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P. O. Box 2252, Oak Park, Illinois 60303-2252 info@wordoflifeministries.org 773-544-0058

Reflection

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding (observing) his natural face in a glass (mirror). For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was – James 1:23-24.

A mirror gives a reflection of a true representation of the person or object presented in the mirror. The Bible is the mirror for professing Christians to look at to see if they can see themselves through the Word of God whether its true submission or partial.

Man was created both in the image and likeness of God. An image is a representation or replica of one person or thing by another. An image may be similar, but not necessarily identical to its original. When man fell, he retained an impaired image of God, regaining a likeness of God is one of the accomplishments of salvation. The dispensation of Law meant government by the Mosaic covenant. This covenant was given to Israel in order to reveal sin and death.

The Law reflected the holiness of a personal God, instructed the people of God’s discipline, reminded them through its priests, and sacrifices of God’s salvation, and acted as a teacher to lead them to Christ. The law contained three elements: commandments, revealing the righteousness of God; judgments expressing social requirements; and ordinances directing the religious life of Israel, no one was ever saved by keeping the Law; it was simply God’s moral guideline for Israel, this is why God sent His Son to reconcile His creation back to Him.

Jesus came representing the exact image of His Father, His teachings were that of the Father, and He taught His followers to obey His Words (Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him – John 14:23). Obeying the Word of God brings about a sacrifice, everything the Word of God instructs us to do, our Adamic nature wants to rebel against it.

When we obey the Word of God, it brings about a relationship between God and His people, whereas sin disconnects the relationship as it did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God used men to write the Bible, they wrote as they were inspired by the Spirit of God. Inspiration refers to the supernatural guidance of the writers of Scripture by the Spirit of God so that they wrote the divine Word of God. They have transcribed accurately, reliably, and without error in the original manuscripts.

With different translations, the Bible have lost some of its original text, but there’s enough in the Bible that will lead to salvation, sanctification and being filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s through the Holy Spirit we go through the process to be created in the image of God and His Son.

The Bible is what we have to look at to see whether or not we’re really living according to God’s written instructions. Many professing Christians are faithful to the church, but will not take the time to read and study the Bible. We need to know the Bible for ourselves in order to know whether or not what we hear preaching over the pulpit is really the Word of God as well as knowing what is expected out of us as Christians. Throughout the Bible, we have been instructed to read the Word of God from the Old Testament (And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these status, to do them – Deuteronomy 17:19). As well as the New Testament (Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand – Revelation 1:3). 

The Law of God is still in effective, it shows what is a sin to the professing Christian and what is right and truth through God’s eyes. Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law, but to fulfill the law (Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill – Matthew 5:17). Jesus makes it’s clear that He had not come to destroy the law, that is New Testament gospel is not contradictory to the Old Testament Law; rather it is the ultimate fulfillment of the spiritual intention of the law.

The word fulfills means to fill out, expand, or complete, it does not mean to bring to an end. Jesus fulfills the law through His obeying it perfectly and taught its correct meaning. He will one day fulfill all of the Old Testament prophecies, He provides a way of salvation that meets all the requirements of the law.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the written Word of God, the Bible has to be read as well as submission to the instructions. Its instructions give us the guidelines to be re-created in the image of God so that we will reflect Him in our character, behavior, desires as well as our wills. God’s will refer to His purpose for the life of the believer. It implies His guidance, direction in all of the life’s decisions. Dedication is an act of surrender or submission to His will for our lives whereby we become a “living sacrifice”. Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ who is the image of God.

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