Seeing God

In each Christian we should see a developing picture of God the father.  This is because we are becoming more Christ-like and Jesus was the exact representation of the father’s nature. This is how we glorify God, i.e. by displaying his image in ourselves.

If you do not see this nature within yourself, can you call yourself a Christian?

How can you develop this nature within yourself?

What does God do in your life, from day to day, week to week, year to year, to develop this godly nature in you?

Hebrews 1:3 He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,

Romans 8:29  For those whom he foreknew [believers/Christians] he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

2Corinthians 3:18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 2:4  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Romans 5:3-5  More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, (4) and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, (5) and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

John 14:5-12  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"  (6)  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (7)  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."  (8)  Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."  (9)  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  (10)  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  (11)  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.  (12)  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Images and Idols

Mark 12:13-17  And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.  (14)  And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?"  (15)  But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."  (16)  And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."  (17)  Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.

Genesis 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

I was reading this passage in Mark and turning it over in my mind this morning.  Having recently been thinking about humans being made in the image of God, a slightly different angle occurred to me which I had never considered.  

One other piece of information is required to put everything together that occurred to me:  Some of the Caesars claimed divinity and worship as gods.  I don’t know precisely the extent of this, or how much they expected worship, but it is very clear that there was something divinely attributed to the man who held the title.  This came about either by sinful pride and arrogance from one of the early Roman leaders himself, or from followers who sought to make him more than he was.

Now, back to the passage at hand, and Jesus is asking who’s likeness (image) is on the coin.  Of course it is Caesar’s image.  Compare this to us, being the image of God.  We have on the one hand, the True God and His image, and on the other hand, a false god and his image on a coin.  

Taking this information in the light of Jesus’ statement, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." we can take the view that everything that is made in the image of Caesar can be given to him, money and all material possessions that might be symbolised by profit and prosperity, but everything that is really important, i.e. the person himself, the image of God, can be given to God.

Mere possessions and money are nothing, so let Caesar have them if he wants them.  These things are merely a reflection of Caesar himself: empty, false sources of happiness, the love of which is eternally perishing, claiming to be of more importance than they really are.

Again, on the other hand, the things that are made in God’s image, let those be given to God, let us be rendered to God.  Not caring for the things of this world, may we devote our lives to Him, eternally, and joyfully!