What Others See

Colossians 1:27 “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

I once met a guy that struck me odd by the manner in which he introduced himself. He was new to the neighborhood and was wondering where I lived so I pointed in the general direction of my house and told him my name. It turns out we share the same first name and as he introduced himself he told me he was the owner of a local restaurant. It was getting late so we parted ways but I was thinking about his introduction and the ways we present ourselves.

My new neighbor wouldn’t have introduced himself by name and career unless he was proud of what his career entailed.

I thought about my introduction and what I would say if I presented myself in like manner.

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The ways we present ourselves speaks of what is important to us, if it’s a career, your physique, or anything else you might be proud of, the image we present can determine the impact we have on others. You may ask yourself, why do I care how impact others? Well, for the world this may not be a priority, but for those who associate with Christ, it is everything.

Colossians 3:23 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”

For my neighbor, his identity was in his restaurant, but I wonder how others would see what I identify with?

Our Image

The image we present should be purposeful. If we don’t take into consideration how others perceive us, then we miss the opportunity to impact others for Christ. If my focus is on my accomplishments, then I am the one being glorified. If I exalt Jesus in me, then it is His goodness in me that allows me impact others for Him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the Lord:

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.”

The ways believers represent Christ is important. If they present a false image of God, then they misrepresent Christ for who He is. I’ve known many that love to portray God as a benevolent Father, one full of lovingkindness and grace and that may be true…but there is a specific way that God manifests His love and grace.

God’s Image

Hebrews 1:1-4 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

Jesus is the Son of God, He is the exact representation of the Father.

He is not an angel, He is not a child born of God, He is God who was seen and can be known. As the Son of God, He came forth from the Father as equal, just as the Holy Spirit came forth as equal. The image of God is not one that can or should be stepped over. If we present Christ in who He is, the world must decide how they will respond to Him.

A believers responsibility is to reveal Christ as He is, not as the world wants Him to be. The love of God was and is expressed through the Son, without Jesus, the world remains under judgement. The world can declare they believe Jesus exists but that means nothing if their belief doesn’t become their life. Sin is a personal offense against God, it requires a death sentence, fortunately for believers Jesus paid the fine. We who are His people have been purchased by His redemption and have been released from the bondage of sin and death, we must now proclaim this to the world.

Colossians 1:27 “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

Contrary to popular opinion, God has not thrown some proverbial blanket of grace over the world, His grace is specifically connected to His Son, who gave His life that we might live. Believers are now called to carry His image and present it before the world.

Conformed and Transformed

Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

God’s people are called to His purposes, not their own. They likewise are meant to represent His purposes to the world.

Why do you suppose God has left believers here on this planet after saving them by His grace? Why would He leave them to battle against flesh and blood, and against the principalities and powers of this present darkness? Why not receive them into His presence the moment they are redeemed so they won’t stumble and fall, or make mistakes, or wrestle anymore with the flesh?

He has left believers here for a time and for a specific purpose.

Colossians 1:27-29 “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.“

To the world, God is a mystery. The world may have formed an image of God in their minds that suits their needs, but when they stand before Him in judgement, He will be revealed in the fullness of His majesty. One day, it will be too late for those who have rejected the Son, the opportunity to follow is now.

God’s people have been called to represent Christ to this generation of souls. If you profess the name of Christ, then His Spirit is at work in you, sanctifying your life to form His image in you. He doesn’t expect you to become like Christ on your own, that would be virtually impossible to do. It is His Spirit, working in and through you that transforms you from the image of this world, into the image of the Son of God.

Don’t resist the work of the Spirit.

The process of being transformed into the image of Christ isn’t always pleasant, it is difficult to be molded from the mess of sin, into the image He is forming in us now. I have never met a man or woman of God that hasn’t experienced the kiln of God’s holy fire and said it was easy, but what comes out of that kiln is glorious.

The hand of God reveals through the life of a believer His glory, for those who have been transformed by His power it is a sight to behold….it is simply miraculous. When others see His handiwork, it brings glory to God.

One day we will see the product of His transforming power, and enjoy His heavenly reward, until then we must humbly submit to His hand working in us.

Trust Him for the process. Let His image be revealed in you, then enjoy the fruit of His labor because it is always good.