It has been my observation that Jesus came to restore our original righteousness which was lost through sin. He fulfilled the law of God on our behalf and then offered his own life as a sacrifice to God’s justice for our sins. Romans 3:23-25 explains: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”

Jesus remedied our standing with God and restored God’s image within us. Thus, the language of Genesis 1:27 is echoed in our New Testament faith in Jesus, “renewed in the spirit of [our] minds … to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:23-24). Paul says that by God’s grace “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we live in restored relationship with God and we can love others with the love God gives us. We live an abundant life in the presence of Jesus and participate in God’s mission of healing and restoration to the world. Life in relationship with Jesus increasingly becomes marked by joy, love, peace, and light. The body may die, but the soul lives on eternally with Christ. Indeed, God’s goodness and wholeness has the first and the last word.

God loves us and proves that love by sending His Son, Jesus, to show us what He is like (John 14:9). Although God loves us, our sin separates us from God (implied in Romans 3:23; 6:23). Jesus came to earth and offered Himself in our place. He took the punishment our sin deserves (implied in 2 Corinthians 5:21). God raised Him from the dead three days later, proving that Jesus is Lord over everything, including death (implied in Romans 10:9–10). Then God decreed that everyone who places faith in Jesus will be forgiven and enter a relationship with Him (implied in John 3:16–18). So, God’s first desire is that we come to know Him through faith. When we know Him, we can discover who we are.

Paul says — Could this be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to sin and that miserable life—we are no longer captive to sin’s demands! What we believe is this: when we are included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead, it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again, death shall not have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, and then God comes close to us. From now on — Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word from Him. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That is what Jesus did – that is what happens to us (Romans 6:6-11 paraphrased).

This is a game changer. Paul says – do not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Do not give it the time of day. Do not even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly into this new life—remember, you have been raised from the dead! — We are living life God’s way – not our way. Sin cannot tell you how to live. We do not live under that old tyranny any longer. Now and forever more we live in the freedom of God (Romans 6:12-14 paraphrased).

The New Testament reflects on our divine image – we are made for covenant communion with God in righteousness. While the Fall has marred the image of God in us – distorting the righteousness which we were first made to reflect – God sent Jesus to redeem us and restore the image of God “in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). We are remanufactured.  We have permission to walk with God.

I choose Jesus.