So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Genesis 1: 27 NKJV
There is a conflict in Christianity today concerning the image of the Lord. I saw this once again as I watched the film "Heaven is for real," where young Colton is suddenly thrown into a sickness and is, for all intents and purposes, considered dead for a short time. Instead of being the end, this is where the young boys journey begins. For as he tells it, he was privy to a visit to the Lords heaven while he was lying in the hospital. Now, whether you believe this story or not is not the subject of this page. I intend to focus on something Colton came away with from his trip to heaven. One of the focal points of this movie was that this young boy claimed to have met and talked to Jesus. Not only that, he gave a pretty good looking artists rendition of what this man whom he talked to in heaven looked like. I recall when this movie hit the theaters, and everyone was chattering about this image of Jesus which a little boy related to a sketch artist. Indeed, this MUST be the true image of Jesus! Well, before you get your hopes up too high let me remind you of a few things. First, this description of Christ is coming from a young boy. Second, since Colton's father was a minister, we can assume that he was raised in the church. How is it that most Christian publications and bibles portray the image of Jesus? Let me refresh your memory, tall white guy, probably around 30ish with a beard. There, that's Jesus...or is it? I don't mean to cast doubt on the claims of this boy, but I've become familiar with another image of the Lord Jesus. I am aware of this very image of Christ each day when I look into the mirror. For the apostle Paul relates to us in Galatians that it is Christ Jesus who lives in us today {Galatians 2:20}. The scripture tells us that we are all created in the Fathers own image {Genesis 1:27}. Therefore, I usually don't waste too much time and effort worrying about just what His image resembles. I already know that I resemble His image. That is all I need to know.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2: 20 NKJV
I don't want to deter those Christian sleuths out there whose desire is to nail down what God and Jesus look like. If that is what draws them to the Father then so be it. However, do we really feel the need to come to agreement on the image of a God who has appeared to us not only as a burning bush {Exodus 1:4}. Also, as a cloud {Exodus 19:9}. Knowing this, can we truly believe that God is held down by one image? I refuse to accept that. I believe that the reason the Lord presented Himself to young Colton in the image that He did was because the boy was familiar with that image of Jesus. Remember that we are told that no man has ever seen God {John 1:18, 1 John 4:12}. Who was Jesus? Jesus was the image of God upon the earth {Colossians 1:15-16}. Without Jesus, God would still be a unknown to us. It is Jesus who became the image of the Father, and it is Jesus who gives us that very image. When I look upon myself, it is Christ that I see. Once we realize this, then the scriptures of being created in His image start to make more sense. How did Paul come to realize this truth? Through the revelation of the Father {Galatians 1:15-16}. If young Colton were to know the real image of Jesus, he need only look into the mirror. Yet, the revelation comes slower for some than it does for others. My own revelation of Christ in me came after more than a few years of thinking I knew who Jesus was. Turns out all I knew was what the church wanted me to know about Him. When we read the scriptures of being created in the Lords image, we can rest assured that we indeed resemble Him in all ways.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1: 15 - 16 NKJV
~Scott~
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