Monday, September 8, 2025
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things… Colossians 3:1-2
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. Colossians 3:9-10
A Life Renewed
Those of us who have grown up in church have heard that we were created in the image of God – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 The phrase “image of God” is translated from the Latin term Imago Dei which means a copy, likeness, or representation. God made all of us– saved and unsaved - in his image. Some of us will choose to follow him, and some won’t, but we are all made in his image.
One definition the dictionary gives us for the word “Image” is “A visual representation of something.” Being made in the image of God means that our lives should be a visual representation of God. Everything we say and do should be a reflection of God and remind people of him. This begins in our heart when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Next, as we begin our path of transformation, he begins to change our mind.
As we put off our old self and put on the new self in him, he renews our mind in knowledge according to his image. We spend time in Bible study and prayer, time with him. He begins to renew our mind according to that knowledge. He transforms us into a person that “looks” like him so that we can reflect his image to those around us.
Verses 5-10a of Colossians 3 tell us that in order to be a reflection of him to the world around us we must stop doing some things. Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. These things are part of our sin nature that we are born with, and part of our old self that we “take off” to become a new person in him. We will always struggle with these, and sometimes fail but they are not a part of who we are in him. It is important that we keep renewing our mind with his word and stay in communion with him to keep these at bay. These are not characteristics of a new life in Christ. The world expects this because they know these things. They need to see what transformation through Jesus Christ looks like.
How about you - are you reflecting the image of Jesus in all you say and do?
As you go through this day remember that you are made in his image. Show the transformed you – your new self – to others, reflecting his goodness and love in all you say and do.
