Suppose a stranger rushed up to you and said, “You’re a new creation! The old you is dead. God is at work in you! You’re a participant in the divine nature. You’ve got to think new thoughts and live a new way.”
You might think that person was nuts. Those statements sound absurdly over the top. Yet, if you’ve obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ as we discussed in last month’s post (Part 2), those words, written by Apostles Paul and Peter, are true.
Transformation is the real reason God wanted to save us in the first place. The change that should take place in our lives is the perfect way to bring honor to Jesus Christ. Glorifying Jesus and helping others learn to do the same is the objective and purpose we should carry into every new day. We may sometimes fail to be the example we intend to be, but it should always be what we want to do. Nothing is more important to God than honoring his son, Jesus Christ. We can see this in the letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11 NAS)
One day every person will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and everyone will bow down to him whether they love him or not, but we can honor Jesus voluntarily and joyfully every day of our lives. But how? How can we, who have been so sinful in the past, really honor Jesus? The letters of the New Testament are written to various ancient congregations to explain in detail how to live for Christ. Study and apply these teachings. I want to touch on two things from these writings: renew your mind and yield to the Holy Spirit who is in you.
Our actions follow our thoughts and most of us have been immersed for years in a worldly way of thinking that is contrary to God. When it comes to how you conduct your life you must not think like people who are not saved and who are not trying to follow Christ. It doesn’t matter how much we admire a person or how intelligent they may be. We need the mind of Christ. The Apostle Paul explains how in Romans 12.
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 NAS)
Under the Law of Moses in the Old Testament the people offered God sacrifices of dead animals, but now we are to offer ourselves to God as a continuing living sacrifice. We worship and serve God daily. We renew or retrain our minds by learning what God finds pleasing and practicing that. This includes attending worship services and daily scripture reading and prayer. The world system we all live in is constantly pressing on us to conform to its selfish and destructive ways, but we must resist and be transformed. What empowers this transformation? It’s God, the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 says when we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are not operating alone or under our own power. The scriptures teach that God helps us to do good. “For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 NAS). You may feel the desire to encourage a friend, check on a neighbor, or to serve in a ministry. Pay attention and accept what may be the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV)
What does transformation look like? Hopefully, a determination to avoid people, places, and things that feed bad or sinful habits. Desire to share what you’re learning about God with friends and family. Deepening interest in the Bible, wanting to be around people of faith, a willingness to serve. The above passage indicates there is continuing progress toward becoming more like Jesus. Believe that, never give up, even after a failure. Press on.
What if a person is saved and refuses to be led by the Spirit? We can resist the Holy Spirit and refuse to be transformed. Jesus mentions this when he says he is the vine and we are the branches; we must remain connected to the vine. “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6 NAS). This could be a frightening passage, but if we don’t reject Christ this is not something we have to worry about, instead, here is the life we’re called to.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. (Colossians 3:12-14 NAS)
Our focus should be on the great fellowship of God’s people and the godly character we are developing. Let’s always strive to please Christ.
Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash