I AM DEPARTING from the “in Christ” passages to put in an “into” passage. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). It is important that we pause and see what the in Christ emphasis leads us into. This passage makes it clear that to be in Christ means we “are being changed into his likeness.” This unfolds the goal, the place we are heading, the purpose of the whole. The purpose of the whole is nothing less than being changed into His likeness. How tawdry this goal makes the ordinary goals seem—to get to heaven, to escape hell, to be happy, to be healthy, to be successful.
This gives a goal worthy of the great divine redemption—a goal in harmony with its nature. We are to be made into nothing less than his likeness. There is nothing greater, nor conceivably greater than that.
If God were other than the God I see in the face of Jesus Christ, He would hold up a goal other than this. He would want to remain unique, different, and apart. He would not want to create beings in His own likeness.
This is seen in mission work where a people like the Syrian Christians will build churches for the outcastes, educate them, and do social service for them, but they will not make them into their own likeness—they will not make them Syrians. Missionaries in Africa are often horrified when the African wants to be made into their likeness—to adopt their customs and mode of life. “No, we will do everything for them—except to put them on our own level, make them into our likeness!”
Christ our Redeemer offers to share not only His redemption, but a redemption into His own likeness. That is Love that not only stoops to share, but lifts to share—His own likeness.
Thou who art the image of the Father, Thou art striving to make us into that same image. Wonderful generosity, wonderful goal! It puts back my shoulders. I am to be like Thee. Let nothing stop me. I’m on the way. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: “Into His likeness”—my destiny is so great that I must say, Begone all littleness, all slights and hurts and all low aims.
