The Image of God?
One of the most important and foundational teachings of Scripture is only stated three times: Twice in the Old Testament and once in the New:
God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him:” :(Genesis 1:27; 9:6) …
Christ, who is the image of God. (2Cor. 4:4)
There is a fundamental difference is how mankind is God’s image bearers, and how Jesus was God's image bearer:
Mankind according to the original language, is shadowy reflection of God's person. This enables us to relate to God's because He has placed parts of his personality in us. We know love, justice & truth, because those are aspects of God's person implanted in us.
In contrast, Jesus is not at shadowy reflection but "the exact representation of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3); so much so that Jesus informed His disciples…. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9).
So, whereas we are able to reflect God's nature, Jesus did so perfectly and without sin. He exactly revealed the thoughts, heart, words & actions of the Father. To put it into astronomical terms, Jesus is the sun who emanates light; we are the moon that can only reflect God's light when we are focusing on Jesus. This is God's purpose for our lives: As focus upon Him, others can see the reflection of God coming from us.
Importantly, we would never mistake a mirror for an actual person. So also no one would mistake us for God himself. We are called to reflect God, not to pretend to be God. Yet that is exactly what we do when we focus our lives upon self, rather than Christ.
It was Mark Twaine who so accurately noted, Each of us is like the moon. We have a dark side who hope no one ever sees. The secret of living effectively for Christ is to keep ourselves facing the SON so that we can reflect Him on those around us. Because when we turn our focus away from Him and on to ourselves, we quickly become dark and cold.
God created Man to be a constant reflector of His being. But sin interrupted that purpose by introducing an opposing passion: The deification of self, which instead of saying, “Thy will be done,” demands “My will be done.”
How do we regain our original purpose & focus?
...put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. [Ephesians 4:22,23]
If you are a truly born again, every day as you read, pray, seek & surrender your life to Jesus, you are literally putting off your old self, and putting on the new self.