CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

Sons Training Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Summary scripture

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The Greek word used in this passage for conformed is symmorphos: pronounced Soom-mor-fos. Its primary meaning is to be jointly formed; and fashioned like unto. (Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.)

When we think in terms of the script that declares; He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:17), then we can more clearly see how it was truly the eternal purpose of God to have a people who were likened unto Himself.

Philippians 2:5-6

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

I was so blessed when I discovered that the Greek root word for form was ‘morphe’ which means: part, measure, or shape, but it also means adjustments of parts. When a life is conceived in the womb, the physical body of the infant must have a soul. The soul is the life of the human body. Without the soul, the body is dead.

When Jesus came to earth He was the Word made flesh. In the beginning the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Father took the Word of God and formed a human body for the suffering of death and then, He took the Spirit of the Word and made it the soul of that human body; and then joined that soul to the Holy Ghost.

But when we consider the Word is Spirit, we begin to see the true meaning of form and conform coming into view. These adjustments of parts are the marvelous work of the Father. The term ‘form of God,’ places God Himself, on the scene in Christ Jesus.

With this workmanship, we have the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelling in one man. Jesus is truly the Son of God.

1 Corinthians 15:45-47

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

If we are to be conformed to the image of Christ, it is necessary that we too, be birthed into the Kingdom of God as quickening spirits. However, God is not the Father of flesh and blood. He is the Father of spirits and His seed is in whatever He creates. Therefore, there was indeed a necessity for adjustments of the spiritual parts of mankind. These adjustments were accomplished by the joining together of the soul of man to the Spirit of God; jointly formed or conformed to Christ. This union would made us one with the Father and the Son, answering Jesus’ request in prayer ‘that they would be one in us’ (St. John 17:21).

This oneness would make us as he is, in this world today. This oneness also means that if Jesus is equal with the Father, so are we, for we are His offspring. This ‘form of God’ also provided Jesus and us with ‘equality’ with God. Let us hasten to add that the Church’s oneness with God does not mean that we are to be worshiped. That is reserved for the Father. But it does mean that the children of God are partakers of His divine nature.

The word equal (isos) here means having the same level or value or to be in agreement (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). Equal or agreement has the inference of sameness. Jesus constantly affirmed that He was one with His Father. (St. John 10:30). But now Jesus’ prayer and the Father’s answer ensured that we were one with the Father and the Son.

This is important because any other doctrine would be a direct contradiction to the concept of “oneness with God.” So to be conformed to the image of Christ is to be one with the Spirit of Christ. This is not something, however, that the Church has to strive to achieve. This is the workmanship of God. This is what the Father accomplished at salvation. Oneness is central to salvation. It is an undeniable boundary of the Faith. It is what God predestined before the foundations of the world.

Philippians 2:7-8

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

To be conformed also means to be fashioned like unto. This fashioning is relative to the shape and structure of the body we live in. Though Adam’s body was earthy it was also made in the image of God. (Let us make man in our image and after our likeness. (Genesis 1:26). Though theologians may not readily agree on what the image of God is, whether image refers to Adam’s body or his spiritual parts; most of them agree that the likeness refers to his body. There are many scriptures that speak to God as having hands, arms, feet, ears, mouth and so on. Therefore, it is fair to conclude that the scripture would only use these terms to describe something that we were somewhat familiar with. When the scriptures conclude that Jesus was found in the fashion of a man, it is assuredly referring to the physical body of Jesus Christ.

Remember, the prayer was, “Father make them one as we are one.” This conforming made us one with God and His Christ by the joining of our soul to the Spirit of God. That is the true meaning of sonship. Every son is joined to the Father by and in the Spirit. That is the nature of the new creature. That is also why all the attributes, desires, emotions and purpose of the sons of God instantly changed and became the Father’s desires, emotions and purpose. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we were changed from earthy to heavenly. We have been truly conformed to the image of Christ.

Jesus was and is the express Son of God, He had the ability to sin against God. He simply chose not to. If this were not so, then there would be no validity in testing this man. Embracing this truth is the foundational for our spiritual growth. We are made likened unto Christ in Sprit and in truth. But being a son of God does not take away our ability to obey or disobey the Father. The Father always testified of how well pleased He was with Jesus. This was because Jesus always chose to obey Him. We can do the same. The Church must believe this.