According to Its Kind

Many years ago I went away to a Christian campground to fast and seek the Lord for direction. One of my objectives during this week of fasting was to read the Bible through. I was expecting the Lord to speak to me and He did confirm some things. I did not get a whole lot out of my Bible reading because I approached it as a task to be checked off. Reading large amounts of scripture without taking time to ruminate is not necessarily a good way to hear from God. Interestingly enough the scripture that stayed with me was found in Genesis chapter 1. Eight times in chapter one is found the phrase "according to its kind." I saw a principle there that was very basic in nature yet at the same time was very profound and applicable on so many levels. "Like kind produces like kind." The question comes to mind as a mother or father or a Christian leader, "What am I reproducing?" I thought about denominationalism and how many people are in the church they are in because that was their mother and father's church or that was the church where they were saved. So often, we are the products of what we have been taught. Baptists usually beget baptists, methodists beget methodists, and pentecostals beget pentecostals, etc. I am not attacking these denominations, I am simply asking the question, "What are we reproducing?"

Genesis 1:25 concludes the creation of the animals. Then in verse 26, "God says let Us make man in Our Own image, according to Our likeness.. The animals would reproduce according to their kind, but God made man in the image of Himself. After the fall, in Genesis 5:3 it says,"And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth." What was different? Adam had lost dominion, he had lost the glory of God, and he had lost the life of God. The best he could do was to reproduce in his own image and likeness. God's objective has not changed; He is still producing sons in the image and likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29. Those of us who know the Lord are being conformed to His image.

Everything that was lost in the first Adam has been restored in the last Adam.
1. Dominion - Jesus said all authority has been given unto me. Therefore go..... Matthew 28
2. Glory- And the glory which you gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as You and I are one. John 17:22
3. Life- And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1
These things should be evident in the life of a son. Are we bringing forth life?

Why are these attributes missing? Here are some reasons I see.
1. We teach truths rather than introducing people to the Truth. We must introduce people to a living viable faith. They must know the person of Jesus Christ.
2. There is a lack of understanding concerning the Person of the Holy Spirit. Life cannot be reproduced without life. No amount of scripture can change a life apart from its author. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life.
3. The tyranny of the familiar holds some people in bondage. They are unable or unwilling to step beyond their comfort zone.
4. A lack of hunger for truth. We tend to become products of what we are taught, accepting the words of those in authority as truth. We must be like the Bereans and search the scriptures to see if these things be so.
5. Some people are controlled and manipulated by those in authority over them.
6. Many have believed the vain philosophies of men.
7. Much of the church has preached a powerless gospel.

As mothers, fathers and Christian leaders we are accountable for what we reproduce. That which is important to us will be important to our children. Can we expect our children to believe what we ourselves don't? If our relationship with the Lord is superficial, can we expect them to accept the reality of God? We were not called to make converts. We were called to make disciples, devoted followers of Christ. Even as Paul had sons in the faith (Timothy, Titus, and others) we are to produce sons of the Most High. I was asked the question once, " Do you want your children to be just like you?" It caused me to do some serious soul searching. God wants His children to be just like Jesus.

For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:10,11

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. John 1:12

In closing, we may ask the question, "If kind reproduces according to its kind, what kind am I?" I praise the Lord today that I can say that I am a son of the Lord Most High who is being conformed to the image of His beloved Son and those who come after me are sons and daughters of the Most High as well. Amen! May you be greatly blessed of the Lord today.