The Love Project by Chris Dupre

Author:Chris Dupre
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BroadStreet Publishing Group LLC

The breakdown I have seen over the years is that often, the image people have of God is far removed from who He is and what He’s like. That image we have of Him is vitally important. This Scripture says that as we behold Him, we are transformed into the same image. That’s wonderful if we are seeing Him as He is. But if we have a warped view of God, I shudder at what we will be transformed into.

In over forty years of following Jesus, I have seen a dangerous pattern. The way people view the nature and personality of God often runs parallel to their own nature and personality. This has been the cause of untold wars over the centuries, and it’s still pervasive today.

For example, when people see God as detached and uncaring, they carry in their own personality an uncaring detachment toward others. When people see God as leaning toward judgment as opposed to mercy, they become judgmental people who wouldn’t know mercy if it slapped them in the face. Actually, if it were mercy, it would probably just give them a gentle kiss on the cheek.

If we see God as merciful and full of compassion, we begin to take on those characteristics ourselves. We become what we behold! What an amazing truth. That’s why verse 17 makes us want to shout liberty from the rooftops. If I allow the Spirit of God to continue to pull back the veil, I will see more of Him, and therefore, I will become more like Him. Now, that’s freedom!

Another aspect of beholding Him is related to His main identity. We all see God in a certain way, and we identify with what we see. He is many things, all of them glorious. But we all tend to lean toward one or two aspects of His position. This also consigns us to become what we behold.

This goes to the core of our identity in Christ. If we see His core role as a king, we become first and foremost subjects. If we see Him first as a judge, we assign ourselves as judged ones, always seeing our sin as opposed to His beauty.

If we see Him as our master, we will see ourselves more as servants than as friends. Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants…but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). If we see God as the general of heaven’s armies, we will see ourselves as soldiers.

Now, are we His soldiers? Yes! Are we His servants? Yes! But my core identity is neither of those. I am a son! When I see myself as his beloved child, I see Him as my Father. When Jesus left the glory of heaven and came to earth as a man, He had two main objectives. The first is found in 1 John 3:16: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.” He came to give His life as a ransom so that we may be raised up with Him.

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