Image is everything for all people; this statement might be ambiguous due to the nature of the repetition of this topic. The truth is that humanity as a whole seeks to find it image in various ways from the western ideal of the "pursuit of happiness" to understanding ones role with a tribal community in Papa New Guinea. Image is what humanity uses to explain its place in this vast world of diverse cultures. The question is why comment on the idea of image, reason being I was reading about the Colossae Church and came upon this quote, "we share in Christ's image, when we belong to Him." (Paul & His letters, Polhill, p. 341) This statement for Christians that follow after His teachings this is a very true statement. Believers are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to become imitators of Christ (Eph. 4:1). Likewise John wrote his 3rd letter, 3:11, states that believers out to chose to imitate good rather than evil, for those that claim to be followers of God and do evil do not know or see Him.
In not dragging out this idea image here is an example: if a person that portrays themselves as an athlete, the person dresses in cut off shirts, sport shorts, cross training shoes, and looks like the just workout or going too eventually. But that is just a look or better said an appearance of an athlete, but the testing of the validity of this identity is in knowing the persons actions. Actions are the tell tale sign of if a person is truly what they appear to be. With that said, is being an athlete the person's true image or identity? How does a person determine their image? It can be said that an athlete can find identity in being an athlete, if this is the only identity they find. Most of the time there is a duality to their image, there is the athlete and there is the essence of the person: i.e. - personality, character, intelligence and etc. There appears to more than just one identity in one person if we are to compartmentalize all these aspects. How then can a person be of one image/identity and still be a whole person?
This line of thinking started with the above quote of sharing in Christ's image. What struck me about this statement when I broke it down is there might be two images that humanity has been given. First, in Genesis 1:26 God said, "let's make man in our image" so man was made in the image of God. Second, is for believers that have surrender their life unto Christ as He becomes Lord, they assume the image or identity of Christ. Can this image of God be the same of the identity of Christ? The answer is yes to those that are living sacrifices unto Jesus. Another question arises, is there any distinction between a generic image of God to an image in Christ Jesus? I believe there is a difference, but the same God that allows the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust. When God created man was perfect and bares the perfect of image of God. Then man fell and lost that perfect image of God, so in essence humanity carries partial of the image of God, but the image is deficient due to the sin nature of mankind. Therefore, when a person is called into repentance and receives forgiveness of their sins, the once broken, the once partial image/identity is being made whole again and will be perfected the day all followers of Christ are united with their Lord and King.
