The Son is the exact likeness of the unseen God (the visible representation of the visible God), Colossians 1:15AMP.
Jesus’ life fully represents the Father. Jesus’ life fully discloses the Father’s heart toward humanity. And just as Jesus is the exact likeness of the Father, God’s purpose in our lives is that we would be being transformed into the exact likeness of Jesus. That is to have Jesus fully formed in us.
Jesus is the perfect human. Perfect emotion. Perfect love. Perfect wisdom. Perfect in relationship. Perfect in unity. Perfect Servant. Perfect Shepherd. Perfect theology. Perfect in so much more.
God intended that His own heart for humanity would be revealed through Jesus, and that we would see in Jesus the life we were originally created to live–Adam before the Fall. Jesus is the model for us. It is the Father’s desire that our lives would be so transformed that we would look like Jesus.
God today wants a visible representation of Himself on the earth, through His own people.
The apostle Paul had a singleminded purpose in His ministry:
We proclaim Him (Jesus), admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom that we may present every man complete in Christ, Colossians 1:28.
My children, with whom I am in great labor until Christ is formed in you, Galatians 4:19.
The purpose of all true ministry is that Jesus would be fully formed in each of us. His nature and character being formed in us, and that we would do the things He did: His works, miracles, signs, wonders, preaching the gospel, announcing the Kingdom, …
God desires for us to look and taste and feel like Jesus, and to be doing the things that Jesus did in the world, and even greater things, John 14:12.
When we live our lives this way we extend heaven’s borders into the earth. God wants more of heaven on earth. Jesus said to pray to the Father like this, Your Kingdom come, Matthew 6:10.
How? At the moment of salvation we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13. This is a mark of ownership. We belong to God. It tells the enemy very definitely, “child of God!” But this is only the beginning; we need so much more.
Jesus instructs us to wait for the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:4, receive (His) power, Acts 1:8, and continually walk in relationship with Him so He can continually fill us, Ephesians 5:18.
When Jesus walked the earth as a man, God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (Jesus), Colossians 1:15. The Holy Spirit dwells in us in fullness also, Colossians 2:9,10.
It is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God which transforms us and makes us more like Jesus. ONLY!
We cannot transform ourselves. No other person can do it. No great message or sermon preached can do it. There is no book or ten steps to follow. No bible college degree. Only the hand of God in our lives can produce the life of Jesus in us. Our job then is to place our life in the hand of God so He can transform us, completely yield to His work in us.
Today, the Father is looking for His Son Jesus in us. God is looking for Jesus’ very nature and character in us. When Jesus appeared as a man on the earth the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, John 1:14a. God is looking for the Word again to become flesh–the very real, authentic life of Jesus lived through us. So that people would see see His glory, John 1:14b… This is God’s ultimate purpose in our lives.
God wants to dwell with His people in us and through us. He wants to make His permanent home among us, Ephesians 2:22. And He wants to touch the lives of the people around us, our neighborhoods, our cities, and the nations. He wants to come with all His glory, Haggai 2:9.
God desires our highest good, which is His ongoing presence and His nature and character to be in us. This is what we were originally created for. This is not lofty thinking. This is God’s desire for us. This is His ultimate purpose in our lives.
In this world we are like Jesus, 1John 4:17b.
