When people damage their bodies through substance abuse, obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, or any other sin, they damage the only image of God on earth. The original image was the First Adam, whom God made in His own image and likeness. That Adam disobeyed God and through his sin disfigured and distorted the earthly image of his Creator.
However, everyone who believes in Jesus, “the Last Adam”, becomes a “new creation” and as such a true image of the Creator Having been “born again” spiritually, every believer identifies himself or herself with Jesus and counts their old selves as having been crucified with him, buried with him in baptism, and as having risen with him to live a new life. Each one has left his or her former Old Adam identity behind and are now living their new identity “in” Jesus Christ, the Last Adam.
We read about this in the writings of Paul the Apostle. God created us anew in the image of His resurrected and glorified Son Jesus, who Paul refers to as “the last Adam”. The First Adam’s disobedience was the ‘domino’ whose fall caused humanity to do likewise. God made Jesus responsible for saving humanity — no one else could have done so, since all had sinned and the sacrifice for the sins of the world had to be perfect, and Jesus alone was suitable.
In Jesus, the “last Adam”, with whom all Christians identify, we are God’s workmanship, much like the First Adam was after God created him from the dust of the earth. The “new creation of God”, however, is a spiritual one and its model is the perfect Jesus.
We praise God for making our salvation possible by sending Jesus to die for our sins. That act of love, and the obedience of Jesus in dying for us, has brought God’s forgiveness to billions of sinners down through history.
If you’ve not yet surrendered to Jesus, I urge you to do so immediately! Ask God to forgive you on the basis that Jesus died for your sins, as well as for those of everyone else in the world. God’s offer to you of forgiveness has only one condition: that you come to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your faith will draw God’s grace in Jesus will open the way to a relationship with God immediately. Having the Lord Jesus in your life will change you, and God’s love in you and through you will begin to change those around you. They will see God’s image in you in the godly things you do and in the loving way you do them, and will come to love Him.
Begin right now by saying this simple, heartfelt prayer:
“Dear God in Heaven, I confess to that I have sinned against you. I ask you to forgive me because Jesus your Son died on the Cross so that you could. Save me and keep me safe forever. Lord Jesus, I invite you to come and live in my heart. Help me to live a life that will honour you. Amen. Thank you!”