Becoming Like Christ

“If people love you at 6:30 in the morning, one thing is sure: They love you.  They don’t love your title.  They don’t love your style.  They don’t love your accomplishments.  They just love you….
Sounds like God’s love.
“He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy,” wrote another.
Underline the word perfect.  Note that the word is not better.  Not improving.  Not on the upswing.  God doesn’t improve, he perfects.  He doesn’t enhance; he completes.  What does the perfect person lack?
Now I realize that there’s a sense in which we’re imperfect.  We still do exactly what we don’t want to do.  And that part of us is, according to the verse, “being made holy.”
But when it comes to our position before God, we’re perfect.  When he sees each of us, he sees one who has been made perfect through the One who is perfect – Jesus Christ.
We are absolute perfection.  Flawless.  Without defects or mistakes.  Unsullied.  Unrivaled.  Unmarred.  Peerless.  Virgin pure.  Undeserved yet unreserved perfection.
No wonder heaven applauds when you wake up.  A masterpiece has stirred.

(From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado)



Acts 3:19

Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins.

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by preaching that people should turn from their sins. The apostles’ message of salvation also included the call to turn from sin—acknowledging personal sin and repenting of it. Many people want the benefits of being identified with Christ without admitting their own disobedience and turning from sin. The key to forgiveness is confessing your sin and turning from it (see 2:38).

When we turn from sin, God promises not only to cleanse us of our sins but to bring spiritual refreshment. Turning away from sin may at first seem painful because it is hard to break old habits and give up certain sins. But God will give you a better way. As Hosea promised, “Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring” (Hosea 6:3). Do you feel a need to be refreshed?

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. 4And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. 5  And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

We now have peace with God, which may differ from peaceful feelings such as calmness and tranquility. Peace with God means that we have been reconciled with him. There is no more hostility between us, no sin blocking our relationship with him. Peace with God is possible only because Jesus paid the price for our sins through his death on the cross.

These verses introduce a section that contains some difficult concepts. To understand the next four chapters, it helps to keep in mind the two-sided reality of the Christian life. On the one hand, we are complete in Christ (our acceptance with him is secure). On the other hand, we are growing in Christ (we are becoming more and more like him). At one and the same time we have the status of kings and the duties of slaves. We feel both the presence of Christ and the pressure of sin. We enjoy the peace that comes from being made right with God, but we still face daily problems that often help us grow. If we remember these two sides of the Christian life, we will not grow discouraged as we face temptations and problems. Instead, we will learn to depend on the power available to us from Christ, who lives in us by the Holy Spirit.

Paul states that, as believers, we now stand in a place of highest privilege. Not only has God declared us not guilty; he has drawn us close to himself. Instead of being enemies, we have become his friends—in fact, his own children (John 15:15; Galatians 4:5).

For first-century Christians, suffering was the rule rather than the exception. Paul tells us that in the future we will become, but until then we must overcome. This means we will experience difficulties that help us grow. We rejoice in suffering, not because we like pain or deny its tragedy, but because we know God is using life’s difficulties and Satan’s attacks to build our character. The problems that we run into will develop our perseverance—which in turn will strengthen our character, deepen our trust in God, and give us greater confidence about the future. You probably find your patience tested in some way every day. Thank God for those opportunities to grow, and deal with them in his strength (see also James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6, 7).

All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation. The Father loved us so much that he sent his Son to bridge the gap between us (John 3:16). The Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit to fill our life with love and to enable us to live by his power (Acts 1:8). With all this loving care, how can we do less than serve him completely!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, 10thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. 11  There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away,£ and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you.

Paul is describing characteristics of unbelievers. He doesn’t mean that all those who have indulged in sexual sin or who have been idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers are automatically and irrevocably excluded from heaven. Christians come out of all kinds of different backgrounds, including these. They may still struggle with evil desires, but they should not continue in these practices. In 6:11, Paul clearly states that even those who sin in these ways can have their lives changed by Christ. However, those who say that they are Christians but persist in these practices with no sign of remorse will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Such people need to reevaluate their lives to see if they truly believe in Christ.

In a permissive society it is easy for Christians to overlook or tolerate some immoral behavior (greed, drunkenness, etc.) while remaining outraged at others (homosexuality, thievery). We must not participate in sin or condone it in any way; we cannot be selective about what we condemn or excuse. Staying away from more “acceptable” forms of sin is difficult, but it is no harder for us than it was for the Corinthians. God expects his followers in any age to have high standards.

Paul emphasizes God’s action in making believers new people. The three aspects of God’s work are all part of our salvation: Our sins were washed away, we were set apart for special use (sanctified), and we have been made right with God (justified).

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ.£ He has commissioned us, 22and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment of everything he will give us.

The Holy Spirit guarantees that we belong to God and will receive all his benefits (Ephesians 1:13, 14). The Holy Spirit guarantees that salvation is ours now, and that we will receive so much more when Christ returns. The great comfort and power the Holy Spirit gives in this life is a foretaste or down payment (“first installment”) of the benefits of our eternal life in God’s presence. With the privilege of belonging to God comes the responsibility of identifying ourselves as his faithful servants. Don’t be ashamed to let others know that you are his.

1 Peter 3:8

Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.

Peter lists five key elements that should characterize any group of believers: (1) one mind—pursuing the same goals; (2) sympathy—being responsive to others’ needs; (3) love—seeing and treating each other as brothers and sisters; (4) tenderness—being affectionately sensitive and caring; and (5) humility—being willing to encourage one another and rejoice in each other’s successes. These five qualities go a long way toward helping believers serve God effectively.

Peter developed the qualities of tenderness and humility the hard way. In his early days with Christ, these attitudes did not come naturally to his impulsive, strong-willed personality (see Mark 8:31-33; John 13:6-9 for examples of Peter’s blustering). But the Holy Spirit changed Peter, molding his strong personality to God’s use and teaching him tenderness and humility.

Ramblings

Is your relationship with Jesus noticeable by your words?  Ask God for a vocabulary that reflects love for others without any bitterness or hate.