ever established by the possession of this common likeness. This truth we now seek to

establish by an examination of the Scriptural employment of the word "Image".

First we must consider those passages which teach that "God is Christ-like", in which

God comes down and finds a meeting place with man, in the person of His Son, the One

Mediator. Then we must consider the passages where man (1) by creation, (2) by

redemption is said to be either created in the likeness of God, or predestinated to be

conformed to the Image of His Son, or is yet to have a body like unto His body of glory;

and having discovered in this blessed Person, the Son of God, the Divine meeting place

of God and man, we shall have discovered the way, and the only way indicated in the

Scriptures, for God to become All in all to His people. That will be when He Who is

the Word, the Form, the Image, the Character of God, and they, for whom this same

glorious One became flesh and was made like unto His brethren, shall have become one

in the sense indicated in John 17::

or shall be `all of one' as indicated in Heb. 2: 11.

This subject will scale the heights and descend into the depths, for it embraces Deity

and Humanity, Creation and Redemption, and must be approached with reverence and

with godly fear. Let us consider first of all those Scriptures which teach that God is

"Christ-like".

There appears to be several ways of attempting to answer the question "What is God

like?"  There is the approach by metaphysics, but this avenue is one that ends in

`nothing', God being No-thing (see the philosophy of Hegel) or in a series of negative

abstractions like "Infinite", that is to say "not finite". This approach is of no use to a

seeking sinner or to the Bible student. The Being and Nature of God can be approached

along the line of His relation to created things, so that we can understand that the

invisible things of Him are clearly seen by the evidence of His handiwork. This however

fails to teach us what God is like, for "that which may be known of God" by this means is

exceedingly limited. We may deduce by logic a Being of Almighty Power, but we could

never discover by this means "The God of all grace", for the necessary promises are not

discernible in nature. Atonement, Redemption and Salvation lie outside the scope of

creation's witness. We leave the work of His hands therefore, and come to the Word

which He has inspired, and that Word focuses our attention upon One, the Son of God,

the Lord Jesus, Who is the fullest manifestation of what God is like that has been or can

be given. This manifestation is twofold. First, before creative times, Christ was "The

Word" (John 1: 1): "The Form" (Phil. 2: 6); "The Image" (Col. 1: 15); "The Character of

His substance" (Heb. 1: 3); "The Brightness of His glory" (Heb. 1: 3). Then, "The Word

became flesh", and as a result, God Who is invisible, Whom no man hath seen at any

time was `declared' (John 1: 14, 18). He Who in days past had spoken unto the fathers by

the prophets, spoke at last "In Son". This strange expression is a Hebraism, as for

example where in Exod. 6: 3 of the A.V. we read: