Conforming to the Image of God
1. Pre-fall of man
In Genesis 1:26-27, we see God taking a decision to create man. He created man (that is male and female) in His own image and likeness. It is this image and likeness of God in man that makes human beings unique and different from other created beings. In this original state of man, that is before Adam sinned, man on the basis of this image of God in him could respond to and have fellowship with God. Man was able to reflect God’s love, glory and holiness. Man also possessed a moral likeness to God. He was sinless and holy and had the will to do what is right. All these ended when our fore-parents, Adam and Eve (not Steve) sinned (Gen 3:1-24).

2. After the Fall
When Adam and Eve sinned, their (that includes all of us) moral likeness to God became corrupted. Man willingly handed over his God-given authority to Satan (Gen 1:27-31). He became subservient to the devil. His thoughts and imaginations were evil continually (Gen 6:5). Till date as it was in the days of Noah, human depravity has not changed. Evil still finds unrestrained expression through sexual lust and violence (Gen 6:2, 11). The society is still dominated my immorality, ungodliness, homosexuality, pornography etc. Sin has become an entertainment (Rom 1:32).

3. Salvation through Christ
God’s plan of redemption for the human race as implicitly promised in Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled through the coming of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ (Gal 4:4-5). His death and resurrection completely destroyed Satan, sin and death (Col 2:13-15). Through salvation in Christ Jesus, believers receive forgiveness of sin, are delivered from sin and are passed from spiritual death to spiritual life (John 3:16, 18; John 5:24; 1 Pet 2:9). This salvation brings him into a new relationship with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Co 6:17).

4. New Life in Christ
Salvation and by implication the deliverance from sin sets the stage for the believer to commence the journey of conforming to the image of God. This process of growing in the character of God is made possible as the believer:

i. Conforms to God’s pattern for them

God is a God of pattern. In Exodus 25, we see God giving to Moses the pattern for the tabernacle and the contents therein. Exodus 25:9 “According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” Moses obeyed by building the tabernacle according to God’s specifications. Exodus 29:32, 42 and 43 “32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. 42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. 43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” The Bible tells us in Exodus 40:34-35 that God’s glory filled the tabernacle as soon as the tabernacle was set up. In the same vein, believers can only experience the glory of God in their lives when they conform to God’s pattern for their lives; which are holiness and righteousness.
Ephesians 1:4 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Colossians 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”

ii Becomes spiritually minded

Spiritual mindedness is a compulsory requirement needed to conform to God’s image. To be spiritually minded is to seek and submit to the Holy Spirit’s direction and enablement. It is to concentrate one’s attention on the things of God (Colossians 3:1-2). To live in the Spirit entails living consciously at all times in God’s presence, trusting Him to give us the help and grace we need to accomplish His will in and through us. Romans 8:7-8 make us to understand that no Christian who desires to conform to God’s image will be carnally minded. It is therefore impossible to follow the sinful nature and the Spirit at the same time (Galatians 5:16-17).

iii Submits himself/herself to God

Brethren we are saved by God in order to live for Him. God delivered Israel from the bondage in Egypt for Him to have a people who will live for Him based on a covenant relationship (Exodus 19:4-6). Israel’s’ continual election as the people of God was conditioned on their obedience to Him as their Lord.

As believers our salvation in Christ Jesus is based on a covenant relationship with God. As Israel was delivered by God in order to make them a ‘kingdom of priests’ and a ‘holy nation’ we have likewise been delivered from satanic kingdom and separated from the world’s ungodly ways and walking to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:5-9; Revelation 1:6).

iv Makes himself/herself available to suffer for His Name’s Sake

One of the ways believers conform to His image is to suffer for His Name’s sake. As we read the passages below we see Christ’s teaching on suffering for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Matthew 10:39 “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”
Luke 6:22-23 “22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”
Brethren it is passages like this that kept the early disciples and Christians going. They were not afraid of people like Herod, Emperor Nero, etc. These brethren lived with their eyes fixed unto eternity. They knew that being joint heirs with Christ comes with responsibilities; part of which is persecutions, sufferings, tribulations etc.
Mark 10:29-30 “29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”
They reckoned that the sufferings of this present time was nothing to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed to those who suffer for Him (Romans 8:18).
Conclusion
Conforming to God’s image entails a daily walk (not work) with the Lord. It is as we walk with Him and live for Him that we experience Christ’s nearness, love, righteousness and power through prayer and the Holy Spirit. This results into our being transformed into His likeness with an ever increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Our transformation keeps progressing until Christ returns and we see Him face to face, when our transformation will be complete (1 John 3:23; Revelation 22:4).

Have your totally surrendered your life unto the Lord Jesus Christ and made Him your Lord and personal Saviour? If not, then take the following steps of faith in order to be saved and receive strength to serve Him.
A – Admit that you are a sinner (Rom 3:23)
B – Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to save you from your sins and sins’ problems (Mathew 1:21)
C – Confess your sins and invite the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour (Romans 10:9-10)
D – Depart from doing evil and live a righteous life in Christ Jesus (Titus 2:11-14)
I would like to specially invite you to the weekly Sunday Worship Service of the Moment of Truth Ministries at the PARLIAMENT HILL SCHOOL (Main Hall), High Gate Road, Camden, London NW5 1RL. The time is 3.30 p.m.

Also you can watch the messages of Pastor Samson Jebutu of the Moment of Truth Ministries on YouTube and those of other ministers like Leonard Ravenhill; David Wilkerson; Zac Poonen; Gbile Akanni and Keith Daniel.
Till we meet again on this platform, I remain yours in Christ Jesus, Bro Mike Dike.
God bless you.