We have accepted today as normal thought that Christians are different from the world in one respect; They have a religious component to their lives. They go to church (albeit when convenient), own a bible (they may even occasionally read) and when really brave (or simply out of a sense of guilt) tell others of their need for religion (you want to go to heaven when you die, don’t you?)

The concept of actually becoming like Christ is either a mere ideal that might happen in heaven, or a heresy that should get one burned at the stake, albeit in a completely acceptable 21st century way.

The sad truth why people do not become like Christ is that they do not intend to. The agonizing truth of why they do not intend to is that they really don’t want to.

What lies at the heart of neither wanting nor intending to become like Christ? They simply do not see the need to. After all, my sins are forgiven, aren’t they? Am I not going to heaven when I die?

This is the inevitable result of a view of salvation that has replaced the new life we now have in Christ for one of its effects (forgiveness of sins).

When Peter denied Christ, he went out and wept bitterly. Why?
Because he had been warned? Because he had failed?
Rather, because he realized he was the kind of person who could do such a thing. And he wept at the person he still was and his need to become a different kind of person.

Jesus, his companion in life was not finished with him-he would make a ‘rock’ of him yet. Not for him, to him or without him. But the One that has say over everything would be with him every step of the way. If you know anything of church history-you know the kind of person Peter became.

Redemption is the impartation of life (forgiveness but one of its effects). A new kind of a life that will be poised to become like Christ’s very life, because it IS HIS LIFE. He really does live in you.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart; and you will find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Mt. 11:29-30

Perilous world we live in, strange times; terrorist concerns abroad and at home, economic collapse on a world scale, market fraud and investments in free fall, real estate markets in quick sand (is that enough or do I need to keep going?). And of course, this is just the global disturbance. Our Valley and the lives of people I love are not immune and I am not insensitive to the great struggles going on in homes and hearts.

So, am I naïve to state that in the Kingdom of God we live beyond harm in His hands? Really? Serious? We can live without an anxious moment?

Of course, if you do not live in the realm of His Kingdom you have every right to be anxious. You should be anxious (although it will be really bad for your health), because you have to run all of this on your own steam. You are in charge-the King with the answers. If it falls a part, your desk is where the buck stops.

But, in the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Kingdom not of this World that Jesus came to make available to us, He promises there is not one thing that can happen to us that He will not turn out for good. (Just read Romans 8:28 and try and figure out how much ‘all things’ leaves out!) He has assured us that we will not miss out on anything important or anything good. Psalms 23:1. He told the lady at the well, that those who drink of the water He makes available (speaking of His life, which gives entrance into the Kingdom He preached) will never again be driven, harassed and controlled by unsatisfied desires. John 4:14. He is now the King, not me.

This does not mean we live beyond hurt, pain or loss. It means that none of those can destroy our eternal purpose. Nothing; absolutely nothing can happen to us that He is not responsible to make into something good.

So when these perilous times invade our peaceful existence and we start to worry about what is going to happen to us, we can pause and realize, we know what is going to happen to us; He is going to take care of us.

I can look at worry and say, I recognize you for what you are and you will no longer control me. Anxiousness, I see what you are, I identify you and you will no longer rob me of the peace that passes understanding.

When the feelings and emotions come; stop and put a label on them, give them an identification card and call them out for what they are. They do not control you; they do not have say over what happens to you. Don’t let them.

John 17:17-19

As promised here are the notes, references and quotes from our Wednesday evening study...

While sanctification is 'to be set apart', we must understand that like spiritual formation and education, everyone gets one. It just depends on what kind of education or spiritual formation you get. Everyone gets sanctification as well-it just depends on whether you are being sanctified in truth or sanctified in the stream of shimmering illusions which characterize the world. Sanctification is neither magical nor is it an experience (though there may be some really good experiences along the way). Sanctification is not perfection but the progress of the divine life towards it. It is, as one writer said, 'the Christianizing of the Christian'. We can become like Christ in character and power and this is the process by which it happens as we realize our highest ideals of well-being in His Kingdom. 

We have to know the truth (Psalm 119:11; Joshua 1:8) but knowledge alone is insufficient. We must cooperate with Him. While it is error to think that we can sanctify ourselves it is equally destructive to think that God is just going to do it to us or without us. (Thinking that He will just do it to us one day as we sit in church or read the bible is why there is such an unhealthy emphasis on experience today.)  We looked at and discussed the following verses...

Philippians 2:12-12; Galatians 2:16-20; Galatians 4:19; Romans 6:12-13

Sanctification is a consciously chosen and intentionally maintained relationship between what we have control over (ourselves) and the indwelling Christ, in which we are progressively able to do spontaneously 'truth' or what we know to be right before God because we have been substantially transformed in the inner man. 

Hello...

Matthew 11:29-30; Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Our new website asks the question; Who are we and where are we going?
As we look at the chaos of the world around us it is fundamentally evident that both the world’s and the individual’s problems cannot be left to the diplomat or the political and business leaders of today. We certainly cannot abandon ‘truth’ to the current lords of knowledge in our academic settings or worse to Hollywood to define the nature of reality, who is well off, who is a really good person and how do you become one.

The Church stands unique as the only avenue by which God has chosen to answer the deep and compelling needs of human beings. The Church as a whole and DBC particularly must be schools of learning and places of genuine worship from which people will go forth who are in the process of being radically changed into Christlikeness and equipped in character to be lights in the midst of a ‘crooked and depraved generation’. It is a time for those who claim the name of Christ as their own to be heroes of the faith in character, having the power to be the demonstration of the reality of God unto complete salvation. Redeemed people who are caught up in the life that Jesus is now living here on earth-the life He is living through His special people who have placed their confidence in Him.

That we are to BE different because we ARE different. When we call men and women into relationship with Christ we are offering to them what we ourselves have been offered and responded to; the greatest opportunity any human being could ever have.

The teachings of Jesus are accessible and nothing is cut off from us. The ones we read about in the book of Acts were real life, flesh and blood people like us. When we step into ‘The Kingdom Not of this World’, the Kingdom of Truth (John 18:36-37) we step into the life of Christ who will actually so radically transform us that we, as ordinary people, become a demonstration of the love characterized by the Trinitarian God we worship.

However-either through indolence or well meaning but misguided teaching we have accepted His life and the grace He makes available as something that should make us different and transform how we live not that does or realistically can make us different in every area of our being.

My central claim is that we indeed can become like Christ in character and power. He intends it to happen. He will teach us. This is actually the easy way to live and it is the way of the transgressor that is hard. Proverbs 13:15.

We become like Him together, as a body drawing on the rich resources of the still living Christ who indwells us. We need each other in this endeavor and the One who said He has been given say over everything will be with us every step of the way, even until the end of this present age. Matthew 28:18-20.

He wishes to be not just our Saviour, not just our Lord, He intends to be our Teacher as well in the serious business of life. As spiritual beings who will never stop existing we will one day realize our full destiny in His created universe-and His redeemed will stand out and be displayed to all of His creation as the greatest testament of His wisdom and power. We will be His greatest treasure. He is right now training us and preparing us for that day.

This is where I stand before my Lord-this is my passion.