Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s learn about being conformed to God’s Christ Image Likeness standard.

Today’s scripture, Romans 8:28-30 (KJV), declares…
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 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. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Consider…
In 2021, the NCAA enacted the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy. In the simplest of terms, NIL is a term that describes the means through which college athletes are allowed to receive financial compensation. NIL refers to the use of an athlete’s name, image, and likeness through marketing and promotional endeavors.

Today’s scripture could be referred to as God’s Christ Image and Likeness (CIL) policy. In it’s simplest terms, it describes God intent for His adopted children to be conformed to His only begotten Son’s image.

Additional support for my CIL labelling can be found in Romans 8:14‭-‬17 (KJV). It explains…
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Notice the passage says we are joint-heirs with Christ in His suffering and glorification. And in verse 30 from today’s scripture we’re told…
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

As I read this again for the gazillionth time, I see the core tenants of God’s CIL policy spelled out clearly. Those who love God are…

• Predestined to be conformed to Christ Image
• Called according to His purpose found in Christ
• Justified through Christ’s death
• Gloried with Christ

Let’s quickly run through each of these.

First, Ephesians 1:4‭-‬5 (NLT) explains CIL point number one, which is how God predestined us to be right through Christ. It says…
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

God’s CIL policy establishes we were made right through Christ before the world began. That means according to the policy, we don’t get right, we accept it by accepting Christ! Romans 3:25‭-‬26 (NLT) drives this point home. It explains…
For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Believing in Jesus is what makes sinners right in God’s sight.

CIL policy point number two is answering God’s call like Christ. I imagine God the Father calling Jesus the Son over and saying…
I have what will seem like an impossible mission, that should you choose to accept will cost you your life. However, as you know with God all things are possible, thus your death will bring life to all who will love you. Do you accept this mission? As we know, Jesus said yes! We know this because in John 10:17‭-‬18 (NLT) He said…
“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Not only did Jesus accept the mission to die, He also purposefully lived to do His Father’s will. In John 6:38 (NLT) He said…
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.

CIL policy number two mandates that like Christ, we die to ourselves and live for God. Adhering to this policy means Galatians 2:20 (NLT) will become our motus operandi…
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Answering God’s call is simply dying to self andis living for Him, just like Christ!

CIL policy number three is God made us right through Christ. It’s important to distinguish this policy doesn’t mean once we’re saved we will always do right. To be clear, we will still do wrong, which is why God gave us 1 John 1:8‭-‬9 (NLT)…
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

So if we’re not made to do right, what exactly is this policy saying? Well Romans 5:1‭-‬2 (KJV) explains…
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

God is saying because you have believed right, wit who Jesus is and what He’s done, I deem you right!

You see Romans 3:23‭-‬26 (KJV)
explains…
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

CIL policy number three says we are justified by God’s grace through Christ’s propitionary blood sacrifice for our sin. God wants us to fully understand our justification is not because of us, it’s all because of Him!

• The Father’s grace
• The Son’s sacrifice
• The Holy Spirit inspired faith

We have peace with God because we have accepted the Prince of Peace!

Our fourth and final CIL policy is future focused. God says because we are conformed to Christ Image we will be glorified to become exactly like Him. 1 John 3:2‭-‬3 (NLT) promises…
Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

Notice until we become like Jesus, God tells us to keep ourselves pure like Him.

CIL policy four just tells us to live like Christ until we’re glorified with Him.

2 Thessalonians 1:11‭-‬12 (NLT) details how we should apply this policy. It says…
So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Notice that we’re told to do the good things our faith prompts us to do. But right behind that we’re Jesus will be honored because of the way we live. That means our faith should be Christ honoring!

Therefore our final CIL policy is to live by Christ honoring faith which like Him glorifies God.

Knowing God has glorified you with Christ should make you glorify Him like Christ with your life.

God wants us to be conformed to Christ’s Image And Likeness because it brings us into a closer relationship with Him.

Make being transformed into Christ’s Image and Likeness your desire!

Today’s song is…
I Give You My Heart

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)