Note: My thanks to Derek Gilbert for his persistence in teaching this stubborn old coot that there is also another side to The Image and Likeness. I have eaten humble pie, and apologize for harsh comments made in the previous two blogs, which have now been re-written to eliminate those harsh comments.
Our Role In Society – the Spiritual Side of The Image
Genesis 1:27 – "Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim He created him."
1 Corinthians 15:46 – "It is not the spiritual which is first but the physical."
In the last two blogs about the Image and Likeness of Elohim I addressed what I now call: our genetic heritage – the physical side of the image. Today we will look at the our role in society, or the spiritual side of the image. Our role in society is all about thoughts, words, and deeds – about being Elohim's "imagers" or "messengers".
What, exactly, are the roles human beings are to perform in society? In order to understand just what they are, one must knit together several different roles addressed by scripture: the roles of 1) Ministers, Pastors, and Priests, 2) Hands, Feet, Eyes, Ears, and Mouth, 3) Being a Living Sacrifice & 4) Kings, Princes, Nobles, and Rulers.
Ministers, Pastors, and Priests
1 Peter 2:5 – "You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.
Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 – "Yahweh has made us to be a kingdom and priests to our God . . ."
Our primary role in society is to bring the Gospel to the people of the world – to immerse everyone who is willing into the father, son, and holy spirit. We are to be set apart (holy), to be zealous in our evangelism, to be courageous. We are to be transformed into the image of Elohim rather than to be conformed to the patterns of this world, to do that which is good and acceptable and perfect so that our witness will bring glory to Yahweh, Yeshua, and the Ruach Ha'Kodesh! We are to intercede and pray for those in need – praying at all times in the Spirit. In short, we are to be Elohim's ministers, pastors, and priests – his earthly body – in service to others.
Hands, Feet, Eyes, Ears, and Mouth
Micah 6:8 – "Yahweh requires of you to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Mathew 5:13 – "You are the salt of the earth. . ."
Acts 13: 47 – "I have appointed you to be a light . . ."
Mathew 25:35-36 – "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."
In conjunction with bringing the Gospel, we are simultaneously to be Elohim's hands, feet, eyes, ears, and mouth in the world. We are to feed the hungry and slake their thirst – to invite those less fortunate to join in our meals. We are to clothe the naked – to give our "second" coat to those who need it. We are to be salt and light – to speak out against wrongs and injustices, against corruption, fraud, and evil and furthermore to visit those who have been incarcerated for their misdeeds. In short, we are to be Elohim's hands, feet, eyes, ears, and mouth – his earthly body – in service to others.
Being A Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1 – "Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service."
2 Corinthians 4:11 – "For we who live are always delivered to death for Yeshua's sake, that the life also of Yeshua may be revealed in our mortal flesh."
In addition to serving others, we are to be a living example of how to rightly live, and to be willing to be persecuted, jailed, or killed for the sake of Yeshua's name . We are to be peaceful, patient, gentile, kind, faithful, joyful, loving, and self controlled. We are to live by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit – to put aside the lusts of the flesh. We are to love our neighbors as fully or even more so than ourselves. In short, we are to walk in righteousness and be ready to give our lives – Elohim's earthly body – in service to others.
Kings, Princes, Nobles, and Rulers
Proverbs 8:16 – "By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly."
Isaiah 32:1 – "Behold, a king will reign righteously and princes will rule justly."
Not only are we to speak out against wrongs and injustices, against corruption, fraud, and evil, we are to use our authority rightly – we are to be impartial judges – being partial to neither the poor nor the rich. We are to testify honestly and compassionately, to keep honest scales and weights. We are to let our "yes" be YES, and our "no" to be NO – to speak clearly and definitively. We are to take no bribes, to pursue and obtain justice for the needy, the widow, the orphan, and the alien. We are to liberate the oppressed, to restore that which has been stolen, and to guarantee that the boundary marks remain in place. In short, we are to judge honestly and forthrightly – to be Elohim's earthly body of authority – in service to others.
Conclusions
2 Timothy 1:13 – "Hold the pattern of sound words . . ., in faith and love which is in Messiah Yeshua."
Romans 12:2b – "Prove what the will of Yahweh is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
All four roles: 1) Ministers, Pastors, and Priests, 2) Hands, Feet, Eyes, Ears, and Mouth, 3) Being a Living Sacrifice & 4) Kings, Princes, Nobles, and Rulers are about the duties human beings are to perform in society. Being in Elohim's image and likeness is to be a blessing to others, to be peaceful, patient, gentile, kind, and loving towards all. No wonder Yahweh holds us in such esteem and commands us to do likewise. No wonder Yeshua redeemed us. No wonder the angels anticipate the conclusion of Elohim's plan.
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