Just to follow up on what I wrote in my last blog regarding transformation and how it applies to us personally and corporately...
Transformation is God's work in us to change us and conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus. It can only begin with regeneration or a "spiritual" birth into God's family. This birth can only happen with the indwelling of God's spirit in a person's heart. All of our efforts at becoming good people or "like Christ" are in vain unless it is the power of God working that within us. Frankly, we are all sinners and are prone to and will return to that sinful nature.
When God's Spirit or "seed" enters into our heart, the process of transformation can begin. It requires submission and surrender on our part to God and His Spirit, allowing the work of transformation to take place. In both the Old and New Testaments, it is the "looking" or "beholding" of the glory of the Lord that inertias the transformation. This happened with Moses when he went into the cloud on Sinai. It was so with Jesus at the transfiguration. It was what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 18 when he says, "We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit."
So, it seems pretty simple. We come to faith in Christ and God places His Spirit in our hearts. If we yield and "behold" His glory, He works the power of transformation in our hearts and live to be conformed to the image of His Son. When we become conformed to the image of Jesus, we are moved to see the world and respond like Jesus. Yes, pretty simple. :)
Here are the takeaways as to why we as Kingdom people are involved in addressing needs both physically and spiritually all over the world...
1. The needs of people moves us. If we are becoming like Christ in transformation power, we cannot look at the world and its needs and not be moved because He was moved. He looked at the crowds with compassion because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). And every time, every time, when someone cried out to Him for help, he stopped and addressed the need. To be like Christ means to be moved by people in need.
2. The love of Christ compels us. Jesus' love for God the Father compelled Him into this world and translated into love for people. This was of course manifested in teaching, preaching and healing to all those in need (Matthew 4:23) If the Spirit of God is in us and working in us to be transformed to the image of Jesus, this same love compels and even propels us out into a world in need.
3. The Word of God commands us. This is not a legalistic constraining adherence to God's law. This is a "born out of love" wonder and respect for God's law. It is as the Psalmist declares, "...the ordinances (laws) for the Lord are reliable...They are more desirable than gold - than and abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey...
4. The desire to make Christ known in word and in deed motivates us. In the end, as we are changed from glory to glory, our heart and existence becomes the same as Christ which is to make God's glory known to all creation. To become transformed and ultimately conformed to Christ, means that we exist for God's purpose - to make His glory known.
Transformed to share our lives and His story with others...
This is our motivation for doing good proclaiming truth in a fallen world...
Transformation is God's work in us to change us and conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus. It can only begin with regeneration or a "spiritual" birth into God's family. This birth can only happen with the indwelling of God's spirit in a person's heart. All of our efforts at becoming good people or "like Christ" are in vain unless it is the power of God working that within us. Frankly, we are all sinners and are prone to and will return to that sinful nature.
When God's Spirit or "seed" enters into our heart, the process of transformation can begin. It requires submission and surrender on our part to God and His Spirit, allowing the work of transformation to take place. In both the Old and New Testaments, it is the "looking" or "beholding" of the glory of the Lord that inertias the transformation. This happened with Moses when he went into the cloud on Sinai. It was so with Jesus at the transfiguration. It was what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 18 when he says, "We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit."
So, it seems pretty simple. We come to faith in Christ and God places His Spirit in our hearts. If we yield and "behold" His glory, He works the power of transformation in our hearts and live to be conformed to the image of His Son. When we become conformed to the image of Jesus, we are moved to see the world and respond like Jesus. Yes, pretty simple. :)
Here are the takeaways as to why we as Kingdom people are involved in addressing needs both physically and spiritually all over the world...
1. The needs of people moves us. If we are becoming like Christ in transformation power, we cannot look at the world and its needs and not be moved because He was moved. He looked at the crowds with compassion because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). And every time, every time, when someone cried out to Him for help, he stopped and addressed the need. To be like Christ means to be moved by people in need.
2. The love of Christ compels us. Jesus' love for God the Father compelled Him into this world and translated into love for people. This was of course manifested in teaching, preaching and healing to all those in need (Matthew 4:23) If the Spirit of God is in us and working in us to be transformed to the image of Jesus, this same love compels and even propels us out into a world in need.
3. The Word of God commands us. This is not a legalistic constraining adherence to God's law. This is a "born out of love" wonder and respect for God's law. It is as the Psalmist declares, "...the ordinances (laws) for the Lord are reliable...They are more desirable than gold - than and abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey...
4. The desire to make Christ known in word and in deed motivates us. In the end, as we are changed from glory to glory, our heart and existence becomes the same as Christ which is to make God's glory known to all creation. To become transformed and ultimately conformed to Christ, means that we exist for God's purpose - to make His glory known.
Transformed to share our lives and His story with others...
This is our motivation for doing good proclaiming truth in a fallen world...
Thank you for speaking the Truth clearly!
ReplyDeleteAudrey M.