Throughout the ages emperors, kings, presidents, and rulers have placed their images on coins and other forms of currency, thus expressing their ownership and authority over them. Mt. 22:20-21, Mk. 12:16-17, Lk. 20:24-25 The clear message of Jesus here is that men are to “render to Caesar what belongs to him” … but let us not miss the second half of this profound message.
As God placed His own image upon mankind in the creation (Ge. 1:26-27, Ge. 9:6), we are thus being boldly called by Jesus to render unto “God the things that are God’s,” and thus He is here beseeching us, “by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Ro. 12:1.
We see that Jesus is the “very image of the invisible God” (Co. 1:13-15, Co. 2:9, He. 1:3) and in the life of Jesus, who is our example and pattern (1 Pe. 2:21), we can see clearly that which God is calling us to, what He has created and designed us to know and to be.
Jesus could boldly proclaim that “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jo. 14:9) because He and the Father are one. Jn. 10:30 His prayer for us is that we too will be one as He and the Father are one—Jesus and the Father in us and we in them—that the world may believe that the Father sent the Son! Jn. 17:11, Jn. 17:21
Our lives and works, as His, are to boldly declare that we are in the Father and the Father is in us! Jn. 14:10-12 Every time we see the works of God flowing through the life of the Lord Jesus, the works that no man can do unless God is with Him (Jn. 3:2), we can hear God the Father clearly, repeatedly, and boldly declaring from heaven—upon every miracle, sign, wonder, deliverance, pardon, and healing—“This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased (fully satisfied)! Hear ye him!” Mt. 3:17, Mt. 17:5, Mk. 1:11, Lk. 3:22. And so it is to be in our lives (Jn. 7:37-39, Jn. 14:12) and in our assemblies! 1 Co. 14:25
The calling is indeed high, heavenly, and holy (Ph. 3:12-14, 2 Ti.1:9, He. 3:1), but God has made all the resources available to us, through the blood of Jesus, in order to enable us to attain, lay hold, and walk worthy of this beautiful and wonderful calling, for it is His destiny and purpose for our lives—that we would be perfectly “conformed to the image of His Son” (Ro. 8:29), putting “on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him,” (Co. 3:10) and that we are to be “changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord!” 2 Co. 3:18
Dear Lord Jesus, may it be so in our lives, for Your holy and worthy name’s sake! ~Philip Hodson
