Our View of Christianity vs God’s View of Christianity
Do we become a Christian and then just live until we die – hopefully bringing others into the family of God before that finally happens? Is the becoming of a Christian the only spiritually important thing that happens in our life? What is the Christian life supposed to be about, once you have recognized God, understood the purpose of the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, and accepted that gift in proper response of repentance, agreeing with God’s design and placement for us, and live out a life of confession to that truth by faith? How do we proceed from the point where we accepted such a glorious gift of salvation from Him?
When we understand that receiving salvation is a spiritual beginning, a new birth, we understand that we are spiritual babies. We have begun the process of “growing up”. What are we “growing up” to become? What does it mean to spiritually mature? Does that mean that we adopt a lot of “good habits” that we perform so often that they become part of our lifestyle? Is that what it means to “grow up”? That we “become good” by forming good habits?
Consider this verse, Romans chapter 12, verse two:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The process of growing up has to do with becoming transformed; and, from what this verse implies, it’s a mental process – it happens in our minds. We may put on an outward front to others, but who we really are takes place in our minds. The way we think of ourselves, how we justify our behaviors, how we judge others, how we hold to our opinions – all these things are held in our minds. Scripture says, it’s our minds that need to continue to be transformed.
[By the way, it may be worthwhile making a quick side note at this point. All my life I have heard language about “Giving your heart to Jesus”. I certainly think we can all agree to what that means. But, in this context, our heart refers to making a decision about a great degree of priority. This priority is described as being so great it involves our emotions – thus we say that we give our heart. But, our physical heart is not the seat of our emotions. In doing a recent study of the brain, it’s been re-enforced to me that all of our emotions are formed in some key regions of our brain. It may be more proper for us to say that we give our “mental affections” over to Jesus, or better yet, we replace our existing mental affections with Jesus Christ, whereby He becomes the object of our affections, or desires, and confession, and worship, and …. etc etc etc … ]
But, returning from our sideline conversation, back to the main discussion. So, Romans chapter twelve, verse two says we are to be transformed, a mental process … something that goes against the norm of being conformed to the rest of the world. If we become transformed in our minds, it will mark us out as a peculiar people.
That’s easy to say … and it sounds very nice. But, what does that really mean, – to be transformed? What are we being transformed from? What are we being transformed into? Does Romans chapter 8, verse twenty nine, provide details to this transformation process?
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Once we have been born spiritually, we have started a process of being transformed into the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. At the end of this transformation process, we will reach a state that inspired language calls conformed into the image of His Son. Whatever that language means, it has in view that Jesus was the firstborn of many who were predestined to arrive at such a state. Does this sound a little strange? Consider some similar language from second Peter chapter one and verse four:
“… He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature …”
Scripture seems to indicate that those who have been spiritually born, will began a spiritual progression until we arrive in a state that scripture describes as having become partakers of the divine nature.
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For just a moment, let’s take a look at Genesis chapter one verses twenty six through twenty seven:
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth”.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Theologians have pondered what it means to be made in the image of God over the centuries. Exactly what it means remains somewhat mysterious. Certainly the sinful fall of mankind has had some effect on that. But being restored back into the family of God, begins with a new birth, made possible by Jesus Christ, and seems to involve a process of being transformed into Christ’s image in such a way that Christ can be called the firstborn of many brothers.
And what can we say about the image of Christ? Consider this verse, taken from second Corinthians chapter four, verse four:
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Or how about Colossians chapter one, verse fifteen:
He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
So far, we have pointed out two verses stating that Christ is the image of God. And, before the fall, we were initially created in the image of God. We have also stated that the new birth begins a process of being transformed, by the renewing of our minds. And we have seen some wonderfully strange language of Peter alluding to us becoming partakers of the divine nature, my many precious gifts of God – chiefly the Unspeakable Gift, Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at one more verse, Philippians chapter one, verse six.
And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion the day of Jesus Christ.
Or more explicity stated, Philippians chapter two, verse five:
Have this same mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus
It will happen, it will one day be completed, we will be conformed to the image of Christ, who is the image of God, whose image we were initially created in. But it’s a work in progress right now. The first part of the journey has already taken place with every Christian, we have turned our minds into agreement with God about what sin is, (repentance), acknowledged the supreme gift of God, (Christ), and clung to that promise of life by faith in His truth. But, we continue the progress still further, by transforming our minds towards sanctification in the very same way … to deeper levels, that covers all areas of our lives to the point that it defines who we are. This is Christian growth.
So this is all backdrop for a discussion of how my view of Christianity differs from God’s view of Christianity. Let me list a few things.
This leads me to understand some corrections that need to be made in my thinking. I have views of what Christianity means to me. Some of those views are correct, some are not. They have been influenced by my culture and environment. But, in light of the discussions above, some my my views of Christianity need to be corrected. Here are some corrections that need to be made.
- In my current view of Christianity, I love to sit with a cup of coffee in hand, study the Bible, reading wonderful commentaries, and add knowledge to myself about how great Christ’s supremacy is – and try to grasp fully the reality of that.
But these verses above talk about a deeper application. They talk about the Word of God being more than meaningful insights. They talk of the Word of God becoming a living and abiding part of my heart’s desires to the point that it defines who I am; – who I am becoming. God is interested in adding to my sanctification, His holiness, naturally occurring from within, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the possibility of Jesus Christ, from my own inward desires being conformed into His desires. This is the death of the flesh, and the maturing of a spiritual seed that was planted in me from Christ Jesus – the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery. It’s not as cut and dry as English words allow – its’ something I do not fully understand. But it a reality that I have already began to participate in.
- In my current view of Christianity, I want to like the people that I want to like. Those who love the Word of God, those who worship like I do, those that seem to be approved by my current view of Christianity.
Wouldn’t you know it, when I look at Christ, it seems that I’m acting like a Pharisee with these thoughts! This is an area that needs to be transformed into the image of Christ. I need to recognize that there are people gripped in sins that I find repulsive. (And how hypocritical is that, I don’t have to think to hard to go back to a time that I too was one such person like that.) Christ was full of forgiveness to those who others thought were hopeless. Luke 19:7 is my response towards some people. But Christ’s response is found a few verses down in Luke 19:9-10. I need more brain surgery in this area – I need to be transformed until I have the mind of Christ.
I could go on and on … and I could get more and more personal in the examples. But the point is, I am in desperate need of not just understanding this; but in participating in the process of transformation. This is God’s view of Christianity – which is again available through Christ Jesus, – the way, the truth, and the life. Praise God for the possibility of such a rich life!