The Process of Spiritual Transformation Part 1

We have been studying justification, the fact that we are declared righteous by God by faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  But upon our salvation what is God’s goal for us?  According to Romans 8:29 God’s goal for us is “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”  Ephesians 5 puts it this way, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her (his church) with the washing of the water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (vs. 25-27)

I remember Tony Evans saying, “spiritual growth is guaranteed, but it is not automatic.”   God’s desire is indeed that we would be transformed spiritually in fact he commands it in Ephesians 4:17 we are told to “no longer walk as the rest of the gentiles walk in the futility of their mind.”  Romans 12:2 challenges us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This word transformation has the same root word as our word “metamorphosis”. 

We should understand that the term heart and mind are often used interchangeably in Scripture.  In this transformation our mind, our heart, and our knowledge is changed.  Paul challenged the Ephesians in 4:23 to be “renewed in the spirit of their mind.”  The Colossians he told to be “renewed in the knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” (Col. 3:10)

This change is not just us.  This change takes place through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.   II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be complete, equipped for every good work.   As we submit to the teaching of the word of God we learn what is right, what is not right, how to get right, and how to stay right.  We then with the help of the Holy Spirit can live in obedience to God’s Word as we apply his principles in our life through our renewed mind.

Ephesians illustrates it with a “put-off  and put-on” principle.  These actions though are affected by our renewed mind, a change in our thinking.  It is a cognitive response.  As we begin to think according to Biblical principles we will put off ungodly actions and begin to replace them with godly actions.  We will be better representing the image of God in which we were created.

In the next edition of “First Word” we will take a look at some of these principles in the book of Ephesians.  We will see then how we must be specific in our life as we deal with sin and we will have to make a choice of who we are going to serve in our life.

“Process of Spiritual Transformation”

Goal:  “To be conformed to the image of His Son” (cf. Rom. 8:29; Eph. 5:25-27)

	Change takes place through the Holy Spirit Word of God II Timothy 3:16,17 (Teaching, conviction, correction, and training)

 

Change is commanded (“transformed” – metamorphasis) Eph. 4:17; Rom. 12:2

Mind (heart, knowledge is changed) Romans 12:2; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10

Put Off	Change thinking (cognitive)	Put On
Lying  (Eph. 4:25)	“members one of another” – your neighbor is part of yourself – don’t lie to yourself	Truth Telling
Anger (Eph. 4:26)	When I wake up angry I set myself up to give the devil the opportunity the next day.	Settled relationship
Stealing (Eph. 4:28)	How can I minister to another in need?	Working and giving
Improper speech (Eph. 4:29, 31)	What edifies the other person?	Sharing and caring

Be specific

Choose  (Who will you serve?) Joshua 24:14; Hebrews 11:24-26

God's Response to Abraham

In our previous edition we were taking a quick survey of Abram’s faith in Genesis.  Abram had saved Lot and the other inhabitants from a cruel Suzerain, and they had responded by asking Abram to be their new suzerain.  Abram refused realizing that God is the one who is to be the true suzerain of man.

In Genesis 15 we see God come to Abram again.

Genesis 15:1–6 (NKJV)  ¹After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” ²But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliazer of Damascus?”  ³Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” ⁴And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”  ⁵Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

⁶And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

God indeed let’s Abram know that he will be his protection and his reward.  Abram does not understand how and why his only heir seems to be his servant.  Then God reiterates his promise to make his offspring like the stars of heaven without number.  What is noteworthy here is that Abram believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.  Because of Abram’s faith he was declared righteous.  What is interesting is that the term believed is past tense.  He didn’t just believe now, but had believed before, 15 years had passed since Abram’s first call from Ur. 

This declaration of Abram’s righteousness, 14 years before his circumcision, was a problem for the traditional Jews who thought that keeping the law and being circumcised was all that was necessary for righteousness.  It is this false teaching that Paul was addressing in Romans 4.  The Romans, just as Abram, would not be justified by keeping the law, which is an impossibility, but rather by putting their faith in God.

Paul also explains that he would be a “father of many nations,” not through blood, but through saving faith.

We must ask the question today, are you a descendant of Abram having put your faith in Jesus Christ for Salvation?

Abraham's Faith Explained

In Romans 4 we learned that “Abraham was justified by faith!”  It was not circumcision that provided Christ’s Righteousness for him, but rather his faith.  Today we are going to look back to Genesis to learn a little more of Abraham’s faith.

We first must understand the background of Abraham.   Genesis 11 deals with the disobedience of mankind and their building the tower of Babel rather than spreading and filling the earth.  God judged man and gave them different languages that they might spread out.   We find Abraham living in Ur with his idolatrous family.  But God in His grace and mercy called Abram.

In Genesis 12 we see the call.  Genesis 12:1–3 (NKJV) ^1”Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. ²I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Then in verse four we see Abram’s response. Genesis 12:4 (NKJV)

^“4So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

Abraham was obedient!  He went as God had commanded.

In Chapter 14 we see Chedorlaomer as a Suzerain that has control over many of the surrounding kings and they are paying him tribute.  They finally rebel and he attacks taking Sodom and Gomorrah captive along with Lot and his family.  Abram grabs a couple of buddies and they go and they defeat the king and take back all of the people and goods.  In Genesis 14:19-20, Abram stops and gives tithes and worships through Melchizedek high priest of Salem.  

The king of Sodom asks for just the people and tells Abram to keep the goods.  Abram in their culture was being asked to become the new Suzerain.  The wanted him to protect them and they would pay tribute.  Abram refuses, he realizes that God almighty is to be the true Suzerain.  It is in this God that Abram trusts and will continue to trust and it is this God who he wants to receive the credit.  Genesis 14:22–23 (NKJV)  ²²But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’—

Abram had already put his faith in God and was living to serve Him. In the next edition we will learn more of God’s response to Abram.

Abraham's Faith

Romans 4:1–12 (NKJV)

¹What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

⁴Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

⁵But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: ⁷“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; ⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

⁹Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. ¹⁰How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, ¹²and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Father of the Jews was Abraham he was their hero, yet many looked at him as having kept the law and thereby attaining righteousness.  Paul clarifies the fact in this passage that Abraham was justified by faith.  For anyone who tries to attain to salvation through works only finds himself more wanting.  Our works cannot do any more than make us guiltier before a Holy God because we in disobedience are rejecting the salvation that He offers.  Paul reminds the Romans that Abraham was declared righteous by faith before he was circumcised.  If one looks back to Genesis one would find that it was at least 14 years earlier that Abraham “believed” the promise of God and “his faith was counted as righteousness.”

What a blessing to know that we too simply by putting our faith in Jesus Christ can be assured of the righteousness and blessing of God. “For it shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”  (Rom. 4:24-25 NKJV)

 For Abraham is not just the father of the Jews but the father of all who will believe!  Is he your father?

Lessons from the Garden: "Break Up Your Fallow Ground"

Jeremiah 4:3 (NKJV) ³For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.

Hosea 10:12–13 (NKJV) ¹²Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

¹³You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men.

One of my favorite hobbies that gives me great exercise and helps me to provide for my family and help out other people is gardening.  I was recently given the opportunity to garden an empty lot in our town.  This lot has not been used for gardening or farming for many years.  It would take many hours and some pretty heavy equipment to “Break up this fallow ground.”  But the trees and the grass had to be removed or the garden could not be fruitful.

It was this process that reminded me of these above passages.  Israel had become so hard hearted that they could not be fruitful for God.  The prophets were calling them to have  a change of mind toward spiritual things.  They were to break up the “fallow” ground of their hearts.

One preacher of the past put it this way, “If you mean to break the fallow ground of your hearts, you must begin by looking at your hearts — examine and note the state of your minds, and see where you are. Many never seem to think about this. They pay no attention to their own hearts, and never know whether they are doing well in religion or not — whether they are gaining ground or going back — whether they are fruitful, or lying waste like the fallow ground. Now you must draw off your attention from other things, and look into this. Make a business of it. Do not be in a hurry. Examine thoroughly the state of your hearts, and see where you are — whether you are walking with God every day, or walking with the devil — whether you are serving God or serving the devil most — whether you are under the dominion of the prince of darkness, or of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To do all this, you must set yourselves at work to consider your sins. You must examine yourselves.”^[1]

What area of your heart and mind have you left untilled, unbroken?  Are you ready to receive God’s Word? Are we ready to respond to the Holy Spirit as His Word is heard or read?  May we each heed the command, “Break up your fallow ground!”

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^[1] Clyde E. Fant and William M. Pinson, vol. 3, A Treasury of Great Preaching : An Encyclopedia of Preaching, electronic ed., Logos Library System; A treasury of great preaching (Dallas: Word Publishers, 2000), 362.

Conclusion: Justified by Faith

Romans 3:27–31 (NKJV) ²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. ²⁹Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, ³⁰since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Paul has just finished explaining that we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus by whom we are redeemed.  He finally brings his argument to a conclusion.

As sinful individuals we have nothing about which to boast.  It was not the law that justified us. It was not our works that justified us.  It is faith that justifies, faith in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.  It makes no difference whether we are a Jew or a gentile.  There is no justification that is being declared righteous, through any keeping of the law.  We because of our sin cannot be good enough.  Whether one is religious or not religious they cannot attain to God’s righteousness.  The only way to get the righteousness of God is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who paid the penalty of sin and death by shedding his blood upon the cross. 

Some of the Jews would want to argue with Paul that their father Abraham was justified by works but Paul will put this idea to rest in the coming chapter for it is “to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Rom. 4:5)

Let me therefore challenge you, if you through your good works or deeds hope to satisfy a holy God you are wasting your time.  The law reveals your unrighteousness and you cannot be good enough to attain to God’s holiness.  Yet God provided Jesus Christ as a way of redemption. Confess your sin and turn from your prideful ways and look to Jesus Christ believing that He alone is able to pay the penalty of your sin through His blood that was shed on Calvary, for it is through this faith and only through this faith that you can be justified and ‘declared righteous’ before our Holy God.