Challenge 2005 Workshop: Identity in God (1)

1. Challenge 2005 Workshop: Identity in God (1) Prof. Jintae Kim, Ph.D. Alliance Theological Seminary Nyack, NY 10960

2. Four Characteristics of Leaders • Identity: Who is in God and What time is it? • One with a Great Vision (Bennis Nanus, Leaders) • One of Action: Aggressive planning & Drive with determination to finish. • Flexible Thinking: a paradigm.

3. Two false identities given by the devil • (1) Fatalism (Evolutionism; Cyclicism and Karma in Hinduism and Buddhism; Fatalism of Greek philosophy) • (2) god (New Age; pantheism)

4. 2 Cor 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” • 2 Cor 4:6 “For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

5. Part I:Meaning of the image of God: Two aspects

6. Gen 1:26-7 • Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to 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 wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

7. #1 Historical Context • In Ancient Near-East, the image of God meant the true representative God, in whom the spirit of God dwells (Gen 2:7) and who reigns over all creatures (Gen 1:26, 28) • Cultural mandate.

8. # 2 Hermeneutical key: the NT • Jesus Christ is the image of God (Col 1:15): • All authority in heaven and on the earth (Matt 28:18): Jesus Believers.Great Commission & Great Commandment.

9. NRS Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; • NRS Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

10. Implication: Who am I? • (1) The most precious one. • (2) One who has received God’s character and authority.

11. Then, why are humans here? • Original Sin and Distorted Image • Original state Founded upon trust between God and man as His image. • Broken trust and broken image.

12. Part II: How shall I live as an image of God?

13. Gospel • Atoning Death of Christ  Restoration of my true identity as an image of God; Life worthy and glorious as such.

14. Power of Gospel (Acts 26:18) • “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

15. Imitate God! • Eph 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

16. How to imitate God? • Rom 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.”

17. How can I imitate God? • Sanctification: Identify my will and thought to God’s will and thought – Dual emphasis of Four-fold Gospel.

18. Participate in Divine Character (2 Pet 1:3-4). • “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature.”

19. (2) Divine character  Great Commandment (John 3:16) • This is how we have the heart of Christ (Phil 2:5) . • “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,”

20. (3) Great commandment  Great commission (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1)

21. (4) Door of Blessings • The power of God will manifest in those who are faithful in keeping the Great commandment through obeying to the Great commission. • Power of the Holy SpiritLife of witness (Acts 1:8)

22. NRS Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

23. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13). • “If you are able!-- All things can be done for the one who believes.” (Mark 9:23).

24. Two Millennia of Evangelizing

25. Although many peoples are still unreached, the number is only a fraction of that of 100 years ago. The goal is attainable in our generation -- if we mobilize prayer and effort and work together to disciple the remaining least reached peoples.--Patrick Johnstone

26. The Great Commission Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit… -- Jesus Christ

27. The Great Challenge The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Luke 10:2