The Beauty of the Heavenly Man
In Jesus, the distorted image of Adam is replaced with the clear reflection of the heavenly man.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above by Miles Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Miles Stanford reminds us that many Christians live with a distorted view of themselves because they are still measuring their worth through the lens of the first Adam. They look at their old, crucified self and become discouraged, failing to see that in Jesus they are already united with the Last Adam, the Lord from heaven. Instead of focusing on the earthly man who was condemned at the cross, we are called to fix our eyes on the heavenly man in whom we are made new.
Stanford draws on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:48–49 to show that we are not merely rehabilitated Adams, trying to get back to a state of innocence in the garden. We are something entirely new. Jesus is not just a reset of the first man. He is the head of a new creation, the Last Adam from heaven, and by union with Him we share in that heavenly identity. Our full likeness to Him will be revealed when He comes again, but even now we are seen and accepted by the Father in His Beloved Son.
This truth is beautifully supported by the testimony of others Stanford quotes. Faith unites us to the beauty and righteousness of Jesus Himself. In Him we are accepted, not because of what we bring, but because we are clothed in His righteousness. The believer is lovely in the eyes of the Lord, not for what he is in Adam, but for who he is in Christ.
Such a perspective transforms how we live. Instead of being shackled by the shame of the old life, we rejoice in the reality of the new. Instead of defining ourselves by the failures of the earthly man, we live from the identity of the heavenly man. The last word over us is not defeat, but beauty, because we belong to Him who is our life.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved child, you are not defined by the image of the earthly man. That life was crucified with Jesus, and you are no longer in Adam but in Christ. I have made you new, not by improving what was old, but by creating you anew in the Last Adam who is from heaven.
When I look at you, I see the righteousness of My Son. You are accepted in the Beloved. You are not waiting to become worthy, for you already stand in His beauty. Your transformation is real, and while its fullness will be seen when Jesus returns, the reality of it is yours today.
Do not gaze long at what has passed away, for that will only distort your vision. Behold the glory of the Lord, and as you do, I am changing you into His likeness. You are not striving to be heavenly; you already are heavenly in Him. This is the truth of your identity, and as you yield to Me, His life is expressed through you.
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 15:48-49, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:6, Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:3-4, Philippians 3:20-21, Psalm 45:11.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine looking into a cracked mirror that distorts your reflection. The image you see is twisted and untrue, but if you step in front of a clear mirror, the reflection is exact and beautiful. Many Christians spend their days looking into the cracked mirror of their old identity, seeing only the broken image of Adam. But in Jesus, the mirror has been replaced. Now, when the Father looks, He sees the flawless image of His Son reflected in you.
Today, when I am tempted to dwell on my failures, I can choose to turn to the clear mirror of Jesus and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me, for I am already accepted in Your beauty.” That simple act of trust allows His life to shine instead of my distorted self-image.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that I no longer live in the shadow of Adam, but in the fullness of Jesus, the Last Adam from heaven. I am complete in Him, accepted in Your Beloved, and lovely in Your sight because of His righteousness. I rejoice that my identity is secure and unchanging. I live today in the confidence that You see me in Your Son, and I rest in the beauty of this new creation life.