Well do you know what the Apostle Paul tells us about “image” in that same book a few chapters before the previous quote? He says,
He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, (Col 1:15)
Elsewhere, in his Letter to the Hebrews, Paul says:
He [Christ] is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being...much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Heb 1:3-4)
Is he saying what I think he’s saying? Because I think he's saying that Christ, through “The Way He Does Things,” reflects the otherwise undefinable glory, perfection, and awesomeness of God -- the same glory that Moses saw that made his skin shine so much that he had to cover up his face for the rest of his life so that he didn’t scare the carp out of the rest of the Israelites?! (Ex 33-34)
And that now, by looking at the life of Jesus, WE get to see it. All of us! How’s that for giving sight to the blind!
But not only do we get to see it, we also get to be active participants! Because Paul already told us that we’re also supposed to say things and do things “the way Lord Jesus Does Things.”
Wouldn't that mean that we are also able to participate in the image of the Glory of God in our thoughts, words, and actions? (CCC #41)
And furthermore, might this mean that when we follow “the way” of Jesus by saying and doing things “the way He would do them,” we can know something about the very essence of God, that we can experience and relate to right now, right here, on this Earth, without even dying or anything?! I think that's an aspect of what Peter's talking about when he says:
Ember, it’s not that we HAVE to imitate the Lord Jesus, it’s that that we GET TO imitate the Lord Jesus, which allows us to know more about God. The image of God that Jesus reflects to us is a perfect reflection. And of course I don’t think the image I reflect is anywhere near perfect, but I can certainly make a good go of it! I want, I greatly desire, to know more about God! Are you with me?
And that now, by looking at the life of Jesus, WE get to see it. All of us! How’s that for giving sight to the blind!
But not only do we get to see it, we also get to be active participants! Because Paul already told us that we’re also supposed to say things and do things “the way Lord Jesus Does Things.”
Wouldn't that mean that we are also able to participate in the image of the Glory of God in our thoughts, words, and actions? (CCC #41)
And furthermore, might this mean that when we follow “the way” of Jesus by saying and doing things “the way He would do them,” we can know something about the very essence of God, that we can experience and relate to right now, right here, on this Earth, without even dying or anything?! I think that's an aspect of what Peter's talking about when he says:
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. (1Pet 4:10-11)Doesn't that mean that when we imitate Jesus by serving others with our spiritual gifts, we glorify God, which means make visible, manifest, or put a "name" to the Divine Majesty of God?
Ember, it’s not that we HAVE to imitate the Lord Jesus, it’s that that we GET TO imitate the Lord Jesus, which allows us to know more about God. The image of God that Jesus reflects to us is a perfect reflection. And of course I don’t think the image I reflect is anywhere near perfect, but I can certainly make a good go of it! I want, I greatly desire, to know more about God! Are you with me?
Sure! It's great to have such a perfect role model, and with such simple instructions too, "love God, love your neighbor". Why then is there such confussion over this "doing things in the name of the Lord Jesus". People say they are doing things in his name all the time, yet they are fighting with one another about everything. It makes me think that there are actually many Lord Jesus', i.e., this guys idea of Jesus vs. that guys version of Jesus. When there can really be only one.
ReplyDeleteThat would be really annoying if people were going around saying, "I do this in the name of Ember", and it's not what I asked or wanted them to do. It would taint my reputaion. We've probably all had the experience of having someone hijack our e-mail and then say something lame as if it were us who said it(Oooh, I kill you!).
I guess what I'm saying is that when we do things in the name of the Lord Jesus we should make sure that it actually belongs to THE Lord Jesus and not some idol we have created for ourselves in our own minds. Yes! What I'm saying is that someone can say "Jesus" and that "Jesus" could be an idol. It's not the name, in this sense, that is important, but the proper understanding of the person behind the name that is important.
This makes me think of the story of the tower of Babel. People can even be speaking the same language, but may be effectively speaking different languages. How can we make sure we are all reading and speaking the same language?
Ember
Goodness Ember! How many times have I told you not to click on suspicious links or give your password to anybody?
ReplyDeleteBut you make an excellent point. How DO we make sure we are all reading and speaking the same language?
John I believe gives us an answer. He tells us the litmus test we're looking for is love:
"Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love...If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1John 4:7-8)
Paul seems to confirm this:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." (1Cor 13:1-3)
Then he even goes on to tell us how we can recognize this kind of love:
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." (1Cor 13:4-8)
It seems pretty straight forward.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
ReplyDelete[41] All creatures bear a certain resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of God. The manifold perfections of creatures - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently we can name God by taking his creatures" perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator".
Querci, you're starting to make it sound like we are all very important to God, even special to him. It makes me feel all warm inside.
ReplyDelete