Corrupting The Image of God

In the previous article, (God, Horses and Green Slime) we looked at Gen. 1:26 where God says to God, "Let us make man in our image and in our likeness let us make them."  We noted that it is difficult to think of human life as "slime or descended from monkeys" when we see that we came from the heart of God, who valued Adam (humanity) enough to declare that Adam was the best of all HIS creation.  After all, man (Adam)(insert your own name) was created in the image and likeness of God.

However, there was another being in the garden that wasn't nearly so happy with the new revelation of man.  This being was or would be cast out of heaven for pride, insubordination and citing rebellion among God's angels.  This original rebel would get back at God by corrupting the image that God had cast in clay and filled with HIS life... God's Adam.

God is spirit, so we don't know whether Adam looked like God.  We do know that Adam had the attributes of God.  HIS personality, HIS character, HIS heart of compassion, HIS righteousness, HIS creativity, etc.   These were the "image and likeness of God" that were placed in Adam when God breathed HIS life (spirit) into Adam.  But the serpent had other ideas...

Few humans understand the value that God gave to Adam.  God considered Adam to be HIS son, HIS friend, HIS constant companion, and ultimately HIS (Jesus') bride for eternity.  Satan obviously DID have a concept of God's valuation of Adam.  He knew that he couldn't attack God directly, but if he attacked God through the flesh of Adam... he could corrupt the image of God on the earth and taunt God with Adam's weakness.  He would draw Adam's loyalty away from God by tempting him with the same temptation that had caused him (Satan) to be thrown down from heaven.  This ploy obviously worked (and works) so we have seen the corruption of God's image in Adam being tarnished throughout the earth for many generations.  

The struggle of the natural man is well known to all who are human.  We fail to meet the standards of God's law.  We succumb to many temptations.  We prefer our comfort and lusts to God's provision and rule.  Every time we walk in the flesh, we corrupt the image of God in the world.  There seems to be no hope for the natural man (Adam.)  

REDEMPTION
But wait!  There is another Adam.  He too was born in human form and had the fullness of God's Spirit within.  This Adam did not succumb to the temptations of the enemy.  He resisted even unto death and triumphed over the wiles of the serpent.  He also became a life giving spirit, according to 1 Cor. 15:45.  His death and resurrection enabled natural Adam to return to fullness of son-ly relationship with Father.  

1Cor. 15:49  Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.   Eph. 1:22,23  And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.   
According to these scriptures, there is assurance that we will once again bear the image of the heavenly and that the body of Christ is the fullness of Jesus in the earth.  One translation of Eph. 1:23 says that the church is the fullness of the manifestation of the presence of Jesus in the earth.  The church (called out ones) was born when the Holy Spirit blew through the believers in the upper room, even as the Father blew into the nostrils of Adam in the creation story.  The life of God was once again established in the earth and the church became empowered to end the corruption of God's image and properly represent the love, character and integrity of the Father to the inhabitants (and powers and principalities according to Eph. 3:10) of the earth.

We're still faced with the options... live in the flesh life and corrupt God's image, or live in the Spirit and demonstrate the fullness of God.  But the very power of God now resides in the inner parts of every true believer.  We are the temple(s) of the Holy Spirit.  The very container where the essence of God lives.  The Holy Spirit compels us to live, move and have our being in HIM.  To look on the good things, the pleasant things, to prefer another over ourselves, to love the Lord with all our heart, mind and strength.  It's the power of an incorruptible life.  The image of God is returning to the earth.