The image of God II: Our identity as beloved children of God

We humans lost many things at the fall (Genesis 3), but paramount in what was lost, is the sense of our identity as image bearers of God (Genesis 1:26). Knowing our identity is important, for we live our lives out of who we think we are. Believing I am a looser, for example, is likely to become a self fulfilling prophecy. For the longest time, even as a Christian, I was still trying to get my identity out of what I did for the Lord. But we are human being not human doings. At one level, we are all wounded by life. And too often a lie gets attach to the wound. If we are rejected, we may believe we are unlovable and unworthy of love. Also, because our earthly fathers were less than perfect, we may have a twisted view of Father God. I knew that my father loved me, but unfortunately he had no time for me. So for me, God loved me, but was distant! But God wants an intimate relationship with us. In fact relationship with Him is the essence of eternal life (John 17:3). As I said earlier, to see what the Father is like we just need to look to Jesus for  “He who has seen Me, has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

A primary picture of our identity as image bearers, is as beloved children of God (1 John 3:1). But a major consequence of our moving further and further away from our Judaeo-Christian roots, is our culture's fatherlessness. With the rampant propaganda that attacks masculinity and the family, is it any wonder that we live in perhaps the most fatherless generation ever? Psychology, with it's emphasis on the inner child, confirms the spirit of the age is the orphan spirit, the sense of not belonging.  We have an enemy, whose agenda is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). So perhaps it is no surprise to understand that identity is a primary area of attack. Jesus Himself was tempted in this area. Just before the beginning of His ministry the Father had affirmed Him as His beloved Son (Mark 1:11). Then, in His weakened state after 40 days of fasting, the very the first thing out of the Devil's mouth was “If you are the Son of God. ....” (Matthew 4:6).

As believers, we are brothers and sister of Christ (Hebrews 2:11). And since there is no partiality with God (Romans 9:11), you and I need to hear Him say to us that we too are His beloved son and daughters.  John invites us to meditate on what kind of love the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be so called (1 John 3:1). But tapping into the reality of this is a process, at least it was for me. And one of the Holy Spirit's primary jobs is to facilitate our receiving the Spirit of adoption that causes us to cry out “Abba, Daddy, Father” (Romans 8:15).

Father help us, in spite of our feelings at times, to believe  that we are Your beloved children. Thank You that You have given us the Spirit of adoption, and that Your Spirit witnesses with our spirit,  that we are indeed Your  children (Romans 8:16).  And I choose Lord, to tell myself over and over that I am Your beloved child.  I will tell myself until I believe it, then I will tell myself because I believe it, in Jesus Name Amen