INTRO: In the beginning God made living things “after their kind” (Gen 1.21; 25; 6.20; 7.14); AND made man “in His Image” (Gen 1.26,27) – OR, in context, after “The God Kind”.

BENEFIT STATEMENT: We do not yet see this concept FULLY finished, yet. The being created in God’s Image process happens, or doesn’t happen for each person during physical life – as God Calls each one, SO, we must come to understand HOW we are to DEVELOP “God Kind” in us personally.

SPS: Our life is given us to work with God’s Guidance and develop personal “God Kind” in each one of us.

BODY: Life Eternal is NOT given just for the person it is given to.

1. We are to learn to practice the Life of Eternal God.

God IS Love – We are to literally learn to BE that …

1 John 4:8;  1 John 3:2-3

What does God want from me? How do we know if we are pleasing Him?

Matthew 23:23 (NKJV)  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

(Micah 6:8)  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

2. We are to become as God IS. To do That, we must Live as HE does.

We can’t earn our salvation but we want to please Him in this Family Plan for all eternity.

We see degrees of judgement by God’s Mind Set in APPLICATION of His Law.

Matthew 22:34-40 (NKJV)

To Love Mercy:

Soncino shows the Jewish viewpoint on this word. Mercy is a very active word meaning Loving Kindness. How otherwise do you show Mercy in Action?  (Mt 5.7)

Do things rightly long enough and your feelings change. Actions have to change along with their thoughts and then REAL change is realized.

Faith: (To walk humbly before God) We are to not be proud in our own ideas and ways.

            Faith is THE cornerstone of a personal relationship with God.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, (Hebrews 11:1); Romans 10:17)  

There is a time (with wisdom) to show Mercy while Trusting God to guide.

It’s God’s Judgement Mercy and Faith that can inspire us to have that as well.

These all connect to judgement and one follows the other.

3. A More Excellent Way – Desire the BEST (Takes us BEYOND Justice, Mercy and Faith - becoming as God)

WITHOUT God’s direction away from OUR direction, we CAN go directly into sinning. Hope drives us forward …

1 Corinthians 12:31 (NKJV)  But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. ; 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 

            God strengthens and encourages those who have hope in Him. (Psalm 31:24)

In a world without hope, we can have ultimate hope in the resurrection.(1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

God will prove to the world that we are strong enough to overcome this world.  We have to believe it though if we are going to make it.  Galatians 6:9   

Love OF God – 1 Jn 2.5; 3:10; 4.7, 10, 16, 20; 5.3 – This comes from God AS we recognize and practice HIS Justice, Mercy, Faith, and Hope

CLOSE: You are to be presented to THE Ruler, Sustainer, Creator, Savior of ALL things, while being in HIS Image! This WILL happen as we will have allowed God and Christ to make it happen in this physical life.

Colossians 1:19-23 (NKJV) 19  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- 23  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven,