And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creepeth thing that creepeth upon the earth – Genesis 1:26.

Man was created in both 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 Adam and Eve fell by eating the forbidden fruit, they retained an impaired image of God. God created man from the dust of the ground. Man didn’t become a living soul until God breathed into his nostrils.

Adam was created in the image of God; he was created in holiness. He had the attributes of His Father. He lost his godly identity when he disobeyed God’s instructions. God created Adam with a spirit, soul, and body. The breath of God was the Spirit of God, placing a portion of His Spirit in Adam.

The soul of man is the mind, will, and emotions. God created us with the ability to think, make decisions. He gave us free will meaning He didn’t make us to be robots, to be controlled. He gave us a will to do good or to do evil. A choice to believe in Him or not believe; the choice is ours.

When man was created, he was created in the beauty of holiness, but when Adam and Eve gave their authority to Satan, rather than man dominating this world, Satan became the god of this world. The evil that is in this world is the hand of Satan and the cohost.

Satan can’t rule man unless they choose to live in disobedience. Satan can oppress, depress and suppress, but he can’t control one unless they give him permission by obeying his influence. Just as he did with Eve, by influencing her to eat the forbidden fruit by making it appetizing to her desire, influencing her that God was keeping something good from her.

Satan tested Eve with her intellect, and she then inturned influenced her husband. Adam and Eve didn’t know evil or good, but then they ate the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened, and they gave their authority to Satan.

Their disobedience caused them to be thrown from the Garden of Eden. Grace hadn’t entered during this dispensation, and God quickly disciplined their disobedience. Although He disciplined them, His love for them was unconditional.

God made tunics for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness by a blood sacrifice by killing an animal to make them tunics. The blood sacrifice was to cover their sins but not take away their sins. The sin of Adam was passed down to all.

The only way man came back to the right relationship with God was through the shedding of the blood of His Son, Jesus. No other name or person can one be saved by but the acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God and believing He died for your sins; this comes by faith (Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 5:1).

When salvation is truly accepted, Jesus will come and dwell in the heart of the individual. As they submit to His commandments, the Father will come and abide in their spirit (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).

God has given us a rule book called the Bible. Scriptures are the instructions for Christians to live by; as we live according to the written instructions, we’re sanctifying ourselves to the Father. God does not want us partially sanctified, Sunday or a special day sanctified, but daily, we are to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God in the beauty of holiness. Holiness is sanctification, and that is for all those that profess to be Christians.

We must abide in Christ, the Word (Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me – John 15:4). The Word of God must be in our hearts so that we will not sin. When we allow Jesus to take full control of our lives, we no longer desire the actions of the world.

The Holy Spirit comes and abides in us as we keep the commandments of Jesus (If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever – John 14:15-16). Receiving the Holy Spirit comes with obedience and willingness to submit to the written Word of God.

It’s through the Holy Spirit that gives us illumination of Scripture and what is sin in the sight of God. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Christians will continue to live opposite of the Word of God because they have nothing within them to convict them of sin.

One will not know what or what not to do if they don’t read the Bible, and after reading the Bible, they need the Holy Spirit to open up their understanding to Scripture (And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God – Romans 12:2).

Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Christians will continue to live a double lifestyle because they don’t know how to live their lives according to the Word of God. Not knowing will not be an excuse because God has given His instructions through the Scriptures. He expects everyone professing to be Christians to know, understand, and apply His instructions to their lives daily.

Denomination will not get us into heaven, but sanctification will. Sanctification comes with the manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. None of these attributes can be manifested without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit is in manifestation, we are being created in the image of God. Just like a natural father’s child has his characteristics, so should a child of God have the characteristics of the Father. As long as there is life in us, we will continue to grow in the image of God as we allow the Holy Spirit to have control of our lives.

Sanctification is being dedicated to living according to His written Word daily. If we sow to our flesh, we will live according to our flesh desires. When we walk in the Spirit, then we’re allowing God to lead and guide our daily lives.

We like what He likes, and we hate what He hates. Sexual gratification without marriage is not the only sin. As well as drinking, smoking, drugging, and partying. Some of us may not live that lifestyle, but we live with offenses, unforgiveness, jealousy, envy, high-mindedness, and discrimination spiritually.

These are just a few of the things professing Christians are living a lifestyle. Take time to read the Bible, get an understanding, and apply the Word of God to your life on a daily basis. Pray, fast, and commune with the Father. As we do this, we are in the process of being made in the image of God.

Are you reflecting the new creation, or are you looking like a new creation, but the old you is still in control?