Day 22 – I was created to become like Christ

I was created to become like Christ

The Last six lessons had dealt with my relationship with others, but in today’s and the lessons to come I will be learning about my third purpose.

I am created to be more like Christ [Gen. 1 vs. 26 - Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground] made in God’s image a privilege that dignifies me. So as part of God’s creation I posses ‘part’ of the image of God and explain why murder and abortion is wrong – [Gen. 9 vs. 6 - Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man; Psalm 139 vs. 13 – 16; James 3 vs. 9 - With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness]. So why ‘part’, this is because Sin distorts mine and your image and because of that we are incomplete. So for this reason Jesus Had to come [2 Corinth. 4 vs. 4; Col. 1 vs. 15; Heb. 1 vs. 3]. Therefore the goal of our creation is to bear the image and likeness of God – Eph. 4 vs. 24 – and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, but not to be God – Gen. 3 vs. 5 – For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Yes God created me to bear His image, but not to become a god. To be godly, take on His value, attitude and character - Eph. 2 vs. 22 - And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. His ultimate goal for me is to develop my character and to grow spiritually and become like Christ. He does this by transforming my character not my personality [Matt. 5 vs. 1- 12; Gal. 5 vs. 22 – 23; 1 Corinth. 13; 2 Pet. 1 vs. 5 - 8]. And whenever I forget that character development is part of the purpose for my life, I will become frustrated. Therefore, I am supposed to have a difficult time because it enables me to grow. So since I exist for God’s purpose, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to produce Christ like character in me – 2 Corinth. 3 vs. 18 - And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit; this process is known as SANCTIFICATION, and I cannot reproduce the character of Jesus on my own strength, only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the necessary changes God wants in my life – Philippians 2 vs. 13 – For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.

The Holy Spirit makes these necessary changes in different ways, not always in the signs and wonders we have seen and known but sometimes through a gentle whisper – [1 Kings 19 vs. 12]. To be Christ like is also not produced by imitations but inhabitation – Col. 1 vs. 27 – For by Him all things are created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. And how do we achieve inhabitation, through the choices we make. We need to choose to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work, by taking a step of Faith [like Joshua did in Joshua 3 vs. 13 -17], as obedience unlocks God’s power. God wants us to act first; I don’t need to wait for when I feel confident or powerful, To move ahead in my weaknesses in spite of my fears or feelings; so while efforts has nothing to do with my salvation, it has everything to do with my spiritual growth – [Luke 13 vs. 24; Rom. 14 vs. 19; Eph. 4 vs. 3; 2 Tim. 2 vs. 15; Heb. 4 vs. 11; 12 vs. 14; 2 Pet. 1 vs. 5; 3 vs. 14].

Therefore, in order for me to be like Christ, I need to first let go of my old ways of acting, to change the way I think because I can only be transformed by the renewing of my mind – Rom. 12 vs. 2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. To put on the character of Christ by developing godly habits as my character displays how I habitually act. So how will God develop my habits? By moulding me through His word, people and circumstance, as God’s word provides the truth, His people the support and the circumstances I face the environment for my growth.

Lessons learnt on Day 22 - I ought to apply God’s word in my life, connect with people regularly (believers) and trust God in difficult circumstances. To remember that loving Jesus is a long and slow process of growth, and will take the rest of my life – Eph. 4 vs. 13 - until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. To bear in mind that I am a work in progress – 1 John 3 vs.2 - Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; and that God is far more interested in building my character than anything else. So in whatever I do to do it for the glory of God [1 Corinth. 10 vs. 31 - So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God; 16 vs. 14; Col. 3 vs. 17, 23] .