The word Image, Tselem tseh-lem in Hebrew, means Shadow. When people see other people, (each other), they see a shadow or phantom image of God represented. We are a daily imprint of God's work, his fingerprint. We are in a sense representative of God.
Unfortunately the word is often also used in the Bible as Idol. An empty dead shell, a lifeless, powerless, image that no matter how earnestly worshipped cannot act or react. A False god. We all have our idols. Even our Church is often our idol. We spend a lot of time playing church without ever knowing who Jesus is. Even Music Leaders, Deacons, and Preachers only play church. TV can be our idol. Hobbies and video games are idols. Whatever soaks up your time to keep you away from daily interaction with Jesus becomes an idol.
So if we are not born again, who are we? We are children of perdition, children of Satan, children of the Devil, Jesus described them as tares, some lost sheep, who will at some point accept Christ, some are goats who will never be saved. In God's eyes perdition means we are already in a state of eternal punishment. He sees children of perdition as souls already lost in damnation. (He knows our final outcome.) Even if we attend Church every Sunday, sing in the Choir or even Preach from behind a Pulpit, if our soul is not Born Again and committed to the Lord's Service; we are tares and not Saints; our tabernacles (bodies) are empty without the Oil or Holy Spirit as in the five foolish Virgins. All ten virgins were members of the Church but only five were found faithful and eligible for the Wedding supper. The other five were locked out just like it will be at the Lord's Second Coming.
There are more people who are not going to Heaven than those who will find the straight and narrow path to Jesus' Side. Jesus said so. He said the pathway to destruction is wide.
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in that way: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matt 7:13-14
Yes, Jesus said it. Many of our friends, neighbors, and family members are going to Hell. Their choice, not His. We all decide our own fate by the very simple decision of what we do with Jesus. Is Jesus just a word in the dictionary or Bible, or is Jesus your Lord, Savior, and daily Friend and Brother? Do you study about Jesus on Sunday, or talk to Him daily? (or maybe once every year or two?) Do you really know Jesus personally, or merely think you do? Do you understand God's Word and know who Jesus really is? Jesus is our Creator. Jesus is the Heavenly Father. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Yes, the Heavenly Father, as Jesus, came to earth personally, as a baby in a manger (meaning feed trough, not a barn {that's another sermon}). God separated His three parts, Mind, Body and Holy Spirit, so that his Body (Jesus) could come to earth as a Sacrificial Lamb to die for the sins of Mankind.
Jesus did his work on Earth. What we do with Jesus determines what God does with us on Judgment Day. Faithful Virgins, (Born again Believers) have the indwelling Oil of the Holy Spirit and are filled with the Oil of The Holy Spirit and ready to enter in for the Wedding Supper. Those unprepared who never allowed the Holy Spirit to enter, never said "Jesus come into my heart", are locked out of the Ark of Forgiveness, forever to suffer for their failure to listen to God's call. He has called. What are you doing with that call?
You can be a Child of God this very day. Just ask Him to come into your heart, ask His forgiveness, tell Him you want to make Him your Lord and Master. That's all there is to it. He is always faithful to accept you as His Child. Amen! and Amen!
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