From Servant to Son
Although we all began as servants, being living souls, we have an opportunity to become His children by our hearts receiving God’s Word and conceiving His intent. As many as received him gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12). His Word in us is what Paul in Colossians 1:27 refers to as, “Christ in you the hope of glory.” Therefore we must consider that the man which is the “image of God” is God’s intent (or nature) maturing within us until “our hope of glory” manifests and is recognized by the Father, compelling Him to thunder these seven words, “This is my beloved son, hear him” (Luke 9:35, Revelation 10:3). This expectation has been in the Father’s bosom before the world began, even as Paul states in 2 Timothy 1:9; (God) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Jesus, as the Son of man, prayed for this fulfillment of glory in John 17:5; And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. He didn’t stop there but prayed the same for us in verse 24; Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. That glory He is referring to is Christ, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…(Hebrews 1:3) is the intent God has predetermined us to become.
Christ, whom upon the fall of Adam, became the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) and subjected himself to God’s acceptable will for man’s salvation, which Hebrews 2:9-15 affirms; But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Though Adam failed to obey the commandment; “thou shalt not eat of it,” Jesus responded in obedience to the commandment; “thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Where Adam failed in the garden, Jesus triumphed, as He prayed, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done (Matthew 26:42). Jesus being the son of man obeyed, for that was his consummation as a man. However, He was without sin and therefore His death was unjust. Through His obedience He overturned the condemnation of man. For because it was unjust for Jesus to die it became just for man to live.
Even as Romans 5:18-19 explains, Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Jesus, becoming the son of man, endured the condemnation of the cross that we might become the sons of God. Jesus embraced mankind in their death for mankind to embrace Jesus in His righteousness. Together they descended unto death, together they are raised unto life. In embracing His cross we shall also embrace His life.
Paul writes of this in Romans 6:4-10; Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man (Adam’s nature) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Therefore in Adam is the descent of man and in Christ is man’s ascent. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1Corinthians 15:22). This descent, death and resurrection is God’s acceptable will at work in and for us to conform us from a living soul unto a life giving spirit. In the same way that heaven and earth was created an image of God’s intention, before overcoming its state of being without form and void, the image that man is ordained to fulfill still remains within the Father’s bosom until those called overcome their state of corruption and death through God’s grace. Then God shall recognize this corporate body and declare, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Upon which the Standard shall be set and the age of Tabernacles shall begin.
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth (Hosea 6:1-3).