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Feb 20, 2025 06:00am

The Image of Our Father

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Has anyone ever told you that you are the image of your father? It could be just a characteristic or two, or you look just alike.

Genetics are fascinating, aren’t they? Maybe you have your dad’s nose, big ears, height, recessive hairline, or smile. Some may say, “There’s no denying that child is yours”.

When I look at my brother and my nephew, I can see lots of similarities. He is, for sure, his father’s son.

Romans 5:12-21
“12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now, Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

As we finish chapter 5 of Romans, Paul sends a clear message: Sin isn’t simply about breaking the law. It’s part of who we are because sin was passed down through the generations from one man, Adam.

And what is the hope, then? How can we be saved from the death that comes because of sin?

There would have to be someone who was not born of “man’s seed” because that’s how sin is passed from father to son. And so, God, in His infinite wisdom, put into action a plan that He shared in Genesis 3:15.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

There would be One who would come and defeat Satan, one who would be free from sin. But how could that be? If sin passes from father to child, there couldn’t be a person born that would be sinless.

This Redeemer, this Savior, would not be an offspring from man, but from woman. God’s plan to have Jesus be born of a virgin is incredible.

While we are born into Adam’s physical family, Christ offers us the opportunity to be born into His spiritual family. He alone has the power, authority, and ability to save us from our sinfulness.

How do we receive it?

By God’s grace, we have been offered salvation from our sins through faith in Jesus Christ.

And when we surrender our lives to the Lord, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. He begins to change us from the inside out. He molds and shapes us into His beautiful workmanship.

We become the image of our Father.

Do you want to discover more about the incredible truths of God and this beautiful redemption story? I want to invite you to discover more about Jesus. Check out FOLLOW. Go to follow.lifeword.org and learn what it looks like to be changed by Christ and follow your Heavenly Father.