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John 14:7–11
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father’” (John 14:9a).
Earlier this week, we briefly examined the Biblical assertion that human beings are made in the image of God. We saw that we are designed to reflect aspects of God’s character, but that we are like fogged and cracked mirrors because of our first ancestors’ fall into sin. Though the image of God remains within us, it is marred. But just how marred?
On the night of Jesus’ betrayal, when He and His disciples were together in the Upper Room, Jesus told them that “ ‘from now on you know[the Father] and have seen Him.’ ” Almost as if he had not heard what Jesus said, Philip responded, “ ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ ” In essence he was saying, “Just give us a glimpse of the Father, Jesus, just a glimpse—that’s all we want.” Hearing this reply, Jesus answered with words that seemed to come as close to an expression of exasperation as any He ever uttered: “ ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.’ ” What was Jesus saying? He was telling His disciple that in the three years they had been together, as Philip had been getting to know Jesus, he had been getting to know the Father, too. Jesus was telling Philip that He, the Son of God, was the perfect image of God. Scripture elsewhere declares that Jesus was the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). With this title it tells us that Jesus and Adam had similar functions, one of which was to be the image of God. But whereas Adam failed in this task, Jesus fulfilled it perfectly. He gave all creation a look at the image of God as it was meant to be, as it was before the human race fell into sin.
It is the God-given duty of all descendants of Adam to display the image of God as faithfully as Jesus. Of course, we cannot do so because we inherit from Adam a sinful nature. His fall into sin affects every aspect of our being: mind, will, passions, and so on. While we still retain our humanness, we have lost conformitas, or “obedience.” Unlike Jesus, who obeyed His Father’s will and law perfectly, our behavior does not conform to the character of God. Thus, while we can do things God can do, such as think, will, care, and such, and thus mirror His image in these ways, we cannot mirror Him in His most crucial aspect—His holiness. Herein lies the extent of our fall.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
As you grow in sanctification, becoming more like Christ in obedience to God’s Word, you will be marked as different in the world. You will become a display of the image of God in His holiness. You will not do it perfectly, but you will be like a mirror from which fog is clearing. Is there any higher calling? Pray for God to reform you daily.
For Further Study
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
- Ephesians 5:26
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13
- Hebrews 10:10