My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. Galatians 4:19.
Each believer must reproduce Christ in his life or Christ must be reproduced in the life of each one of his redeemed.
This morning, I woke up from a dream in an encounter with an old man, who, after a hug or embrace, delivered a sort of debit or credit card, but upon looking intently at the card, I found this inscription on it – Christian. I was satisfied, as David says, when I woke up, with your likeness (Psalms17:15) but was much more content when i received the debit or credit card type of testimony with the name Christian, which also reminded me of the scripture how believers were first called as Christians at Antioch. Acts 11:26.
The name Christian was the testimony of the unbelievers concerning the early followers and the twelve Disciples of Christ, not because they were preaching the resurrected Christ (which was very good in itself as their first mission), but because they were bearing, revealing and portraying the beauty and imprint of the indwelling Christ in them - their foremost responsibility. Note: if believers should judge the world and the angels, they should be just and true in holiness in all their ways, just as God, who is the King of saints, who has called us, is just and true in all his ways. Rev. 15:3.
Christ is called the forerunner. He is the path to follow as an example for us to learn from in all things. He has left us examples to follow is his steps, ways of life, manner of speaking, patience, endurance and conduct etc. 1 Peter 2:21.
Believers are saved, washed, justified, and sanctified by growing in conformity to the image of Christ through a diligent and conscious life and walking in the fruit of the spirit.
Believers’ transformation into the image of Christ is a gradual growth of spiritual transformation as he walks obediently in the law of liberty. It is a goal every believer must attain – to be like Christ in all things.
Christ became man to partake in our sinful nature to save us from the wrath to come that we might be a partaker of divine nature to the end that we should be followers of God as dear children in transformation in Christ – Christ's likeness. To be imitators of Christ, not any leader who is not living after the exemplary life of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:11. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestine to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29.
Those who are striving to enter through the narrow way, practicing and growing in their conformity into his image, are the beloved who shall see him as he is, and they shall fully be like him forever. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.1 John 3:1-3.
Either learned or unlearned, white or black, young or old, rich or poor, male or female, those who are practicing Christ's likeness shall be known by the world of ungodly men like the early disciples were recognized to have been in the company of the Lord. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13.
The clothes we put on don't make us be like Christ, but the fruit of the Spirit while walking in the light as he is light.
On four different occasions by curiosity and inquisition, I was approached by four different people and for four different reasons, with four different questions. Sir, are you a lawyer? Please, I’m searching for a black lawyer to represent me, supposing that I was a lawyer. Another, please sir, which of the bank are you working for? Supposedly that I was a banker. Another, as I was in haste to board an inter-city train, rushed behind me saying, sir, please, can you help me with a job? She thought that I had an enterprise and could give him employment. But the last person got her perception right and was helped when she approached and asked, "Sir, I think you are a pastor? You think or you know, I asked. I don’t know, but something says within me that you are a pastor. Okay, what about it if I am a pastor or not, I asked? The fourth encounter and conversation happened in Turin some thirteen years ago, but the woman in question was blessed afterward because she'd been praying to God to lead her to a genuine church and a true pastor.
As spirit-born believers (that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit. John 3:6), we all need and should pray for an increasingly sharp and strong ‘spiritual’ perception to see, not as men see, but as God sees.
Jesus only speaks what he heard from the Father. He does what he sees the Father doing.
Christ was very compassionate. You should put on the garment of compassion and humbleness of heart like Christ and not be cruel or evil-hearted to your brethren in the Lord. Colossians 3:12.
Believers should see God in everyone - believers or unbelievers to help them. This was the nature of Christ while he was on earth.
Holiness should not only be the emblem of God’s house (holiness becomes your house, O Lord, forever. Psalms 93:5.
God will be sanctified in them that call on his name if they are not sanctified by him (Leviticus 10:3), to walk and live in all righteousness and true holiness, which should be the ornament of beauty, bearing and imprint of the King of saints on his saints – elects.
Holiness defines the true sons and daughters of God. It defines the impact and endurance of their testimony on earth. It defines the worth of those who are called to be saints and to live as it should become a saint before God who has redeemed and bought them, not with corruptible things as gold and silver, but of the incorruptible blood of his Son – Christ.
Those who are now in Christ must crucify the flesh with its lusts and affection. Galatians 5:24.
This is how Christ can be reproduced in them. This is how they can presently be growing in his likeness until their final glorification with him.
Holiness is a practical lifestyle as we grow increasingly therein for its perfection in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians.7:1.
The Holy Spirit is in us to help us to achieve this if we choose to walk in the spirit. By him, we can be transformed into the image of the Lord from glory unto glory, becoming more like him by increasing degrees of glory, beauty, thoughts, character and spiritual maturity. 2 Corinthians 3:13.
The believer’s call is a call to sainthood or holiness in all manner of conversation or lifestyle, without which no man shall see God - be ye holy, for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:15-20.
Stop saying that foolish word anymore, that no one is holy because your own heart is evil and filled with all dead works. Unto the pure, all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Are you sanctified? Have you sanctified yourself unto Christ? Whatever Christ was made by God to become unto us must be lived out by us. Was Christ made as sanctification unto us? We must pray, live and seek sanctification in the body, soul and spirit as we bring ourselves into subjection to the ruling and dominion power of the word, which is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32.
While some from the church shall be saved as by fire, many shall be sent into the fire prepared for Satan and his angels. Lord, are there few that will be saved? Luke 13:23-24. Celestial eligibility and candidature are not without a price on the part of those who are called to inherit life, though many people cannot see the reason why certain few believers in Christ should get to heaven. If you don't have spiritual insight and a perception of the mind of Christ, you won’t know that there is a largely different lifestyle and positioning for heaven between the straight gate and narrow way seekers from the wide gate and broad ways believers or Christians? The difference is that few have chosen the highway of holiness. They have chosen nothing but the word of God which should not fall to the ground. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. Psalms 119:101.
Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by renewing your mind. Romans 12:2. Transformation is a strenuous call to two different tasks. One is to turn your back to the world you once cherished, its lusts, corruptions, and ungodliness. To turn your back against the world you once served, love and obey. Two, the renewing of your mind to discover the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God if you truly present your body as a living stone sacrifice unto God by denying the flesh of its sinful cravings. Romans 12.1. What would this bring about in your life, or where does this lead to except to conform or transform you to the lifestyle of Christ, conforming in the likeness of his death and resurrection with Christ into a newness of life? For if we have been together with him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection. Here are 3 things. Dead to the world. Transformation to conform to Christ. Glorification with Christ at his coming. Without the first two demands being met in your life, the blessing of glorification, which is to be like Christ according to his glorious body, and to see him as he, and to be forever with him, might just be a delusion or unrealistic fantasy.
There is a call to present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Any other services, engagements or benevolence work at the expense of what is a prioritized reasonable service to God is futility. Renewing your mind is a process of actively changing how you think with a focus on aligning your thoughts and actions with the word of God leading to personal growth in an increasing resemblance of Christ.
How could you be conformed to the likeness of Christ if you don't beat over your body to bring it under subjection by casting down imagination, pulling down strongholds and everything exalting itself against the knowledge of Christ, and bringing into captivity every thought in you unto the obedience of Christ? 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
If you have not yet put off all the old clothes from the world away from you, and be clothed with new garments in Christ Jesus, you are yet to start your journey into the fulfillment of the purposes of your salvation, which is the conformity to the image of Christ. Ephesians 5: 3-10.
Those who are not consciously striving in their growth and cultivating the fruit of the spirit in their daily lifestyle are not growing into the conformity and likeness of Christ. They are not walking worthy of their calling, and not working out their salvation with fear and trembling.
If you are not one of the bastards among the children of God, you cannot truly be in Christ and your life should remain the same. God will work through different stages of spiritual disciplines and corrections to frame your life and ways for your own good in order to conform you into the image of his Son Jesus Christ, to the end that you might be partaker of his holiness. Hebrews 12:9-10.
If you resist or rebel against divine dealings borne out of God’s love, you have chosen to walk through the broad way and the wide gate which leads to destruction, but many people are walking therein to hell.
The impact, fruitfulness, productivity and the final reward of sowing constantly to the spirit not only depend on God, who has begun the good works in you to finish it to the end. Your submission to His Word to activate the process of renewing your mind through the presence and workings of the Holy Spirit in you is important, because without submission to an obedient life, not fashioning or conforming yourself according to the former lusts in your ignorance, God’s purpose of your present salvation won’t be accomplished. Walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the works or desires of the flesh. This is a direct command. The operation of the Holy Spirit should be uninterrupted if you consciously obligate yourself or mindfully engage to walk in the spirit – for the Lord is that Spirit.
But if you are not presently yielding to the same power of the Holy Spirit who is now at work in you, that through him, you might put to death the works of the flesh, you shall die, meaning your eternal separation from God for sowing to the flesh in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit presently in you is the same power that God shall employ to change your mortal body to be fashioned according to Christ's glorious eternal and resurrected body. But if you keep sowing to the flesh, how can you reap in corruption or eternal life instead of corruption which is the second death in hell fire? Can anyone deceive God? If we consistently or diligently walk in the spirit, we are practicing conformity to Christ's likeness and the harvest of such a lifestyle is to be glorified together with him as one of his saints, and to be with him forever.
Why are we now being made partakers of divine nature? Presently, why has God given unto us his divine power for all things pertaining to life and godliness? 2 Peter 1:3-4.
Are these spiritual blessings not for a sole reason of escaping the corruption that is in the world through lusts to conform us to the likeness of Christ through the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus that has set us free from the law of sin and death? Romans 8:2. Note: those who are exceptionally exempted from any future condemnation are those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking after the flesh, but after the spirit. But for the rest, if they live after the flesh, they shall die; but if, after the spirit, they mortify the deeds of the flesh, they shall live – obtain the promised eternal life. Romans 8:12-13. Note: the pursuit of conformity to Christ's death (Colossians 3:1) which, in order word is your present conformity to his likeness, should be your personal goal and desire above anything else so that you might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:10. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20: 6.
As a partaker of divine nature, are you diligently living an incorruptible lifestyle by the incorruptible word by which you are now born again, or are you delusional to live a corruptible life by sowing to the flesh, having not escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust? Have you not read that nothing unclean shall be allowed to enter the gate of the holy city? Male or female, there is no holiness in worldliness. Christ's kingdom is not of this world. If you are to make yourself pure for heaven to see God, you should not in any way be spotted with the world in body, soul and spirit. James 1:27. It is either godliness in holiness or worldliness in unrighteousness. There is no substitute or half measure. You are either crucified to the world in holiness or you perish with the world in your ungodliness and worldly lusts which war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11.
There’s no holiness (which is the covering glory and beauty of God in his saints) by living to the flesh - conformity to the world – friendship with the world – or the love of the world and of the things therein - equality in the world, for you are not of it. Sorry to say that there is no work of sanctification or holiness which will take place in your life if you don’t first come out of the world in separation of purpose, pursuit and goal unto God. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Hebrews 13:12-14.
Can you discern or recognize a holy man or woman of God when you meet one or if you see one from the beauty of the inner man and not from any physical attire or influence but by the spirit of God?
Those with little or no love for the truth of the word of God, to live by it, speak and defend it cannot grow into Christ in all things. Ephesians 4:15.
Whatever teachings, beliefs, practices, tenets of faith that is not linked or traced to the doctrine of godliness, which is profitable in all things (1 Timothy 4:8), so that men may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things should not be accepted, – but God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so, now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Romans 6: 17-19.
Every sound doctrine must lead and brings to deliverance from sin, which is the instruction in righteousness: (b) increasing godliness and Christ's likeness: (c) increasing the transformation of the crucified Christ, until Christ's full measure and stature is seen in you. This is the primary duty of any local church. Giving attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 1Timothy 4:13.
In all things, make yourself a pattern of good works. Titus 2:7.
For the good of the leaders as well as the good of their followers or listeners, the leaders should be careful and watchful of their gospel lifestyle, which should be conformed to the doctrine of Christ: take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shall both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1Timothy 4:16.
Song.
I want to be more like Jesus, and follow him day by day. I want to be true and faithful and every command obey. More and More like Jesus, I will ever be, more and more like Jesus, my Savior who died for me.