Humanity struggles to find purpose and meaning in life. Human beings have invented all sorts of distractions and ways to find meaning, usually in the form of religion – whether that be a political, a philosophical, or a theological religion. The Bible, by contrast, provides a bold and profound purpose for human existence: God is a family, a family of Creators. They are working to expand their family.
If we start with pre-history, the accounts given in Genesis 1 and John 1, we can see that there were two Beings before the earth was created. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “…Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). The word “God” is Elohim, a plural word meaning “the Mighty Ones”. God in this context is a family name, like a last name. They decided to create mankind in their own image and likeness.
God’s pattern for life is that “kind” reproduces after its own “kind”. An elephant produces an elephant. A cat produces a cat. It’s important to note that mankind was made after the likeness of God. The Mighty Ones are therefore reproducing themselves in us.
One of those two Beings, the Word, became mortal. He became who we call Jesus Christ (John 1:14). He died, was resurrected, and was born to Spirit life. And in that process became the Son of God. He was the first child of God, but not the only one: “…that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). He was born through His resurrection as the Son of God.
Christ is the Forerunner. In Hebrews 2:10, we can see that Christ is working to bring “many sons to glory”. And the “sons” that he’s speaking about refers to humans who follow and obey God’s way of life.
1 John 3:1 says that we are called children of God. Pause and think about that. Jesus Christ considers us to be His brothers and sisters and God considers us to be His begotten children. That means we’re not like angels. We are to become as they are — begotten to be the same as the Godkind: “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust (Adam), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (Christ) (1 Corinthians 15:49).
I am like my father and my son is like me. That’s how it works. We may not be at the same level of maturity. We might not have the same abilities, but we have the same form. The same capacity. The same potential. Now we are growing up like our spiritual parents. “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him…” (1 John 3:2).
We know that Christ was glorified. Christ radiates light as bright as the sun. In Christ’s transfiguration before His disciples, “…His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2). In Revelation 1:14-16, there is a further description of His glorification: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”
Christ had this glorified form before the earth was. He spoke of it as the glory that He possessed before the earth was created. We know that the Spirit-begotten children of God are to be transfigured and to be given the same “glorification”: “…we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:16-17).
As co-heirs with Christ, it’s not going to be a static state. It’s going to be an existence with real jobs, with real purpose, with active roles. The Kingdom of God is an expansionist Kingdom. Isaiah 9: 7 says there will be no end to the increase or expansion of Christ’s government. It’s growing. It’s developing. Christ and the Father are, by their very nature, Creators.
And we are to be like them. The sons of God will also be creators like them. We don’t know what we’re going to be doing, but it’s going to be exciting. Perhaps building new worlds? Learning new things? Expanding that Kingdom. Being in that Kingdom is just the beginning of the rest of our eternal lives.
I don’t know what political affiliation, philosophical concept, or theology you ascribe to; however, no religion offers a more exciting future than this one! God is a family. And that family is reproducing themselves in humankind. Every human being has the potential to develop the very likeness and image of God, His nature and character, “…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27). If we persevere, we will be like them in all ways. We will be part of a universe-ruling Kingdom that expands and creates forever.
That’s a potential worth striving for.
Staff