23; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; etc).

Here is what God's Word says about our change:   
*  "As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15).
*  "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).
*  "And as we have borne the image of the earthy (Adam), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (Jesus)" (1 Cor. 15:49).
*  "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:20-21).
*  "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (1 Jn. 3:2).

And here is how God's Word describes what we will be like:  
*  "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light" (Mt. 17:1-2).
*  "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks One like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.  His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength" (Rev. 1:13-16).
*  "And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.  And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One" (Jn. 17:5, 22).

Christians are not like Jesus now, but God guarantees we will be (Eph. 1:13; 4:30)!

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