People today appear to be obsessed with their images, particularly their physical images.  They join gyms to enhance their physical strength and their physical appearance.  They visit hair and nail salons to achieve the perfect look.  They use air brushing and other techniques to improve their image on social media, and they select certain stories to post on social media to improve their social image.  There is no limit to which people will go these days to portray the best possible image.

        “Words from Above” tell us that the God of the universe created the human race with the most perfect image possible.  The Bible tells us in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 1, verse 26, that the members of the Holy Trinity made the conscious decision to “make man in our image and after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every thing that creeps on the earth.”  Verse 27 goes on to say that “God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, and male and female created He them.”

        Not only did God create the human race in the perfect image, because there was no possible image better than the image of God, but God put the first human couple in a perfect paradise.  That perfect paradise was called the Garden of Eden, where they lived in perfect harmony with God.  Every day God walked in the garden in the cool of the day, and there He walked with them and talked with them.  Unfortunately, the perfect paradise and perfect harmony was short-lived, because the first human couple chose to violate the one single rule that God asked them to follow.  He forbad them to touch or eat of the tree in the middle of the garden, but Satan took on the form of a serpent and deceived them into breaking God’s rule.  Their image was ruined and their relationship with God was broken.

        Fortunately, God made a promise to the human race that one day His Son Jesus would appear on the earth in human form to become the Messiah, the one who would deliver them from the consequences of their sins.  Jesus voluntarily agreed to be crucified on a Roman cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.  All who accept this payment and seek for their sins to be forgiven, have the good fortune of having their spiritual image restored and see it improve day by day until graduating to the heavenly home of their Creator.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.