Christ: The True Image and the Pattern of Renewal
Imago Dei renewed is realized in the person of Jesus Christ, who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
Small (2020) calls Him “the God-man who reveals to us who we should be.” By the Spirit’s power, believers undergo a continual process of sanctification — being shaped, corrected, and conformed to Christ’s likeness (Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10).
Paul describes this process as a spiritual battle between the old man and the new man (Colossians 3:5–10). The “old man” represents human nature corrupted by sin — greed, impurity, anger, and pride — while the “new man” reflects Christ’s righteousness, compassion, and humility. Renewal, then, is a matter of identity — a return to what God originally intended.
From the Fall to the New Creation
How can humanity be restored after the Fall?
Paul gives the answer: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Through this “in-Christ” relationship, believers receive a new identity — one that transcends sin and returns humanity to God’s original design. Kilner (2018) writes that this transformation is both positional (declared new in Christ) and progressive (daily being conformed to His image).
Believers now participate in divine life through Christ’s indwelling Spirit. They live in the tension of “already renewed” and “still being renewed,” journeying toward complete restoration in the image of God.
