The gospel of Jesus Christ accomplishes transformation, not improvement. Because our sinful nature contains nothing good, God’s grace and mercy gives the life of His Son to whosoever believes in Him. Everything changes the moment the life of Christ enters our hearts.
Once dead in sin, now alive to God. (Romans 6:11)
Once conformed to worldly thinking, now a possessor of the mind of Christ. (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16)
Once trapped by worldly living, now a partaker of God’s divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4)
Once God’s enemy, now His sons and daughters. (Colossians 1:21; 1 John 3:1)
It is worth repeating, “Everything changes.”
In our metamorphosis, God makes all things new. In His great love, wisdom, and power, God does not change us and then expect us to figure out this new life on our own. 2 Peter 1:3-4 gives great clarity on the source and means of our transformation, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” It is both a humbling and freeing thing to understand that it is only God who can accomplish, equip, sustain, and secure such a great salvation.
God’s power freely gives.
God’s glory revealed.
God’s calling personalized.
God’s promises realized.
God’s nature experienced.
By grace and through faith, Christ alone becomes our life. In Him, we begin as a child learning everything for the first time and continue a life-long pursuit of growing into Christ. Although the fullness of Christ dwells within us, it is His good plan for us to mature into His likeness and knowledge. The Apostle Paul’s life shows the power of the gospel to transfer one from the world’s kingdom of darkness to Christ’s kingdom of light. In Christ, Paul’s life experienced a radical change with a new purpose, “Him [Jesus] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, which he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28-29). In the midst of Paul’s writings, which are filled with wise warnings and teachings, he also helps us to pray for maturity in Christ. In Ephesians 3:14-21 we glean from Paul’s passionate prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Not only do we learn some specific elements of godly maturation, but also the necessity of prayer in its process. Even our growth is God’s work, not ours! As you daily grow in Christ, bow your knee before your heavenly Father with the same purpose, desire, and hope found in Ephesians 3:14-21
Ephesians 3:14–21
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
