My Identity: In His Image

Welcoming a newborn into your family can be one of the most exciting life events you may experience. The wonderment of what the baby will look like, whom this little person will resemble, and what his or her temperament will be brings families together with great joy. This was true for us as I prepared to give birth to our precious baby girl. My husband and I were excited week after week as she developed, and we were looking forward to seeing whom she would look like.

Upon the baby’s arrival, many relatives and friends took notice of certain features and attributed them to mommy or daddy by saying, “Oh, she has mommy’s nose and daddy’s eyes,” etc. One thing for sure is that as people began to compare our looks, it was no surprise to me and my husband that she looked like us because she came from us! I believe that the very character and image a baby possesses is a direct imitation of the characteristics, image, and lineage of the parents.

In Ephesians 5:1 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul instructs Christians:

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”

Someone reading that passage and even those in the church of Ephesus may have wondered, “What exactly is it that we should imitate?” The answer is found from the beginning of man’s creation in Genesis 1:26-28, when God told Adam and Eve how they were expected to live since they were created in the image of God. The instruction was clear; to be: fruitful, multiply, have dominion and subdue every creeping thing on the earth. This is the image of whom God called his children to be. However, when Adam relinquished dominion and gave it up to Satan, who was in the Garden of Eden as a snake, or you guessed it, a creeping thing; (Genesis 3), the image of mankind was altered.

Thankfully, Jesus paid the price for us to be reconciled to the image He designed for us; So, when we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9), we qualify to take on the identity mapped out for us in 1 Peter 2:9. The Bible says that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.

It is important to know that when we are in Christ, we are no longer under the sway of the wicked one. Anytime we operate outside our dominion, we are outside of God’s original design for mankind. However, whenever we face opposition, heartache, and trouble and use our God-given authority, we achieve the victory that we were always meant to walk in from the beginning.

As we embark on another year, with many plans and many ideas of what we should be doing and how, remember to imitate God our Father. As His sons and daughters, we are to operate in His grace and power to lead meaningful and favorable lives.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.