The moon reflects the light of the sun to provide light in the darkness of night. In a similar way God uses men and women to reflect himself in a fallen creation. They are able to do so because they are created in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26). Although creation is fallen man still displays God’s communicable traits such as relationships built on unity, logic and reasoning that brings about clarity and order, and emotions which help drive human creativity. There’s also a forgotten similarity that humans share with God, which is authority. Man was commanded by God to rule and have dominion over all the earth (Gen. 1:28). But these commands of God bring clarity to the differences of the Creator and the created, like when God command Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 16-17).
It’s clear that human beings are not and never will be a god or God (Is. 43:10). Like a child is not themselves the parent or having the authority of a parent. Humans don’t share all of God’s attributes. For instance eternity, sovereignty and omniscience are reserved for God alone. Yet, we can become co-heirs in some of those things, through Christ, becoming eternal sons and daughters of God the Father (Jn. 1:12-13). All this is to say God’s intended purpose for creating man, is to display his eternal glory (Is. 43:7) and for us to do all to his glory (1 Cor. 10:3).
This eternal purpose of doing all for God’s glory and to represent his glory, became stained when Adam and Eve fell into sin after being tempted by Satan. It’s important to remember this fall into sin did not surprise God, for He knew they would eat of the tree of Knowledge (Gen 2:17b). Yet even through Man’s fall into sin, God will use and did use it to bring himself glory, through Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:14).
Since Adam and Eve’s fall into sin man has now inherited the stain of sin. Like a child inheriting their father and mother’s unseen personality. This means our inner essence or state of being is sin (1st Cor. 15:49a).
In man’s fallen nature, his DNA reads sin (Rom. 7:18). This however doesn’t mean everything done by a human is a sin. Our thoughts and actions may be lost, but the image of God has not been lost. Certainly, there are choices one can make by choosing to sin or not to sin. Whether saved or not saved the Laws of good moral character are written on all men’s hearts (Rom. 2:15). For instance, Cain killed Abel and it was wrong before the law was ever written.
The important thing is when choosing not to sin, unless you’re in Christ, nothing is fully pleasing to God, because of the inner stained nature of Man (Ep. 4:18). Therefore, when a believer chooses not to sin, they are doing what is pleasing to God through Christ (Jn. 15:5). Yet somehow that work is credited as our own (1 Cor. 15:10). What a beautiful mystery. So, if the Holy Spirit is active and a person is abiding in the true vine, which is Christ (Jn. 15:4) then their choices and actions will clearly bear fruit for God’s glory.
It’s through the Spirit guiding us to make better choices that we are sanctified daily into the image of Christ (1st Cor. 3:18). However, one day sanctification will be complete when Christ returns bringing with Him a new Eden like state of being and a complete removal of the stain of sin (Phil. 3:21) and world free of all corruption (Rv. 21:1). It must be known that God being perfectly just, God had to expel Adam and Eve from the Garden, alienating his very good creation from Himself (Gen 3:23-24). Yet, while exercising his justice God showed mercy by sending them from the garden, otherwise they would have been destroyed. God was showing His hand, which was restoration.
God’s plan came to fruition through the sending of His Son to rescue Man from eternal punishment, (Mt. 25:46). To reconcile Man in our waywardness from the garden of His presence (1st Thess. 1:10). To renew creation back to its intended purpose – union with God through Christ for eternity (1st Cor. 15:49b).
Lit Lamp For The Soul 
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