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- You were created on purpose and for a purpose by a loving Creator God!
- You can't experience that purpose or His incredible love for you fully though because of the sin nature that you inherited (like all of us!) from the very first humans who marred the Image they were made in by breaking relationship and trust with God.
- There is nothing you or I can do about that situation to make it right and experience His love or purpose for our lives.
- So He solved the problem for us. He came as a Human who would live a full perfect life, thereby redeeming the Image that humanity bore. Then He sacrificed Himself. It was the only way to save us and restore the possibility of purpose and loving relationship for us to experience. The sacrifice had to be human (since we are human) and it had to be powerful enough to be an acceptable sacrifice for all humans for all time (God Himself is the only "thing" that powerful). So He made Himself the "God-Man" sacrifice (JESUS!). It does not automatically save everyone, but it is available to everyone who will accept it.
- But...He asks that we turn from the old inherited, broken patterns of life and choose to live His way - as a redeemed Image Bearer. He asks us to respond to His call with this "repentance". It doesn't matter if your parents are Christians or if you have been going to a church your whole life. You have to make that personal response intentionally at some point in your life!
That's the Gospel!
But I have begun to realize something as a counselor working with Christians from all over the world. A sense of failure or negative worth because of abuse and circumstance is causing those redeemed individuals to believe they no longer deserve the Gospel!
They believe they are a messed up, dirty, post-redemption failure that has ruined their salvation experience and they have fallen from God's grace. Has that happened to you?
Please understand that if you share in that experience, the Good News does not cease to be good news! You can not lose your standing of Grace! You were Created in His Image and then that Image was redeemed! You are Image Born!
One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is Romans 5:15. It says that the "Gift is not like the Trespass!" Oh man - do you get that?!!
The whole discussion in context states that sin (the trespass) angered God - He had a limited type of patience for it that will not endure forever - and that limited patience leads to judgement. But the gift is completely different.
He doesn't lose patience with us just because we don't become perfect after receiving salvation. His patience and grace never run out for those who are redeemed Image Bearers - because the gift is dependent on that completely perfect and all-powerful sacrifice of Jesus! If you can grasp how important a concept it is that you were
- made in His Image,
- He loves that Image, and
- He irrevocably redeemed that Image (YOU!),
"And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification."
YES!!
I know life is hard. I struggle with it too. Sometimes the negative messages are almost overwhelming. But that is not who you are Image Bearer!
Know who you are. At home taking care of kids that don't listen to you. Trying to love a spouse that doesn't appreciate you. Working at a job that doesn't celebrate you. Pursuing a dream that seems to good for you. Reflecting on a life that looks and feels like an Olympic champion of regret and failure.
That is what Jesus died to overcome. He knew it would be there. He did it anyway. He overcame the World. It doesn't overcome Him just because it seems to invent new ways to sin or because it seems to get more complicated.
You are Image Born. You are glorious to Him because of Him. Walk with your head up today! Let your face shine today! You are His!
You were created in His Image. That is your truth! That is your Purpose! That is your Identity!
With you for His glory,
