Category Archives: Likeness

Bible, Conformity, Image, Jesus, Likeness, Romans, Scripture

CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE

ROMANS 8:29

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;”

My daughter’s two children, one boy and one girl, reflect the image of their parents. Some days we see more of my daughter in them, and other days, we see our son-in-law more. But inwardly, these two little ones are unique individuals. They may favor their parents in their outward appearance. But only time will tell what their own personalities will reveal.

Hmmm, that might just apply to today’s verse. Let me just say up front that I am NOT going to be talking about predestination today. That is a topic of discussion on another platform, not this one. Today I want to look at how we are “conformed to the image of His Son.” Unfortunately, too many people believe if they just believe in Jesus, that’s all that matters. I would argue that this verse requires more. Let’s take a look.

APPLICATION

The word “conformed” is sýmmorphos and only appears here in Romans 8:29 and in Philippians 3:21. It means, according to HELPS Word-studies “conformed, by sharing the same inner essence–identity (form); showing similar behavior from having the same essential nature.” Did you catch that? It’s not about the outward appearance. It’s an inner likeness. Back to my analogy of my grandchildren. Outwardly they look like their parents, but inwardly they are quite different.

God has determined His desire for each and every follower of Christ is to be like Jesus inwardly. There are a lot of people in the world today who claim outwardly to be a Christian, but their lifestyle and behaviors say something so unlike Jesus. I am sure you can think of examples of that. We are to be just like Jesus inwardly.

Philippians 3:21 says, “who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Do I need to remind you that God already sees you in that glorified? Remember, He sees time differently than we do. He sees us in our glorified bodies, conformed to His Son’s image. So, why can’t we just agree with Him and be like Jesus?

Conforming to anything requires giving up something. For water to conform to the shape of a vessel, it must give up its free flowing desire. For us to conform to the image of His Son, we must give up all that we think we want to look like. It does not matter what the world thinks. It only matters what He sees in us. Let Him see only Jesus. Let our inward attitude and motives be conformed totally to Jesus’ image, which He has predestined to be His desire for us.

Father, let me look just like Jesus on the inside. Give me His heart for others.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Jesus, Likeness, Resurrection, Scripture, Unity

LOOK ALIKES

ROMANS 6:5

“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

My little grandson looks like both of his parents. One day he looks more like his dad and other days like his mom. It will be interesting to watch him grow and develop to see who he really looks like. His little sister will be here shortly, and we will see who she resembles. We already know from the ultrasounds that she has a head full of hair unlike her big brother whose hair is just now getting full.

But Paul isn’t talking about physical resemblances. The word he uses here for “likeness” is homoióma which “expresses the idea of something that corresponds to, represents, or resembles another reality.” (Topical Lexicon) Four of the six times the word is used in the New Testament are in Romans. We’ve already seen two of those (Romans 1:23 and 5:14). Paul uses it again in Romans 8:3 in a negative way when he writes, “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…”

APPLICATION

I referenced Philippians 2:7 in an earlier blog where this word is used again. There it describes Jesus “being made in the likeness of men.” I want you to stop and think about this for a second. Christ came in the likeness of mankind in order to pay the ultimate price for OUR sin, not His. Even though He was 100% man, He was also 100% God. He was the God Man sent from the Father to redeem us. Praise the Lord!

Are you walking in His likeness today? When people see you out in the public, or better yet, driving down the highway, do they see Jesus? We have been raised to walk in newness of life because of His resurrection and are supposed to be looking like Him. I have to admit that sometimes I am not the least bit looking like Jesus. I allow the worries of this life weigh me down. Jesus never worried, so neither should I.

When you look in the mirror today to brush or comb your hair, ask yourself if you look like Jesus. Of course, I don’t mean your physical appearance. I mean do you reflect His manner of living here on this earth. He lived a sinless life and commands us to live holy lives also. Choose today whose likeness you will bear – your own sinful self or Jesus’ likeness.

Lord God, continue to make me look more and more like Jesus in how I talk and act.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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