In this world we are like Jesus” (1 John 4:17b NIV)
What will I look like when I grow up? How will I be? These questions and ponderings are entertained by almost all of us when we are young. Yet these questions as it relates to us as Christians are incredibly significant questions with some very definable answers. In short, we are to be like Jesus, and our life is found in the life of Christ as His life is manifested in and through us. In this multi-part message, we will visit some important vantage points which God has given to us so that we may see more clearly where God is taking us in this journey into the fullness of Christ as we become Christlike.
For decades now I have witnessed many in the church world stretch out into various spiritual effects groping for a demonstration of power to satisfy our Herod-like appetite (see Luke 23:6-12). On the other hand, I have also witnessed many in the church world simply fold their hands and resign any confidence that spiritual effects are for today becoming confined to mere ceremonial observances of a philosophical Christianity. Each has constructed doctrines to support our experiences or lack of them on both sides of the spectrum so that we might justify the sinfulness of our condition. I believe in the demonstration of God’s Spirit and power, and I also find God’s presence in the stillness of His peace. Yet the reality is not every spiritual effect is from God, and God has not resided Himself to be enshrined in a worship that embraces a little bit of emotion to mask the dead cold spirituality it encompasses. God is not looking for a grandiose performance on a stage filled with actors – acting like Jesus in as many ways as each individually defines Him as there are actors. Stage actors are not found in the myriads of those who worship Him; hypocrite in Greek has a metaphorical definition – stage actor. The reality is, however, that the eternal purpose of God will be accomplished through a church empowered by His Spirit radiant in the glory of God in the fullness of Christ.
The Power of God
Is it possible to have and thus be given the power of God that is in Christ without having the nature, character, and virtue of Christ?
Yes, Jesus did declare, “You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8 NASB). Yet many of these disciples had followed Him for over three years! Consider this: they had three years of complete devotion to Jesus as they followed Him. They were taught and trained and were prepared to become like Him for they learned of Him. In following Jesus, they had to become meek and lowly like Him so that they could learn of Him and become – not just act – like Him. While it is given to the body of Christ to have the power of God’s Spirit, we must become like Jesus to walk as He walked in the power of the Spirit. The grace that qualifies us for the power of God is the grace that transforms us, conforming to the likeness of Christ.
The working of the power of the Holy Spirit first works to form Christ in us before we will realize the abundance of the works of His power through us. But His work does not stop there! God will continue with what He started in us. What is given to the work of His Spirit is not left alone for us to accomplish. Our place is to become passionate about becoming Christlike, and still, the Holy Spirit will grace us with and edify such desires. This passion enfolds in a life pursuit that is marked by a life of being devoted to prayerfully continuing in the Word of God, seeking God, and given to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB), as well as receiving from and sharing with those in the body of Christ. Through these avenues, the Holy Spirit manifests the life of Christ within us revealing the character and virtues of the life of Christ. In this pursuit we shall obtain the heart of Christ – as Francis Frangipane shares it: the unoffendable heart of Christ. All of these abound toward us and within us through the working of the Spirit of God and the unfathomable riches of His grace! Herein, the character and virtues of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit are then crowned with the works of the power of God’s Spirit through our lives.
Not Everything Spiritual is The Spirit
On the one hand, God has afforded us much more for us than lifeless ceremonialism (even if we feel something in it). Such practices communicate a death-reverencing philosophy or at best a rigid legalism encouraging self-righteousness driven by a religious spirit that does not embrace let alone reverence the life in Christ. On the other hand, not every spiritual effect comes from God – no matter how sensational or mystical it may seem. Beloved, believe not every spirit. Not every spirit that presents itself on behalf of God confesses Jesus Christ (see 1 John 4:3). In Greek, this word means much more than just saying Jesus is the Lord or the Messiah (Christ). The Scriptures clearly show that spirits and even people can masquerade as messengers of light (see 2 Corinthians 11:12-15) injecting spiritual elements and effects foreign to the Holy Spirit, concepts, or unsound teachings foreign to the Gospel, and even preaching a different Jesus who was not originally proclaimed (see 2 Corinthians 11:1-4). They will say enough of the right things, and demonstrate ambitions that appearto be headed in the right direction as part of the subterfuge of the spirit at work! In Acts 8, Simon presented an offering to Peter seeking to obtain an impartation of the anointing to lay hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. Yes, “he offered them money” (see Acts 8:18)! A girl in Acts 16 followed after Paul, continually declaring seemingly prophetic endorsements through a spirit of divination. Again, we find the right information – but the wrong spirit. The role of the Spirit and the role of God’s messengers will never function outside what has been revealed to us by the Scriptures, and they will always be consistent with the character and virtues of Christ while declaring and imparting the same. In Greek, confess means to communicate the same – communicate and thus share Jesus Christ.
Predetermined Arrangement For His Eternal Purpose and Mystery
While God ministers to our many needs, our first and foremost and primary need is to become conformed to the image of His Son. This is God’s predetermined arrangement since the foundation of the world for us. We cannot accomplish this conformity. You and I cannot live like Jesus, but Christ in us can! Thus the primary role of the Holy Spirit is to form Christ within us and transform our lives conforming us to the image of Christ so that we become like Jesus. As the Amplified Bible says, “In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17 AMPC).
Let us look at this thoroughly: as Jesus Christ is, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NASB), so are we to be like Him in this world. New International Version says, “…In this world we are like Jesus” (1 John 4:17b NIV). This is the fulfillment of the eternal purpose of God (see Ephesians 3:9-13) and the summation of the mystery of God (see Revelation 10:7). And in this, we have confidence in the day of judgment, because, by this, love is perfected with us.
We are to become like Jesus. Our passion should be to reach for the fullness of Christ and become Christlike. In this multi-part message, we will look closely at what it fully means to be like Jesus so that the life of Christ may be manifest in us and that we may walk as He walked. Let our eyes see that we may perceive this reality God has set before us!
Father, I ask that You prepare our minds and hearts for what You desire to impart to us. We open up our hearts to You. We want to be more like Jesus, and we desire to please You in all that we are. We seek nothing more and nothing less than to embrace the life we have in Christ and who we are in Jesus. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Hal Garms eWord Messages 