Being Transformed

            “Sanctification (God making us righteous through his Spirit’s indwelling), though begun the moment we are justified, is gradual and throughout this life incomplete, as we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Cor. 3:18).”

John Stott, The Cross of Christ, p. 186

            My life, like so many projects I’ve started, is an unfinished masterpiece.  The reason I remain unfinished is because there are a lot of attitudes that need to be changed; many old habits that need to be stopped; countless sins that need to be abandoned; and several blessings to appreciate; many new activities to be a part of; countless righteous deeds to add in to my daily activity.  Until all of this is accomplished, I am an unfinished work in God’s hands.  But that’s okay with God – so many of the New Testament writers struggled with becoming and overcoming and transforming into the likeness of Jesus.

            This improvement process is called sanctification.  This comes from the term “holy” (Latin = “sanctus”) and means “to be set apart” or “special” or, in a sense, “different” from the rest of the world.  It can refer to people (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Heb. 10:29; 13:12) or objects that are dedicated to religious acts of worship. 

            By calling His people “saints” (“sanctified ones”) God is indicating some very important truths about ourselves:

       (1) that we are special compared to those who are still lost in sin (1 Pet. 2:9),

       (2) that we are to hold each other in high regard (John 13:35),

       (3) that we are to be busy taking care of each other (Gal. 6:10). 

       However, it is also important to note that we are never finished or complete or flawless in holiness.  It is an on-going process of growth and improvement.  As the quote above points out, our transformation into the likeness of Christ never ends.  It’s a life-long journey.

       That may frustrate many people who are impatient and desirous to see immediate results for their hard work. But “quick fixes” rarely last and they seldom grow to be appreciated.  So rather than seeing this reality as a negative thing be thankful to God for His patience and willingness to help you work through this lengthy improvement process.  Be grateful that He considers you special enough to be willing to mold you and shape you and work on you as He transforms your life into a masterpiece that He can be proud of.

Doug

Changing To Fit God’s Will

            There is nothing so dangerous to an organization than a former ally who changes sides and begins working for the “competition.”  We see this often in our sports-oriented society with athletes who were traded to another team or released or signed with someone else as a free agent.  The next time they face their old team they are fired up and ready to defeat their former friends.  In times of war, the most feared agents of the enemy may be spies planted within the ranks.  This can be dangerous to morale and cause fatal results to an army’s cause.

            So it is understandable what Saul’s (later Paul) conversion to Christianity did to the morale and cause of Judaism (and Satan).  To them he was a traitor - a very dangerous threat.  He knew their system of doctrine and leadership inside and out.  Thus their immediate reaction of trying to kill him is understandable.  Saul’s switching sides and working for the “competition” threatened their way of life and everything they had worked so hard to achieve.

            However, the picture of the man Saul (Paul) that is painted for us by Luke in the book of Acts shows a man who was totally dedicated to God’s cause.  For as soon as he was faced with his error, he did what was necessary to get on the right track.  And then he lived the rest of his life trying to convince everyone (Jew and Gentile alike) of their need to do the same thing he had done: change everything to fit God’s will. His life is a testament to work of the Holy Spirit within the believer to bring about the changes needed to be right with God.

            And make no mistake; as soon as you follow Paul’s example, the enemy WILL feel threatened and WILL do what he can to eliminate the threat.  For Paul, the devil’s attacks began at once, spilled over into the church (who refused to accept him at first) and dogged him for the rest of his life.  Satan promises to be relentless in stopping those he considers to be traitors.

            Paul succeeded, though, because he was determined to use the power/strength that God provides with His Spirit that takes up residence right inside us.  Each one of us can imitate Paul’s attitude and commitment by following the lead of the Holy Spirit. And we need an all-out effort by every member.  The church will survive into the future only if God’s people defect to God’s side and work at defeating the enemy with all of the energy that He generously provides. 

            So are you ready to do what’s right?  Are you ready to change to fit God’s will?  Are you prepared to do battle with Satan?  God has promised to protect you and reward you for letting Him have His way with you.  Make the choice today to fit your will into God’s and trust Him to bring you success – no matter what the enemy may throw at you.

Doug

The Acts of Peter

            Most of the book of Acts is about the Apostle Paul and his ministries in the early church (most likely because the author (Luke) was a traveling companion of Paul’s and received most of his information from this apostle).  There is only brief mention of the other apostles in Acts (Peter, John and James).  I sometimes wish that he had given the others more treatment; especially about Peter.  I would like to know more about the acts of Peter.

            I have always appreciated Peter.  Many have given him a bad rap for speaking out of turn, or for being distracted by the storm causing him to sink, or for being violent at Jesus’ arrest, and especially for denying Jesus during the time He was on trial. 

            But what I appreciate most about Peter was his perseverance.  He got knocked down a lot, that much is true (Jesus had to correct him many times; once Jesus even called him “Satan” (Mt. 16); he may have often been impetuous and overbearing).  But he never gave up!  He just kept coming back.  He continued to try and to learn and to grow and to be forgiven and to continue working for the Lord.  No matter what he was required to face, Peter never gave up on Jesus.

Notice Peter’s list of accomplishments for Christ and His kingdom:

He was the first to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt. 16);

He was the only true human to walk on water (he succeeded for a time – Mt. 14);

He opened the doors of the kingdom (Acts 2);

He stood defiantly against his persecutors and defended Jesus as the Messiah (Acts 4, 5);

He healed the sick and raised the dead (Acts 3, 9);

He converted the first Gentile to Christ (Acts 10)

He was miraculously released from prison (Acts 12)

He wrote 2 New Testament letters (about courage & holiness);

And Peter eventually gave his life as a martyr for the cause of Christ.

            It’s obvious from looking at his life that Peter was filled and guided by God’s Spirit. We can accomplish similar feats by imitating his example of faith, commitment, service and perseverance in fulfilling our mission by the power of the Holy Spirit.  You’ll be able to mature to the point that the challenges of life will not be a cause for you to give up on Jesus. Use His power living right inside you to keep coming back until the Lord calls you home.

Doug

That Wasn’t Magic

            I did a magic trick once.  Yes, just once – and I was trying too.  Fortunately my audience was a couple of young boys so I actually got away with it.  It would be fair to say that I would die as a pauper if magic was my occupation. 

            That’s why a couple of biblical stories concerning magicians catch my attention whenever I read Acts 8 and 19.  The first is the record of Philip’s ministry in Samaria.  This faithful servant of God was empowered to perform special miracles that drew the people’s attention to listen to the gospel message of salvation.  Many believed and were baptized into Christ, especially one that knew perfectly well that what Philip was able to do wasn’t magic.  Simon was a professional magician and he knew firsthand that God was at work in Philip and he himself was convinced and obeyed the gospel.  His reaction (being a specialist in the field) is proof to us that God was truly at work and that the miracles were true and not just superstitious allusions.

            The other case took place during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.  This was a town full of paganism and superstition.  There were many there who practiced the magical arts and made a lucrative business by dazzling and misleading the people.  But when they witnessed the miracles God performed through Paul, they openly confessed their errors, obeyed the gospel and showed their repentance by burning their magic books.  They saw firsthand, like Simon, that what Paul was able to do wasn’t magic. Their reaction teaches us that Someone powerful is behind the message of Christ and we had better change our ways and follow His lead.

            Does God still do miracles today?  I think He does – but in a little different way.  Life itself is miraculous and who else but an infinite, powerful, almighty God could create and sustain it so perfectly?  The gospel of Christ is a miracle.  How else and what else could have the power to blow sin away (Romans 1:16)?  And the Bible: Only a miracle of God could have inspired and sustained it all these years without error and teaching us something new about God every day.

            Have you taken the time to notice God’s miracles?  They are not mistakes, coincidences, or magic.  They are God’s way of getting your attention.  They are meant to remind you of a higher power – One that loves you and wants to be with you.

            Take it from of the “experts” who witnessed His power firsthand.  Listen to Him; follow Him; love Him and live with Him.  What He’s done (and is still doing) is not magic.  It’s love.

Doug

God Poured Himself Out

            The Day of Pentecost (“pentecosta” = “50 days” from Passover) following Jesus’ resurrection was the day that Christ’s church officially opened (you can read about it in Acts chapter 2). It was preceded by a host of miraculous “signs” (pointing to an important spiritual event) and “wonders” (done to catch people’s attention so they would stop what they were doing and listen to a message from God):

            1. Events during Jesus’ crucifixion (darkness, earthquake, dead people raised);

            2. Reports and witnesses to His empty tomb;

            3. Jesus Himself appearing to individuals and groups (lasting for 40 days).

            And then the really BIG one: The Holy Spirit empowering Jesus’ disciples to speak in languages they had never learned. This was accompanied by the sound of a mighty rushing wind and “tongues” of fire (I’m not sure if these were “balls” of fire or what looked like glowing human tongues) setting above the disciples’ heads. God sure provided a memorable experience with this one; it was both visible and audible – no doubt it was permanently etched into the minds of the eyewitnesses. Unfortunately though it caused a great deal of confusion and, for some critics, it was a cause for ridicule and scorn.

            Even today this incident causes the same kinds of reactions among believers and nonbelievers alike. Too many dismiss all miraculous phenomena and write this off as a story fabricated by fanatical disciples to impress and promote the cause of Christianity. Yet how do you account for all of the reports (secular and religious) that describe this occasion? And there are also many who focus solely on the “sign”, the disciples speaking in other languages (tongues) and miss the main point of this important event. Peter’s sermon that follows is still applicable today as a means of countering both difficulties – especially in verses 14-18. He says that main event was the fulfillment of God’s promise from Joel 2:28-32:

"Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:  'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”

      The important event he says is that God had begun to pour Himself out on all who are saved in the blood of Christ! The speaking in various human languages was the “sign” and “wonder” meant to capture their attention and point to the main event. Though Peter didn’t say it, this was also the answer to Moses’ prayer found in Numbers 11:29. He (Moses) wished that all of God’s people were prophets (see 1 Peter 2:4-9) and that they would all be filled with God’s Spirit. You see, before only certain individuals received this pouring out, temporarily, and to perform certain tasks. But, as Peter says in conclusion, this promise is for all of the saved and forever!

      It’s obvious that the crowd understood what he was saying. They wanted to know what they had to do to (1) remedy their killing God’s Son and (2) be recipients of God’s indwelling presence that they were seeing and hearing in the Apostles. Peter’s answer is classic (verse 38):    

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

            Three thousand took him up on the offer and so Jesus’ promise to Peter (Matthew 16:19) was also fulfilled: the doors to His Kingdom were opened for all who are clothed with Christ to enter in. And the celebration began. Notice the joyfulness, selflessness and love the new Christians demonstrated. They were obviously bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which proves their being filled with God’s Spirit (Romans 8:9-11).

            You can take advantage of this promise in the same way today. Have you been baptized into Christ and received forgiveness for your sins? If so, then God has moved into your soul to help with the regeneration process (sanctification – see 1 Corinthians 6:19). And this will be obvious to yourself and to everyone around you.

            But if the fruit of the Spirit hasn’t been evident in your daily life then you need to reconsider your commitment and dedication and do something about it soon. His Spirit is not going to inhabit a house (your life) that is dirty and damaged with sin. He will only take up residence in a life that is devoted to getting rid of sin once and for all.

            Follow God’s will and take advantage of this promise that God desire of all people. Allow Him to pour Himself into you so that He can guide you safely back home to Himself.

Doug