Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God said, "Let US make man in OUR image." God did not say, “I will make man in my image.” God did not speak of Himself singularly in the way we speak of ourselves; God spoke using the plural, “Let US make man in OUR image.”
This is the mystery of the trinity; God has made Himself known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirt, and these three are one. Long before time began, God has always existed in an eternal relationship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three persons or characters within the Godhead who exist in such an intimate relationship with each other that they are one.
1 John 4:8 and 16 tells us , God is love." Therefore, from eternity past and into eternity future God has always existed in an intimate loving relationship because love is the very nature of God. Before there was time the Father has always loved the Son and the Spirit; the Son has loved the Father and Spirit; the Spirit has loved the Father and the Son. And when time is no more each will continue to share an eternal love relationship with each other.
Have you ever wondered why God created the universe? Why did God make the earth the way it is; why did He create man? I don’t pretend to know all the reasons, but I believe that creation is an expression of God’s love. Love cannot be kept to oneself; real love must find expression. We can enjoy the wonders of God’s creation because He loves us, but I think it goes even deeper than God’s love for us.
I believe that all of creation is also an expression of love “God to God.”
>The Father expressed His love and so He planned creation.
>The Son expressed His love as He spoke the Word of creation to bring it into being.
>The Spirt responded in love by brooding, or hovering over the creation to make it complete.
>The Father continued His expression of love as He formed man from the dust of the ground.
>Knowing that man would reject God, the Son expressed His love in the plan of Emmanuel, God in the Flesh; the Son would become a man and willingly die in order to redeem creation back to God.
>Knowing that the plan was complete, the Spirit expressed love by breathing the breath of life into man making Him a living soul.
>The Father responded in love by making a covenant with the Son that His name would be exalted above all names, and further to accept all those who believe in the Son as His children.
>The Spirit responds in love to powerfully resurrect Jesus from the dead and to then fill the believer in order that they might live a holy live and to guarantee God’s promises.
Now again, I don’t pretend to have it all figured out, but I believe that creation (and God’s plan of salvation) is an expression of love both GOD to GOD and GOD to MAN. God is love and He has expressed His love in so many wonderful ways through creation and His plan of salvation.
Now think about this: God has made man; both male and female, in His image. Each of us have been made LIKE GOD. Therefore, one of the ways we have been made like God is that we too can share in loving relationships; like God we can give and receive love. When you experience God’s love for you, when the your love for your spouse is expressed, when you know the joy of your child or grandchild’s love for you, when a friend shows you compassion--in these and countless other ways in which you can give and receive love--it is all because God made you to be like Him.
WE ARE MOST LIKE GOD WHEN WE GIVE LOVE TO OTHERS. Love is selflessness; thinking not about yourself, but thinking first of those you love.
✞ Genesis 2:18, 20-22 The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.". . . But for Adam no suitable helper was found. [this was NOT GOOD.] So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God mad a woman from the rib he had take out of the man, and He brought her to the man.
Adam lived in a perfect garden. He could interact freely and without fear with the animals God had created. He could spend time getting to know the animals in order to give them the perfect name. Adam also had the freedom to interact with God without the barrier of sin. Adam could personally experience God’s love for him. God walked and talked with Adam; God met Adam’s every need.
But in all creation no sutible helper was found for Adam. Although Adam was made in the image of God and bore the likeness of God, there was still a difference between God and Adam. God was not a suitable helper–God is man’s perfect helper; God saw man’s need for a companion.
God said this was not good for man to be alone. God fashioned the woman from man; she is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. Eve was Adam’s suitable helper; a counterpart of himself, one formed from his person, bearing his resemblance. Man and woman are made for each other.
God does not intend for man to be alone; we are made to be in relationship with one another.
✞ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
The American culture increasingly tries to isolate individuals from one another. We have pseudo relationships with characters on TV and in the movies; we watch others interact, while we are alone. We may chat on our computers using a false identity with someone far away, but we won’t go next door to talk to our neighbors. God would say that all of this is not good. We have been made to be in relationship with one another.
How then has God designed human relationships? Because we bare the image of God, how should we relate to each other? REMEMBER: WE ARE MOST LIKE GOD WHEN WE GIVE LOVE TO OTHERS.
If we are going to relate to each other as God intended, then our relationships must be built upon the foundation of love. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said that the greatest commandment was that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. The second greatest is like it; Jesus said love your neighbors as yourself. Therefore, God’s expectation–and His design–is that we relate to one another (and God) with love.
Unfortunately man has broken God’s perfect design. Man is made in the image of God, but because of sin God’s image has been distorted within us. I like to think of it like fun house mirrors which will make us look fat or tall. We laugh because we know we really don’t look like that; our image is distorted. Sin has done the same thing to the image of God within man, only it is no laughing matter.
Passed on to each of us, and to every other man and woman, is our sinful nature. None of us are sinners because we sin, rather we sin because we are sinners. This is the distortion of God’s image within us; it is what leads to sin, selfishness, and broken relationships. Unfortunately, this flies in face of modern “politically correct thinking.” Today, we want to believe that man is basically good; even without God. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Only as Christ comes into an individual’s life can the image of God within him/her be restored enabling the individual to live a holy life. It is Christ who restores our broken relationships with one another.
✞ Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Knowing then that God has created man in His image, and that God made us to share in relationships with one another, what are the characteristics of relationships that God has designed?
✞ John 13:15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
✞ 1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Jesus is our example of the perfect F.R.I.E.N.D. This is by no means an exhaustive list of relational skills, but all our relationships will benefit if we can begin to master these six things which Jesus modeled for us.
[F] A friend is Forgiving:
Jesus came to restores broken relationships; we too should forgive one another.
Perhaps one of the best examples of how Jesus showed us how to forgive restoring broken relationships was with one of His very closest friends Peter in & John 21:15-17.
To ere is human; to forgive is divine. As God restores His image within us, He will enable us to forgive. All of us have experienced the pain of broken relationships; forgiveness sets us free to receive God’s healing. “Love keeps no record of wrongs.”
[R] A friend is Real:
Jesus did not compromise who he was, but He accepted people right were they were. We need to also learn to be real.
✞ Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ’Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ’But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
✞ Matthew 9:12-13 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus was a friend of sinners; He was not afraid to get down on their level. Real friends can accept you the way you are because they are confident of who they are.
[I] A friend Imparts Truth:
Jesus would not just leave an individual where they were; Jesus spoke the truth in love.
Real friends can accept you the way you are, but they won’t leave you where you are. Jesus isn’t afraid to get into our pig pens, but He comes there to lead us out of it.
✞ Matthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
✞ Proverbs 27:6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
✞ Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
[E] A friend is Embracing:
Jesus did not keep His love to Himself; rather He reached out to people with loving touches.
✞ Luke 18:16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
✞ Luke 5:13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man [with leprousy]. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.
[N] A friend is Not Selfish:
Jesus put our need ahead of His comfort; we too need to learn to think of others first.
✞ John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
✞ Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[D] A friend is Dedicated:
Jesus did not give up on people; a real friend will stay beside you right through the very end.
✞ Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Jesus did not just say this for His enemies who crucified Him; He also said it for His friends who had lost hope and run away. Jesus said it for you and me, for every time we turn from Him and fall into sin.
God created man in His image; God made man to share in relationship with one another. As we follow Jesus example as the perfect friend, we can improve our relationships.
