In Episode Three of “How Do We Change?”, Dr. Greg Gifford turns to James 3 to focus on the implications of being an image bearer of God for the New Testament believer.
The Power of the Tongue
The first twelve verses of James 3 center on the great power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21a states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (LSB). The reality is that the same tongue used for good is the same tongue used for evil. From the tongue comes both blessing and cursing, but this should not be the case. The tongue gives way to the outward expression of what is in a man’s heart. Many times, the outward expression includes cursing people who are made in the image and likeness of God, which shows the sin in our own hearts.
Value and Dignity of Image Bearers
When faced with people who are hard to love and encourage, the question becomes, “Why would I respond to them with words that are honoring to the LORD?” The answer: We treat people with dignity because they are image bearers of God. God has imprinted His likeness and His image upon them, which means that they have inherent value. Every person is made in the image of God, and it is the responsibility of no person to snuff that out. Being disrespectful with our words shows that the root issue is that we do not value people with the value that God has inherently impressed upon them. Understanding image-bearing is vital in understanding one’s value.
Image-Bearing and Change
James 3 makes it clear that being an image-bearer of God was not an Old Testament truth, but a New Testament reality. If mankind were no longer made in the likeness of God, the same value would not be ascribed to them, and the way we use our tongues would not hold the same weight.
As New Testament believers, being in the likeness of God possesses a fundamental understanding of who we are and how we change. Sanctification begins at the moment of conversion, where the Spirit regenerates us. Now, as image-bearers, we can look at Christ, the perfect image of the Father, and be transformed into His likeness. This is our destiny.
In the next installment, Dr. Gifford will connect being an image-bearer with growing in Christ, particularly. This blog post captures the essence of Dr. Greg Gifford’s series on the question “How Do We Change?”. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details about how the pursuit of Christ brings about true change. Dr. Gifford is the Chair of the Undergraduate School of Biblical Counseling as well as a Biblical Counseling Professor for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.
