Mirror, Mirror!

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s this woman truly after all?”[1] The Word of God is transparent to show us the answer to this question beginning foundationally in the book of Genesis chapter one and verse twenty-seven. We are told who the woman is made by, and whose designer image she reflects when the Word proclaims, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

The Scriptures show us the truth about our identity as human beings. We bear the Imago Dei, the image of God. We are created in the image of God the Creator. We have an owner, and we do not belong to ourselves. The modern culture we live in screams to us that “There is no creator and no owner’s manual!”[2] As a designer marks his work with his signature, trademark, or logo, in the same likeness, we have been created with the symbol that belongs to God the Creator.

An image-bearer represents the image of God, but also has the call to represent His character. First John 3:10 is crystal clear to us about the importance of understanding who owns our mind and heart. John says, “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” Our earthly relationships reflect our standing with God. Currently trending is the idea that “unmet expectations” are the main cause of struggling relationships. As image-bearers we are called to discern and to carefully examine what sin is at the root of any “unmet expectations” that may cause sinful resentment.

Paul instructs us in II Corinthians 13:5 to, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” “We do have a need to be satisfied,”[3] but we have to be intentionally mindful about who is the one on the throne doing the satisfying. Unveiled, dissatisfaction often looks a lot more like the sin of selfishness being dressed up with observable disappointment, anger, and disgust shifting the blame of the “unmet expectations” to another. However, as Christians, we must accept our call to be holy as a child of God, and to be careful not to condemn others who have been made in the same image as ourselves.

James 4:1-4 teaches us to avoid friendship with the world by examining the objective truth. Similar to Paul’s charge to examine ourselves, James asks, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. . . You, adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” A deeper examination of our innermost gripping thoughts, brought by bowed knee and head before a righteous God, may uncover a rebellious heart of selfishness in opposition to endure selfless love, respect, honor, and forgiveness towards another.

A truly born-again believer must be wise from above and realize that our identity is not found in the lusts of this world we formerly identified with. Instead, our new identity is found in what God’s Word says who we are in Christ Jesus. We may have life abundant when we willingly and joyfully obey His commands. We must be intentional to take captive the false accusations of the enemy, who seeks to devour God’s image, and discipline those accusations to the obedience of Christ. We must also be guarded not to accept condemnation from those in the world, who are trapped in sin to condemn. When we are able to spiritually discern our identity as a child of God (or of the devil), we may choose to draw near to God, repent of self-centeredness, and allow those “unmet expectations” to be satisfied in the peace of His righteous and eternal son, Christ Jesus. Upholding the representation of God’s patience and faithfulness, “Christians under trials do not cling to individuality, they cling to God.”[4]

Image Matters: 

1. Do examine who is Lord. Romans 5:18-21 teaches us that although we are all born with a sinful nature through one man, Adam, we are also able to have eternal life through one man, Christ Jesus. Examine who sits on the throne in every area of your life. Does sin or Christ reign in your life? If Christ reigns in your life, are you able to list recent victories over any sin (sin = when you “know the right thing to do, and fail to do it,” James 4:17)?
2. Do accept your image purpose. Genesis 1:27 teaches us that we were all created in His image and 1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17, and Colossians 3:23 teach us whatever we do to do it unto the Lord, for the glory of the Lord, in the name of the Lord Jesus and with thanksgiving to God the Father through the Lord Christ Jesus. Do your words and deeds give evidence that you are born-again follower of everything Christ commands?
3. Do examine your heart consistently. II Corinthians 13:5, James 4: 8, and Matthew 6:6 teach us to examine ourselves, draw near to God, cleanse our hands, purify our hearts, and to pray to God behind a shut door in secret. He will draw near to us, and He will reward us for coming to Him. Do worship in humility on your knees bowed before an almighty God and King to examine oneself where no one else is looking (God is). Be mindful to guard against former lusts and pride of the flesh.
4. Do examine the fruit you give. Mathew 3:8, Matthew 7:16-20, Matthew 12:33, Luke 3:8, Luke 6:43 teach us to keep bearing fruit in repentance, and to recognize a tree by the fruit it produces. Once we have been born-again we receive the fruit that produces sanctification. Do examine what type of fruit you give most. Is it good fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control or is it bad fruit?
5. Do give your all to reflect His image well. Ephesians 4:2, 1 John 3:10, I John 5:2 teach us to obey Gods commandments, practice righteousness, and to endure with each other in love. As a born-again-image bearer, is there anyone to whom the ministry of reconciliation needs to be ministered to within your reach?

[1] This play of words alludes to the movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), where the queen asks to the magic mirror she possess, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

[2] Rachel Jankovic, “Reflections on Christian Identity: Who You are and Why It Matter” (classroom lecture notes, FAMCS 4803 A – Breakout session of Women’s Conference: Building a Culture of Biblical Femininity in the Home, Church & Community, Fall 2017, author’s personal notes).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.