HIS WORD SAYS I SHALL BE LIKE HIM

Long before Jesus created the Universe and all that is in it (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; etc.), God had a plan for mankind.  God's plan was to share eternity with created beings that were the very image and likeness of God, Himself (Gen. 1:26-27).  I can just picture the conversation between the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The Father says, "I have a plan to redeem humanity from the penalty of their sin, but I need a volunteer."  And, just like Isaiah said, when God revealed His need of a volunteer, Jesus said, "Here am I, send Me" (Isa. 6:8).  The fact that Adam ceased to be in God's likeness when he sinned, did not catch God by surprise.  He had already prepared for Adam's sin, and for those of all would come after him; God gave His only begotten Son, not just at the time of the cross, but before time itself!  Compare what the Word says:

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29).

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8).

Jesus came to pay for our sin.  Just like the unblemished lambs that Israel was to offer every year at Passover (Lev. 23:XX), "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7)!  He was "the Lamb for the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7)!  The Apostle Peter wrote: 

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God" (1 Pet. 1:18-21).

It is the epitome of ironies is that God would offer to take on the likeness of man, in order to provide a pathway for man to, once again, be in the likeness of God (Jn. 14:6; Phil. 2:5-8)!  And yet, today, God is at work transforming those who accept Jesus Christ, back into His likeness (Phil 1:6; Rom. 8:28-29; etc.)!  And one day, all who place their trust in Jesus will be like Jesus (1 Jn. 3:2)!

I don't know about you, but that day cannot come soon enough for me!