C. PRESENT TRANSFORMATION

1. To Be Like Christ

Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, came not only to save us but also to change us. We bear the image of the earthy by birth; we shall bear the image of the Heavenly (1 Cor. 15:49). What grace! We were in darkness. The good news, “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,” “is hid to those who are lost.” The god of this world has blinded them to it (2 Cor. 4:3,4). But God has performed a marvelous, creative act. “For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:6,7).

God made the earth, and all that is in it, in six days. He now has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He has revealed Himself to us in this lovely Man who is the true image of God. What a treasure this light is. But we have it in our old natural bodies— earthen vessels—the same ones that bear the image of the earthy. That is so that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

This shining in and shining out leads to troubles and suffering. But within our hearts we have complete confidence in God (Rom. 5:1-5). Just as Jesus died, we bear about in our bodies His dying. We do not exalt the earthy. Rather we reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:11), “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:10). We sacrifice ourselves so that the light of His life can shine out through us. The earthen vessels remind us of Gideon’s lamps which flared up to victory when the 300 shattered the vessels in which the fire was hid (Judg. 7:19). So God’s light is brought in from without. But it shines out, through submission and self-sacrifice, in the place and time He desires. We count all things but loss* so we “may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death” (Phil. 3:8-10). He died, being still the sinless image of God. We now are made conformable to His death through sufferings.

(*Even our natural abilities and natural gifts are to be sacrificed for Christ. Even if we think that we can use them for His glory, we should lay them down at His feet. He can then pick them up and use them, if He so desires. Possession of a natural gift (musical, artistic, speaking, etc.) is not license to try to use it to shine for Him. He shines in and He shines out. Let Him.)

In Col. 3:10 we read that we “have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him.” This scripture reveals that we are a new creation in Christ’s image. We are continually being renewed or made new in knowledge according to the image of Christ. We are like little children born in the image of our parents, then being brought up by them and becoming like them too. We see this in 2 Cor. 3:18. We are “changed” or transformed (the Greek word is basically “metamorphosed”) like a caterpillar to a butterfly. But how are we changed? By gazing upon our Lord’s glory. We are changed to the same image that we see, by the eyes of faith, through the Scriptures. This is the work of the Spirit of the Lord. And it is continuing, step by step, to change us from one level of glory to the next. As we obediently take one step, it opens the way to the next. This is NOW, brothers and sisters in Christ! We are seeing His glory with unveiled face, and we are being changed. It is common knowledge in the world that the more we concentrate on a person, the more like that one we become. This can be evil if it arises out of hatred for an evil person. It can be good if it is from love for a good person. It is excellent if it is from love for Jesus Christ our Lord. Take a look at Him. Now fix your eyes on Him. Let the Spirit fill you with delight in Jesus Christ, and you will be changed. If we look away to earthly or worldly things our transformation is slowed and even stopped for a while. If we turn from the light, we walk in the darkness of our own shadow (1 John 1:5-7).

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth

Will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.                                                                      Helen H. Lemmel

Whatever we let Him do within us and through us now, during our time on earth, directly prepares us for heaven. But what we do for Him is voluntary: we believers are motivated by our love for Him. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). It is super-wonderful grace that we have been set free from the bondage of sin to love and serve Him voluntarily. Isn’t it just like Him to do something like this for poor undeserving rebels such as we?

Turn now to Rom. 12:1,2. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice. We are not to be conformed to this world (that is, outwardly fashioned like it) as all the earthy ones are. They are the dwellers on earth who will remain behind when the Lord comes (Rev. 3:10). We are to be transformed (again, the Greek word is “metamorphosed”). We are to be changed by the continual renewing of our minds. This results in a life that proves (demonstrates in practice) what God’s will is. What are some features of God’s image, that is, Jesus Christ? What is He like?

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:28-30).

‘The meekness and gentleness of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:1).

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22,23).

“Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth)” (Eph. 5:8,9 JND).

“Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:18-21).

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who … humbled himself, and became obedient unto death” (Phil. 2:5-8).

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved…” (Col. 3:12-17).

These scriptures dearly indicate that although man lost His likeness to God in the fall of Adam, believers in Christ are now gradually being changed into His likeness. As we learn of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels we will become more and more like Him. In fact, all of the Scriptures speak of Him (John 5:39). That is one reason they were written. “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1 NASB). What a profound exhortation! It implies not only that we can actually imitate God, but that we can know Him well enough, through Christ His incarnate Son, to imitate Him. Of course, we will not be fully like Him until we see Him as He is. But more on that later.

2. False Images

There are false images of Christ around. We must beware that we are not taken up with them. We must not form images of Christ in our imaginations as some teach us to. Our imaginations can not be trusted to give us a true image of Christ. Neither can we trust the imaginations of others who make drawings, paintings, sentimental poems and stories, and reasonings, representing Him. These are but distortions which warp our vision of “Jesus only” (Matt. 17:8). Only the Spirit of God, through the Word of God, presents Him as He is. Do not be deceived and led astray by counterfeits or cheap imitations of the True.

If I have a distorted or erroneous image of Christ before me, it will distort both my worship and my service. This distorted image becomes, in effect, an idol, the spiritual equivalent of a graven image. The Spirit, through the Scriptures and the spiritual gifts given to believers, labors to present Christ to us faithfully (John 16:13-15; Col. 1:23-29). Satan, his angels (demons), and unbelieving religious men labor to lead us astray from a true image of Christ (2 Cor. 11:15; 2 Tim. 3:5). Satan transforms himself into an angel of light and his ministers into ministers of righteousness (note, not ministers of grace). We are to turn away from any who have the form of godliness but deny the power thereof. It is an outward semblance only, not the image of God at all.

3. Hypocrites

Whom are we displaying in our lives? Are we a faithful and true image of this One who is the image of God? Are we sacrificial earthen vessels breaking open to let the light inside shine out to others before God? Or are we but hypocrites, like other men, putting on a vain image (Psa. 39:6) of godliness, while hiding what is really inside? What do people see in us—the light of the glory of God shining out from within, or the outward conformance with this world? “The fashion of this world passes away” (1 Cor. 7:31). We are not to be fashioned like it (Rom. 12:2).

Our appearance displays what is inside. Our faces betray what image we are concentrating on: Christ, self, other people, demons, or Satan. Our clothes and manners tell a story. Our makeup, hair, and mannerisms all betray us, male and female. What about our conduct? Are we arrogant? Do we manipulate people? Do we get drunk? Do we dress and do our faces like prostitutes or homosexuals? Do we covet? Do we seek fulfillment? Do we lust after sexual gratification? Are we self-centered? Do we use people? Do we enjoy books or shows that dwell on evil and dishonoring activities? Do we compete with others for “success” or recognition? Do we do drugs? Do we desire, and work, to be rich? “But you, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Tim. 6:11). “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh” (Rom. 13:10-14). ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face….” Let Him transform you from glory to glory.  (To be continued.)