By Apostle Aje Pelser, Preached at Harvester Reformational Church Cape Town, July 2020
1. In His Image
2. Male and Female
3. God made us in His image
4. Lock and Key
5. Likeness of Man
6. His workmanship
7. Predestined Be Yourself in Him
1. In His Image
Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Gen 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
The word for image means ‘resemblance’. (Strong’s H6754)
We resemble our Father in heaven. He is a three part being – yet one, Father, So and Holy Spirit, we are a three part being, spirit, soul and body.
We have the spiritual DNA of our Father and we are led by His Spirit and we are part of His Body the Son.
2. Male and Female
Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. That is how God made man and woman, and it is what we believe as Christians.
3. Lock and Key Principle
The key is made in the image of the lock. We are the bride of Christ. His Word unlocks our door for His Spirit
4. Likeness of Man
Php 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Php 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
5. His workmanship
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
6. Predestined Be Yourself in Him
From MBTC Pentateuch Subject, noted by Apostle Andre Pelser and Dr Oldfield of Miracle Valley Bible College:
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
“The purpose of predestination is to be conformed to the image of His Son. This is the primary purpose for man’s existence. Jesus is our template, the blueprint and the more we become like Jesus, the more we are getting into line with God’s purpose. Ultimately we will be glorified when we are like Jesus. The way to gain more glory is to become what God wants us to be. Your personal glory, individually, in life lies within being yourself. It will come to you when you find yourself. When we are born, we are made in His image, and this was God’s original plan, but because we are following another blueprint, not His, we transform and distort the original image to become ugly, building protective systems and whatnot, losing ourselves in a castle we have built around ourselves. The moment you compare ourselves with the world, we redesign our blueprint according to what that is, we attempt to line ourselves up with that image. The more we become like the Word, the more like ourselves we become. The best gift you can give humanity is to be yourself.”
Appeal:
Would you like to accept God’s plan for your life to be confirmed to the image of His Son?
More specifically, what part of your life have you not dedicated to the Holy Spirit to start the transformation process yet?
The blueprint or template for your life is a guideline and you have to interpret it as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus laid down His life He could take it up again, but for the benefit of others and to establish the kingdom of heaven. I laid down my sport at one stage during third year Bible College and many years later God allowed me to pick it up again, but this time as a coach of young people! Later that turned into executive coaching and leadership in networks. God has a plan and a blueprint but how it works out is an incredible and exciting journey – bon voyage!