OceanSide church of Christ

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ARE YOU THE SPITTING IMAGE OF THE MASTER?

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Most of us have heard various individuals described as being “the spitting image” of another.  A son might be said to be “the spitting image” of his father.  A girl might be called “the spitting image” of a famous actress.  This writer looked up the origin of the phrase, “spitting image,” but it seems no one really knows how it was derived. 

            Christians are children of God.  Did you know that every one of us is supposed to be the “spitting image” of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s read a few passages that confirm this.  In Matthew 5:48, we read these words from Jesus:  “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  In Romans 8:29, Paul tells us:  “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  The idea of being changed into the image of the Lord is found again in 2 Corinthians 3:18.  Paul writes:  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  The language is not as strong, but the thought of being “the spitting image” of God is also contained in Ephesians 5:1.  “Be ye followers of God, as dear children.”

            In what ways can you and I emulate the divine persons in the Godhead so that others will say of us:  “He/she is the spitting image of his/her Father.”  First, we need to display love as they do.  Jesus clearly spoke about this in John 13:34-35.  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.   By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”  This is not a lustful love.  It is not a love that endures only when another pleases us.  It is “agape” love.  It is the love that practices the sixteen qualities of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a:  “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seekth not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Charity never faileth…”  This is a love that is given to family, friends, brethren, and even to one’s enemies.  Its interest is always in the welfare of another.

            Second, if we are going to be the spitting image of our Master, we must bear the quality of compassion.  The word “compassion” can be divided into two sections:  “com” meaning “with” and “passion” meaning “to suffer.”  Thus, compassion is simply defined as “having the ability to suffer with another.  As we study the life of Christ recorded in the gospels, we see Jesus manifesting compassion often.  In Matthew 9:36, we learn that Jesus had compassion on the multitudes “because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”  In Matthew 14, Jesus saw another multitude, “and was moved with compassion toward them, and healed their sick” (v. 14).  And another multitude was shown the compassion of Jesus in Matthew 15:32.  “Then Jesus called his disciples, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:  and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.”  These are just three of many examples of compassion shown by the Christ.  Dear reader, if we are going to be like Jesus, we must suffer with others.  Too often we like to judge others instead of suffer with them.  Our critical hearts do not enable us to conform into the image of the Lord.  We must try to experience the hurts of others if we are going to resemble Jesus Christ.

            Third, those who are the spitting image of deity will develop the ability to forgive others.  No one has been sinned against more than God.  Since the transgression of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, man has engaged in all kinds of heinous acts against God.  Man has gone so far as to worship and serve “the creature more than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25).  Yet, God has always shown mankind a readiness to forgive.  One of the most touching pictures of divine forgiveness is found at the cross of Calvary.  The perpetrators of the crucifixion stood at the foot of the cross.  They blasphemed the Son of God and rejoiced that they were responsible for His crucifixion.  The first words from the lips of Jesus as He looked down upon the mob were:  “Father forgive them; for the know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  If Jesus could muster forgiveness for His persecutors, surely each of us can find room in our hearts to forgive those who sin against us.  Seldom do the sins others commit against us rise to the enormity of the sins committed by the Jews and Romans at Golgotha against our Lord. 

            Fourth, in order for each of us to be a spitting image of the Father and Son, we must seek to live holy lives.  This is a tall order for each one of us.  In Revelation 15:4, we learn only God is holy.  Within the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, we find these words:  “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?  for thou only art holy…”  We will never be holy through and through without the help of the blood of the Lamb.  However, we are to attempt to be holy as God is holy.  Peter instructs us to do this in 1 Peter 1:14-16.  “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  but as he which hath call you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”  Each child of Christ crucifies the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24).  Each one seeks to put off the old man (Eph. 4:22) and “put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:24). 

            Fifth, if we want to be the spitting image of our Master, we must develop a deep, sincere concern for the lost of the world.  Most of us are familiar with Luke 19:10.  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Many times during Jesus’ earthly ministry, He was found around “the publican and sinners” (Matt. 9:10-11; Luke 19:2, 5).  Jesus understood that “they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick” (Mark 2:17).  Thus, as the Great Physician, He spent His time seeking to bring sinners to repentance.  If we are going to be like Jesus, we must become soul-winners, fishers of men, or evangelists.  Going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature is our primary focus every day.  We know that to be like the Master, we must bear much fruit (John 15:8).

            How would you like to hear these words from the mouth of a person describing you:  “That person is the spitting image of Jesus Christ.”  Would you swell with pride?  Would you appreciate those words?  Would that statement make you try even harder to conform to the image of Jesus Christ?  There is no higher compliment that a person could be given.  It should be the end to which all of us should be working.  Paul worked to that end.  In Philippians 1:21, he wrote:  “For to me to live is Christ…”  Let’s make it our goal to become “the spitting image” of the Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.