We Shall be Conformed to the Image of Christ
Mike Taylor
Have you ever
considered how small
amount of time or
distance can change
the outcome of a
whole host of
different events?
Let’s take for
example a runner in
a 100 yard dash. The
winner of the race
can come in first by
only a fraction of a
second. I’ve seen
winners made for
less than one
hundredth of a
second. I remember
watching Michael
Phelps win his
swimming race for
just that amount.
The guy who came in
second touched that
wall one-one
hundredth of a
second behind him.
What about when a
person takes a plane
trip? If you are
flying from the
Midwest, say St.
Louis and going to
New York and flying
nonstop and the
pilot decides to put
the plane on
autopilot, do you
realize that if he
makes an error on
the flight path of
just one degree,
which is a small
amount, very small,
that you could end
up in Philadelphia
which is a distance
of 100 miles from
your intended
destination.
These two simple
illustrations make a
point that a
“Christian” has to
monitor their
position in their
walk with Christ at
all times in
relation to their
final destination.
What happens if a
person is headed for
the wrong
destination? Can a
person think they
are headed in the
right direction be
deceived? Can he
lose his way? Or is
the path he is
following the right
path at all. Is He
really a Christian?
We can learn a lot
from the passage
concerning the sheep
and the goat
judgment given by
Jesus Christ in
Matthew chapter 25.
But first let us
examine the life of
God’s servant,
Abraham. Abraham was
looking for a city
that was and has a
builder not made
with hands, but of
God. (Hebrews
11:8-11) What would
have happened, if
Abraham had been
wrong? Thank the
Lord God he wasn’t
wrong, because we
follow in his
footsteps as we are
heirs to the
covenant Abraham
made with God, if we
be His children. So
we should know where
we are going.
The point of all
this is that we
should know where we
are going and our
final destination
and that has
everything to do
with what we do in
the here and now as
men and women of
free will. Although,
God has a built in
safety net, as we
don’t rely on our
works to save us, as
we live by faith,
not by works, lest
any man should
boast. Yet we don’t
want to abuse God’s
grace. We want to
make every effort to
be going in the
right direction. If
we have the right
direction and
destination, it
makes all the
difference in
monitoring our
spiritual condition,
so that we arrive
safely at our
destination.
But what is our
destination? For
that we have to
begin at the
beginning, hopefully
in an abbreviated
version.
“God said; let us
make man in Our
image, according to
Our likeness. Let
them have dominion
over the fish of the
sea, and the birds
of the air, over the
cattle, and over all
the earth, and over
every creeping thing
that creeps on the
earth. So God
created man in His
own image, in the
image of God He
created him: male
and female, created
He them” (Genesis 1:26-27).
Right from the get
go man is in an
exalted position. He
is greatest on the
recently God created
earth. He’s stronger
than the animals,
the birds, or
anything in all
creation. The strong
implication here is
the man was created
after the “God Kind”
in shape and in
form. All through
the Bible, you can
find many, many
scriptures that
point to one future
event when Jesus
Christ returns and
we are changed, both
the dead and the
living, back into
what we sprang
from….God!!
A
second implication
is found in this
verse, “And the Lord
God formed man of
the dust of the
ground, and He
breathed into his
nostrils the breath
of life, and man
became a living
soul.” (Genesis 2:7)
What makes man
different and unique
in all of creation
is that man has
MIND, not instinct,
as do the animals.
He clearly has the
ability to reason,
to gather
information and to
make decisions. No
where in all of
creation did God
take such a personal
involvement with His
creation, as He did
with creating man.
God imparted to man
a spirit, a power of
mind and no other
aspect of creation
has this
distinction.
As a result of man
having a mind,
ability to reason,
possessing a spirit,
man also has
spirituality. He has
personality. He is
capable of holiness,
of love, of
dominion, and of
responsibility. We
are not born with
these traits. A
little baby does not
possess these
qualities at birth.
They are developed
and acquired, but
they are not given.
The implication of
this line of
reasoning is made
more evident in the
following passage:
“Therefore having
been justified by
faith, we have peace
with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ”
(Romans 5:1). This
chapter begins with
our justification,
which occurs when
Jesus Christ comes
into our hearts to
change us into a new
creature. Reading
on:
“Through whom (by
Jesus) also we have
access by faith into
this grace in which
we stand, and
rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God.
And not only that,
but we also glory in
tribulation knowing
that tribulation
produces
perseverance.”
(Romans 5:2-3)
Notice the process
of growth in man.
Tribulation, the
sufferings of this
present life, the
trials, the
pressures of being
in an evil world,
produces
perseverance.
Reading on:
“Perseverance (produces)
character; and
character (produces)
hope. Now hope does
not disappoint
because the love of
God has been poured
out in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit
which is given to
us.” (Romans 5:4-5)
So it leaves one
with the thought
that this process is
acquired and sets
character in the
mind. So from the
beginning, when God
breathed the breath
of life into man, He
gave him a spirit,
he gave him a mind,
and the power to
gain characteristics
such as love,
dominion, and
responsibility.
Let’s make a third
implication. With
the character that
is developed will be
due to man’s choice
of who he wants to
most like. The world
gives choices of
being conformed to
this world and the
lusts thereof. But
for a true
Christian, it is
conforming to the
mind and
characteristics of
our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
All through the Old
Testament there are
scriptures that
prove that man was
made in the image of
God, but beginning
with the New
Testament, the image
of God makes a very
decided shift. Jesus
the second Adam, the
man from Heaven, (as
the Bible calls Him)
or as John said “the
eternal Word, is in
the image of God in
the flesh. Not
mankind in general.
Now get this, for
lack of a better
word, Jesus was a
prototype. He was a
full, functioning
form of a NEW type.
This is what I mean
by a shift in
emphasis of what man
is to become. Jesus
was the first, the
example of becoming
the image of God.
Jesus was the
prototype, the goal
of our redemption,
our salvation. The
final goal of born
again man.
“And have put on the
new man, who is
renewed in knowledge
according to the
image of Him
who created him”
(meaning us, man).
(Colossians
3:10)
This points to that
man in not just in
the image of God, or
just a general
picture of God, as
man was formed to
look like, but
specifically to be
formed into the
image of our Lord
and Savior Jesus
Christ. He, Jesus,
becomes the goal of
the redeemed man,
unto salvation.
Now putting on the
characteristics of
this evil world
requires no special
skill. Just blend
in, do what is
popular, or go along
with the crowd, and
you’ll take on the
characteristics of
this lost and dying
world. It is
virtually
effortless. But to
put on Christ
requires diligence,
work, prayer,
communion with God,
and power from His
Holy Spirit. We
can’t do it alone.
Satan would have us
for lunch.
As we are being
brought to the image
of our Lord Jesus
Christ, we are seen
in the New Testament
as the created work
of God. It is stated
in a number of
different ways, as
those in Christ are
a new creation.
“Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he
is a new creature:
old things are
passed away, behold,
all things are
become new.” (II
Corinthians 5:17)
God has a desire for
the work of His
hands. Scripture
says that we are His
workmanship; He is
the potter, we are
the clay. We are
being renewed in the
spirit of our mind.
We are being created
in Christ Jesus unto
righteousness and
true holiness.
“Therefore leaving
the discussion of
the elementary
principles of
Christ, let us go
onto perfection: not
laying again the
foundation of
repentance from dead
works, but of faith
toward God.’
(Hebrews 6:1)
The implication is
that sanctification
after being
justified by the
shed blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ is
a creative process
of character
building. This is a
process which begins
with repentance and
being baptized, and
ends with our
glorification at His
return for His
saints at His second
coming and beyond.
It is a process of
completion, a
process of
perfection. It is a
process of being
sanctified unto good
works according to
His commandment. It
is a process of
character building.
Each of these is
synonymous with each
other.
“For it became him,
for whom are all
things, and by whom
are all things, in
bringing many sons
unto glory, to make
the captain of their
salvation perfect
through sufferings.
For both he that
sanctifieth and they
who are sanctified
are all of one: for
which cause he is
not ashamed to call
them brethren,
(Hebrews
2:10-11)
Moving down,
“Inasmuch then as
the children have
partaken of flesh
and blood, He
Himself likewise
shared in the same:
that through death
He might destroy him
who had the power of
death, that is, the
devil” (Hebrews
2:14) Therefore in
all things He had to
be made like His
brethren, that he
might be a merciful
and faithful high
priest in things
pertaining to God,
to make propitiation
(atonement)
for the sins of the
people. For in that
He Himself hath
suffered being
tempted, He is able
to aid those who are
tempted.” (Hebrews
2:17-18)
Now the key for you
and me in this
passage is the word
“author” in verse
10. In the KJV, it
is translated as
“captain”. It’s the
word “Achegos” from
Greek. It is
translated variously
as captain, pioneer,
trailblazer, or
founder. The
ultimate meaning of
various translations
of this one word is
that something is
begun by someone, so
that others may
enter into it.
Christ is our
“achegos”. He is the
trailblazer,
pioneer, founder,
and captain of our
ship.
Now let’s look at
the exciting part.
He was the
trailblazer, the
pioneer and the
founder who began a
work and blazed a
trail that we might
enter into His
salvation. He set
the pattern that we
might enter in. He
entered into a
family once again
that we might also
enter that family by
following Him. In
this He was
perfected. He was
made complete by
completing His work
here on earth, that
He could fulfill the
role as our Savior
and our High Priest.
He was fully able to
pioneer the road
that leads to our
salvation. Now the
whole reason for all
of this, why He
became a man, taking
on human traits, and
fully sharing in our
humanity was for Him
to able to bring
many sons and
daughters into glory
by following His
trail.
Now taking all the
scriptures that we
just quoted, is not
the implication here
that since we are
able to enter into
which He began and
share that with Him,
that we are going to
enter into the same
kind of glory that
He Himself also has?
Praise God! Are you
excited yet?
Back to a key word
in Hebrews 2:11. The
word is
“sanctified”. It’s
the stage that all
Christians are
dealing with right
now. You are
familiar with the
word justified?
That’s when we
accepted the Lord’s
sacrifice and
confessed our sins.
The next step is
sanctification
leading to our
ultimate goal of
glorification.
Sanctification
bridges the gap
between set right
with God through the
sacrifice of our
Lord Jesus, and
entering into glory
to share all
eternity with Jesus
Christ, and God our
Father. Sanctified
means to be set
apart or to become
holy, as He is holy.
To sum this part up,
Jesus was the focus
of our
justification. We
are living and
enduring
sanctification
through life’s
experiences. He is
the author, the
trailblazer, the
pioneer, and the
founder of our
salvation. He has
already passed this
way and will lead us
to glory. We are
saved by the result
of the work of our
High Priest. We are
saved by His life.
“For if, when we
were enemies, we
were reconciled to
God by the death of
his Son, much more,
being reconciled, we
shall be saved by
his life.” (Romans
5:10)
Now let’s turn to
the crux of this
lesson. Let’s
discuss our final
destination. Let’s
discuss our
glorification. “But
now is Christ risen
from the dead, and
become the first
fruits of them that
slept.” (I
Corinthians 15:20) “But
every man in his own
order: Christ the
first fruits;
afterward they that
are Christ's at his
coming.” (I
Corinthians 15:23)
Let’s ask ourselves
a question. What
kind of fruits do
peach trees bear?
What do apples, or
pears, or maybe
plums produce?
Apples don’t produce
pears on their
trees, or peaches
bear plums. No, as
it is so, Jesus is
the first fruit and
He will produce Sons
and Daughters to
glory after His
Kind. The God kind.
Let's look at
another
illustration. When a
woman is to give
birth to her baby,
she doesn’t give
birth to a dog, cat,
or anything else,
but a human baby.
Evolutionist will
argue about this,
but the fact is, no
one that is human
has given birth to
anything but a human
baby. It is exactly
that same with us.
When God, so to
speak, impregnates
us with His Holy
Spirit and we are in
the womb of the
Heavenly Jerusalem,
when we are
glorified or raised
from the dead at His
coming we will be
like He is, not
something else. WE
will be exactly what
we have sprung from,
and that was God.
God gives us natural
illustration of this
natural world to
make His point clear
so that we can
understand what He
is doing. He is
reproducing Himself
and we will be
members of the God
kind, the family of
God. “But some men
will say, how are
the dead raised up?
And with what body
do they come?
Foolish ones (Paul
chides) what you
sow, is not made
alive unless it
dies. And what you
sow, you do not sow
that body that shall
be; bet mere grain,
perhaps wheat, or
some other grain.”(I
Corinthians
15:35-37) Think of
the line of
reasoning here. You
put a dead seed into
the ground and when
it becomes a full
plant producing its
own kind, but with a
very different body.
And so it will be
with our
glorification, a
body that has
continuity with the
resurrection of our
Lord Jesus.
“But God giveth it
a body as it hath
pleased him, and to
every seed his own
body. All flesh is
not the same flesh:
but there is one
kind of flesh of
men, another flesh
of beasts, another
of fishes, and
another of birds.
There are also
celestial bodies,
and bodies
terrestrial: but the
glory of the
celestial is one,
and the glory of the
terrestrial is
another. There is
one glory of the
sun, and another
glory of the moon,
and another glory of
the stars: for one
star differeth from
another star in
glory. So also is
the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown
in corruption; it is
raised in
incorruption: It is
sown in dishonor; it
is raised in glory:
it is sown in
weakness; it is
raised in power: It
is sown a natural
body; it is raised a
spiritual body.
There is a natural
body, and there is a
spiritual body.” (I
Corinthians
15:38-44)
The principle here
that God has given
each of us a body
suitable for its
part in His
creation. It is only
logical that God
will give us
suitable body for
our resurrection
life as Sons and
Daughters of God. It
will be glorified.
It will be like God
our Father and like
our redeemer, Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
Finally, from the
scriptures we will
be like Christ in
every detail that
relates to
character,
composition, and
family. As to
personality, He will
be Himself, our
Lord, King and
Savior. He is our
creator, by John
1:1-3. He will
always have
preeminence over us
because of the His
character and being
our King and Lord.
But we will have
ours! Even as He is
God, so will we be
part of the God
family, the God
Kind. That just
blows my mind and
should yours.
Final scripture in
closing: “ I beseech
you therefore,
brethren, by the
mercies of God, that
you present your
bodies a living
sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God.
which is your
reasonable service.
And do not be
conformed to this
world: but be ye
transformed by the
renewing of your
mind, that you may
prove what is good
and acceptable, and
perfect, will of
God.” (Romans
12:1-2) If no one
has a spiritual goal
then they will be
conformed to this
lost and dying
world. It is all
around us and we can
absorb it like a
sponge. The only
right goal is be
fully encourage the
right preparation.
Being not conformed
to this world, but
being conformed to
Jesus Christ and
consciously,
consciously choosing
to be like Him!
When we were born,
we didn’t have a
choice of who our
parents were, our
surroundings, or our
inherited traits. We
were a slave born
into bondage to
Satan the devil. But
when God intervened
and His Holy Spirit
called each one of
us to repentance,
then God began to
reveal Himself to
us. He freed us from
that bondage to
Satan, so that we
could consciously
choose to be
transformed into the
image of His Son and
we leave this world
and its pleasures
behind.
If you’re reading
this and have a
background within
the greater Church
of God, then what
I’ve written will be
well known by you,
but the reason for
this study and the
person
I’m reaching
out to, is the
person with the
clean slate
concerning their
relationship with
Jesus Christ and God
our Father.
Meaning they’ve had
none and are
searching. Maybe
you’re that person
now reading this
article and the Holy
Spirit is using
these words to put a
need, a hunger, and
a conviction about
the way your life
has been up to this
point. Do you feel
like you’re on a
dead end road? Does
life seem to be
without joy or
purpose? What I’m
going to do is ask
you to answer some
simple questions
right now, in your
heart and be honest
with yourself.
Have you left the
pleasures of this
world and made a
commitment to
Christ? Are you
looking for that
blessed Hope that
will soon be
returning? Is your
life full of
disappointment and
pain? Call upon the
name of Jesus.
Believe what the
Bible says, that
Jesus died for your
sins, my sins, the
sins of this entire
world. He was nailed
to a cruel wooden
instrument of Roman
death; He was buried
for three days and
nights, and rose on
the third day, which
was the sign of Him
being the Messiah.
He sits now at the
right hand of the
Father making
intercession for you
and for me during
our prayers. And
He’s coming
again….soon.
His Holy Spirit will
guide you into a
deeper, more
satisfying
relationship with
the King of the
Universe, than you
ever received from
an empty
relationship with
the god of this
world, Satan the
devil. Do it now,
while it is still
available. Repeat
this simple prayer
right now believing
in your heart and a
contrite spirit.
Jesus, I call upon
you, and ask that
you free me of this
world and it’s evil.
I ask you to come
into my heart.
Forgive me of the
sins I have
committed. Make me a
new creature to be
conformed to your
image. I believe
that you died and
rose again for the
salvation of the
world, and for me. I
confess my sins and
believe in the only
begotten Son of God,
Jesus Christ, who is
sitting at your
right hand on your
throne. I believe He
is coming back soon,
and I want to make a
commitment to purify
myself, just a He is
pure. Amen.
“Everyone who has
this hope in Him
purifies Himself,
just as He is pure.”
(1John 3:3)
If you made that
prayer honestly,
earnestly, then
believe now that
Christ came into
your heart. Let each
one of us purify
him/her self so that
we may be glorified
to be sons and
daughters of God
within His God
Family. For we shall
be as God is, the
God kind.
If there is anything
that I can pray with
you, or if you have
a need, please email
me at
www.realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit me at
www.churchofgod-usa.org,
for biblical
instruction on how
to live a Christian
life. This is Mike
Taylor, wishing you
well. Till we meet
at Jesus feet.
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