April 2009 Teaching Newsletter
The purpose of these teaching letters is to give each of you something to be thinking about that will encourage your personal spiritual growth and the growth of those with whom you have influence. Last month we looked at Gal. 4:19, “But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?”, where the Apostle Paul expressed his commitment to the church by praying until the character of Christ was “formed” in them. Think of the words that the root word ‘formed’ is a part. Words like conformed, transformed, informed, and reformed. Each of these words carries the concepts of change. The Greek word is the same as the concept of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly. Paul believed his intercession would be a part of that transformation process. In Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” , Paul teaches us that God’s plan for our lives is for this process of change to be so complete that we become “conformed” to the image of Jesus. Because we know this to be the will of God for our lives we must know that God is committed to giving us whatever we might need for this conformity to take place. Look at verse 32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”, God will not withhold anything necessary for His plan to see us changed into the image of His Son.
See also Paul’s teaching in Romans 12:1,2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship. 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.” Each of us must be on our guard that we do not allow ourselves to be conformed to this world system around us but we must give ourselves to being transformed in our minds. This includes the process of having our wills under the Lordship of Christ and our thinking processes in line with the will of God and the Word of God. God loves each of us so much that He has a plan and a program to keep changing our lives so that we are like Him and so that our lives can be complete. In order for us to enjoy the abundant life He promised we need to submit to Him so that we will change and be formed into mature believers.
Let us keep praying for each other so that Christ will be formed in us.
We are standing with you,
Dr. Jim
