Part One: Chapter 1
Growth of Our Spirits into Christ's Image
The reason we are not taken to heaven at the moment we receive our salvation is because there is a critically important purpose for our staying here in this life.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son, . . .
Romans 8:29a
to be conformed to the image of his Son, . . .
Romans 8:29a
Christianity goes far beyond accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. That was only the start of our wonderful journey.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:17
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:17
Our journey begins with salvation and continues all the way to heaven along the path of sanctification. God works through the circumstances of our lives to conform us ever more into the image of his Son.
You were taught, ...
to put off your old self, . . .
and to put on the new self,
created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness.
Eph 4:22-24 (NIV)
to put off your old self, . . .
and to put on the new self,
created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness.
Eph 4:22-24 (NIV)
Spiritual growth in Christ is not passive. The job of this new self is “to put on Christ,” shedding the old self as quickly as we can because there is so little time before heaven and so much transformation possible.
God needs to develop our spirits for heaven. To become like our Savior, we need to be like Him doing the Father’s work in the enemy territory of sinful societies and cultures. That is where Jesus displayed His character and holiness, so that is where we need to develop our likeness to Him. Spiritual growth this side of heaven makes us grow into continual worship through daily righteousness, develop strength to oppose God’s enemy Satan, and prepare for heaven and God’s way forever. To be adequately conformed to the image of God’s Son, we must be refined during this life, not the next.
At the moment of our salvation God made us new creations, with spirits that could overcome our old persons we were to begin developing the persons we are to become in Christ. We have spirits that must grow in purity and righteousness.
God needs to develop our spirits for heaven. To become like our Savior, we need to be like Him doing the Father’s work in the enemy territory of sinful societies and cultures. That is where Jesus displayed His character and holiness, so that is where we need to develop our likeness to Him. Spiritual growth this side of heaven makes us grow into continual worship through daily righteousness, develop strength to oppose God’s enemy Satan, and prepare for heaven and God’s way forever. To be adequately conformed to the image of God’s Son, we must be refined during this life, not the next.
At the moment of our salvation God made us new creations, with spirits that could overcome our old persons we were to begin developing the persons we are to become in Christ. We have spirits that must grow in purity and righteousness.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:17
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:17
Obviously, we are not new creations with regard to our bodies. Our hands and feet still look the same as they did before. It is our spirits that have been born again through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John3:5-6
|
Used correctly “spiritual growth” means the growth of our spirits, not just the Bible knowledge that starts the process. Deep inside of us is our spirits, extending from when God bent down and breathed His life into Adam at the creation of mankind. Our spirits became corrupted when Adam and Eve sinned, but our belief in Christ creates our spirits anew. After we believed, we should have noticed a change deep within us, the indication of born-again spirits.
We will all have reached different levels of maturity in various strengths of our spirits by the time we enter heaven. We will each have achieved spiritual growth differently.
Using the allegory of a scale from 1 to 10, some of us will have reached a level of 4 in our spirits’ ability to submit to God’s will. Others will have reached 8 due to more cooperation with the sanctification process empowered by the Holy Spirit. In heaven, the saint with a submission to God spiritual power of 4 will be completely satisfied. His or her sense of submission will be full and there will be no sadness or disappointment because that is the way it is in heaven. This will be like a 170 pound person at a restaurant with a smaller stomach who is completely satisfied having eaten less than another 170 pound person who needs more food to feel full. The saint with a capacity of 8, however it will apply to life in heaven, will have a spirit more able to submit to God.
If this is as true as it is logical, then we cannot cruise along lazily in our faith and catch up the moment we pass through heaven’s gates with someone who worked out her salvation with more fear and trembling.
We will all have reached different levels of maturity in various strengths of our spirits by the time we enter heaven. We will each have achieved spiritual growth differently.
Using the allegory of a scale from 1 to 10, some of us will have reached a level of 4 in our spirits’ ability to submit to God’s will. Others will have reached 8 due to more cooperation with the sanctification process empowered by the Holy Spirit. In heaven, the saint with a submission to God spiritual power of 4 will be completely satisfied. His or her sense of submission will be full and there will be no sadness or disappointment because that is the way it is in heaven. This will be like a 170 pound person at a restaurant with a smaller stomach who is completely satisfied having eaten less than another 170 pound person who needs more food to feel full. The saint with a capacity of 8, however it will apply to life in heaven, will have a spirit more able to submit to God.
If this is as true as it is logical, then we cannot cruise along lazily in our faith and catch up the moment we pass through heaven’s gates with someone who worked out her salvation with more fear and trembling.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Phil 2:12-13
|
A person who lifts heavy rocks all day will be stronger than a person who does little lifting. The heavy resistance will have created more muscle. It is like this with spiritual growth. Growing our spirits into Christ’s likeness now will be accelerated if it has to go against the opposition of sin. Surely, a saint who was persecuted and held in a Chinese jail will have the stronger trust in God in heaven than a citizen of heaven who lived comfortably surrounded by safe church activities.
Our spirits will still grow in heaven in ways that do not require the opposition of sin. There, we will not be overcoming sin to become more holy. Many wonderful areas of holiness will blossom in each of us. This happens once in a while even now where sin dwells. If we hike in the wilderness and see a new flower, our spirits can grow in appreciation of beauty. Later, heaven will be filled with beauty and our spirits will continue to grow in appreciation of God’s marvelous creativity.
Also, there will be difficult things to do in heaven that will force additional growth in our spirits. This will not be against the resistance of sin, as there will be none in heaven. For example, it is not sinful to not know how to knit or drive a snow plow. The struggle to learn develops skills. Challenges in heaven will produce spiritual growth of one kind or another.
Imagine one day in the wonderful atmosphere of heaven we meet a group of saints from Mongolia in the 1800's in Old Earth time. We are excited to hear of their spiritual journeys in such a different culture with trials we have never faced. It will be hard work to understand what they went through and how God blessed them with His grace. We will hardly be able to imagine what they went through. But the struggle to understand will produce growth in our spirits in various ways, one being an expanded ability to praise God.
So, we will still have all of eternity to grow our spirits little by little in some ways. Yet, growth will not be as fast in some spiritual strengths as it was against the resistance of sin before death. Everyone will have a chance to grow in some spiritual abilities, but some will have come to heaven with higher strengths of faith in some areas. Because they will grow too, they will always be a little ahead. But, since everyone will be filled to the brim of their capacity, there will be no disappointment. A small glass filled to the brim is as content as a large glass filled to its brim.
But, there are many aspects of our spirits that will grow only now, only in resistance to sin. Jesus was so strong in His spirit that He could live sinless. His strength of spirit came from never having been sinful before His incarnation. We, on the other hand, start off being unholy. The purity of our newly re-created spirits has to take over our old sinful natures just as Jesus’ always-pure spirit had to deny sinful temptations. These new and improved spirits of ours are capable of letting God mold our spirits through facing and overcoming evil. When we overcome sinful thoughts and feelings, our spirits grow. When we resist the evil in society, our spirits grow to be more like Jesus. The devil offered Jesus the world and He refused. Our culture offers us the world in ways that are not God’s will for us, and when we resist, we resemble our Savior. For example, resisting buying an expensive car that the Holy Spirit helps us see is not God’s desire for us, makes all future temptations to buy such a car easier to forego because the first refusal strengthened our spirit.
The Bible is all about changing our spirits. It is not a science textbook, not instruction on how to get wealthy, and not something just to get to know doctrine. It is a guide to life based on doctrine that purifies our spirits into the nature of Jesus Christ. To become more like Jesus does not only mean to learn to walk miles in sandals, but to fuse with Him deep inside in our spirits .
Our spirits will still grow in heaven in ways that do not require the opposition of sin. There, we will not be overcoming sin to become more holy. Many wonderful areas of holiness will blossom in each of us. This happens once in a while even now where sin dwells. If we hike in the wilderness and see a new flower, our spirits can grow in appreciation of beauty. Later, heaven will be filled with beauty and our spirits will continue to grow in appreciation of God’s marvelous creativity.
Also, there will be difficult things to do in heaven that will force additional growth in our spirits. This will not be against the resistance of sin, as there will be none in heaven. For example, it is not sinful to not know how to knit or drive a snow plow. The struggle to learn develops skills. Challenges in heaven will produce spiritual growth of one kind or another.
Imagine one day in the wonderful atmosphere of heaven we meet a group of saints from Mongolia in the 1800's in Old Earth time. We are excited to hear of their spiritual journeys in such a different culture with trials we have never faced. It will be hard work to understand what they went through and how God blessed them with His grace. We will hardly be able to imagine what they went through. But the struggle to understand will produce growth in our spirits in various ways, one being an expanded ability to praise God.
So, we will still have all of eternity to grow our spirits little by little in some ways. Yet, growth will not be as fast in some spiritual strengths as it was against the resistance of sin before death. Everyone will have a chance to grow in some spiritual abilities, but some will have come to heaven with higher strengths of faith in some areas. Because they will grow too, they will always be a little ahead. But, since everyone will be filled to the brim of their capacity, there will be no disappointment. A small glass filled to the brim is as content as a large glass filled to its brim.
But, there are many aspects of our spirits that will grow only now, only in resistance to sin. Jesus was so strong in His spirit that He could live sinless. His strength of spirit came from never having been sinful before His incarnation. We, on the other hand, start off being unholy. The purity of our newly re-created spirits has to take over our old sinful natures just as Jesus’ always-pure spirit had to deny sinful temptations. These new and improved spirits of ours are capable of letting God mold our spirits through facing and overcoming evil. When we overcome sinful thoughts and feelings, our spirits grow. When we resist the evil in society, our spirits grow to be more like Jesus. The devil offered Jesus the world and He refused. Our culture offers us the world in ways that are not God’s will for us, and when we resist, we resemble our Savior. For example, resisting buying an expensive car that the Holy Spirit helps us see is not God’s desire for us, makes all future temptations to buy such a car easier to forego because the first refusal strengthened our spirit.
The Bible is all about changing our spirits. It is not a science textbook, not instruction on how to get wealthy, and not something just to get to know doctrine. It is a guide to life based on doctrine that purifies our spirits into the nature of Jesus Christ. To become more like Jesus does not only mean to learn to walk miles in sandals, but to fuse with Him deep inside in our spirits .
I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:20
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:20
God is building His kingdom for eternity. It starts with the kingdom here on earth, but the end result is what God has in mind for His society in His home. God is designing each of us for places of service and types of enjoyment in heaven. It seems ludicrous that any part of us not like Jesus can dwell in heaven. Everything in our spirits that is righteous is like Jesus and will enter heaven. Anything that is unrighteous and not like Jesus will not be in heaven where there is no sin.
So, we should want to change our spirits more and more into the image of Jesus because there is an ideal place God hopes we will land in the culture of heaven. He is orchestrating events, opportunities and crises in our lives to guide the development of each of our spirits for where He wants us. He hopes we will trust Him rather than grumble and resist His work in our lives.
God is changing us all the time. He brings situations into our lives and hopes that we will let the Holy Spirit guide us to think, feel and act in those predicaments just as Jesus would. Each and everything that happens in our lives, whether by God’s design or Satan’s intended harm, will be used by God to change our spirits. All is for our good, but we must yield to the Holy Spirit for God’s desired outcome.
So, we should want to change our spirits more and more into the image of Jesus because there is an ideal place God hopes we will land in the culture of heaven. He is orchestrating events, opportunities and crises in our lives to guide the development of each of our spirits for where He wants us. He hopes we will trust Him rather than grumble and resist His work in our lives.
God is changing us all the time. He brings situations into our lives and hopes that we will let the Holy Spirit guide us to think, feel and act in those predicaments just as Jesus would. Each and everything that happens in our lives, whether by God’s design or Satan’s intended harm, will be used by God to change our spirits. All is for our good, but we must yield to the Holy Spirit for God’s desired outcome.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Compare this to a huge corporation charged with putting a colony of people on Mars in twenty years. The designers of this huge undertaking would map out all of the functions that would have to be done by employees for this huge operation to blast off, travel through space, and build a colony on Mars. Bright high school students would be found and over years trained for specific roles for the operation to succeed. College scholarships, experience and training would all need to be mapped out and provided. The kids who would become critical parts of the plan would not know what the company would be designing for their growth and development, but the company would.
In the same way, although a million times more extensive, God has His plan for a civilization in heaven with people surpassing the sum of the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky (Genesis 22:17). Add to that the angels. From all of those creatures (redeemed humans and angels) God will build a society that will run smoothly for time without end. Each of us can use our free will to go along with the Spirit of God toward the place in heaven God hopes for us. Or we can resist His best plan for our assignment and happiness in heaven and settle for less by passivity or rebellion .
Even though developing physical strength is important for physical life, it does not prepare us for heaven. However, improvement of our spirits survives death and is all important for how we will live in and for eternity. Whatever is like Jesus Christ in us will define who we are in heaven and enhance our worship, places of service, experiences and relationships with God and one another. The parts of us that are not like Jesus will stay behind, leaving us with limitations in heaven because we did not allow the Holy Spirit to change our spirits for maximum worship, places of service, experiences and relationships with God and one another.
Much of this critical development of our spirits for heaven is through the various Togethers, which is to say obedience to the Scriptures that define each of them. Using His sovereignty and providence, God guides each of us through a unique development plan which includes situations we find ourselves in during our lives. Scripture instructs us on how to deal with those challenges. Through such a process, each of us will find our spirits changed, first into the image of Jesus and then molded specifically for our destined place of service in heaven for maximum enjoyment there.
Along the way, many will not see situations and opportunities as God’s leading because they might not be to their liking. This might be quite understandable because what has been brought into our lives is sometimes very difficult from a purely physical point of view.
Here is just one example that is truly hard for us to swallow and understand. Along the path of one Christian’s training for the special place God wants him or her in heavenly society, God might allow Satan to inflict one of us with a debilitating and incurable disease. When He does, God turns Satan’s curses into blessings, even when health and physical abilities are lost for this life. Although hidden from easy understanding, God would be causing growth in spirits for benefits that last for all eternity.
Such calamity will surely open up unseen marvelous opportunities in heaven not attainable in any other way. If that person becomes confined to a wheelchair, it most likely is for focus to be taken off of the physical demands of life. That person’s spirit would then develop in a different direction for some heavenly bliss that looking back from heaven will be worth all the trials. It will develop the Christian’s spirit for God’s specific assignment for service in heaven, that job being the person’s assigned eternal glory and joy.
This point of view from the spiritual perspective often feels like there is something wrong with it. Admittedly, it is quite different than the way we have been taught that God is only going to bless us. When something very difficult comes along, we only see it as a horrible problem. But, what if God is blessing us with something in the future that is so much better than what we could have without the suffering? The spiritual challenge is to trust that God loves us so much as to be more concerned for our future in eternity than our temporary discomfort before death.
To see trials in this life as God sees them requires us to see heaven as our desired destination and downgrade wanting so much from this life. One day, death will set us free for a really good life that never ends. We need to practice having our minds on heaven more than earth. Then we can risk danger, face discomfort for the sake of others, and withstand the evil that God allows in our lives – all to our eternal benefit.
In the same way, although a million times more extensive, God has His plan for a civilization in heaven with people surpassing the sum of the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky (Genesis 22:17). Add to that the angels. From all of those creatures (redeemed humans and angels) God will build a society that will run smoothly for time without end. Each of us can use our free will to go along with the Spirit of God toward the place in heaven God hopes for us. Or we can resist His best plan for our assignment and happiness in heaven and settle for less by passivity or rebellion .
Even though developing physical strength is important for physical life, it does not prepare us for heaven. However, improvement of our spirits survives death and is all important for how we will live in and for eternity. Whatever is like Jesus Christ in us will define who we are in heaven and enhance our worship, places of service, experiences and relationships with God and one another. The parts of us that are not like Jesus will stay behind, leaving us with limitations in heaven because we did not allow the Holy Spirit to change our spirits for maximum worship, places of service, experiences and relationships with God and one another.
Much of this critical development of our spirits for heaven is through the various Togethers, which is to say obedience to the Scriptures that define each of them. Using His sovereignty and providence, God guides each of us through a unique development plan which includes situations we find ourselves in during our lives. Scripture instructs us on how to deal with those challenges. Through such a process, each of us will find our spirits changed, first into the image of Jesus and then molded specifically for our destined place of service in heaven for maximum enjoyment there.
Along the way, many will not see situations and opportunities as God’s leading because they might not be to their liking. This might be quite understandable because what has been brought into our lives is sometimes very difficult from a purely physical point of view.
Here is just one example that is truly hard for us to swallow and understand. Along the path of one Christian’s training for the special place God wants him or her in heavenly society, God might allow Satan to inflict one of us with a debilitating and incurable disease. When He does, God turns Satan’s curses into blessings, even when health and physical abilities are lost for this life. Although hidden from easy understanding, God would be causing growth in spirits for benefits that last for all eternity.
Such calamity will surely open up unseen marvelous opportunities in heaven not attainable in any other way. If that person becomes confined to a wheelchair, it most likely is for focus to be taken off of the physical demands of life. That person’s spirit would then develop in a different direction for some heavenly bliss that looking back from heaven will be worth all the trials. It will develop the Christian’s spirit for God’s specific assignment for service in heaven, that job being the person’s assigned eternal glory and joy.
This point of view from the spiritual perspective often feels like there is something wrong with it. Admittedly, it is quite different than the way we have been taught that God is only going to bless us. When something very difficult comes along, we only see it as a horrible problem. But, what if God is blessing us with something in the future that is so much better than what we could have without the suffering? The spiritual challenge is to trust that God loves us so much as to be more concerned for our future in eternity than our temporary discomfort before death.
To see trials in this life as God sees them requires us to see heaven as our desired destination and downgrade wanting so much from this life. One day, death will set us free for a really good life that never ends. We need to practice having our minds on heaven more than earth. Then we can risk danger, face discomfort for the sake of others, and withstand the evil that God allows in our lives – all to our eternal benefit.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Col 3:1-4
|
The development of our spirits comes by allowing the Holy Spirit to help us live as God wants. So much of God’s design for our lives is Faith Together. Individual faith can only lead us into limited knowledge and stunted spiritual growth. Growth of our spirits blossoms when we obey Scripture together in the way God wants for our relationships. To do so requires us to apply what we learn about God and His wishes through obeying the Scriptures regarding relations with other Christians.
The Togethers of Scripture, while certainly not complete, consolidate hundreds of Scriptures into 65 things God wants us to do when we are together. This Faith Together obeys God’s interdependent design of the human race and forces the change in our spirits that makes us like Jesus and prepares us for heaven. Awaiting us there in heaven is a life where relationships are more important than experiences and in the spirit more than in the flesh. Relationship together with God and relationship with one another is what heaven is all about. The many pleasures there, from the feast to unimaginable opportunities, all exist to enhance our relationship with God and one another.
This can be likened to a ski trip with friends. The fun activity is for the relationship of the friends. Otherwise, the ski trip could have been taken with strangers. And, if the ski vacation was taken with strangers, in God’s perspective, the people are still more important than the skiing. Heaven will be primarily about relationships. Our relationship with God together is most important. Our relationship with one another is also quite important in heaven. The church as the body of Christ is more important to our Lord than the individual as hand or foot.
We are not far different from the Jews who did not see that Jesus came to deliver our spirits through His death and resurrection but thought that He would deliver them in the physical realm by overthrowing Rome through military might and delivering national deliverance for Israel. We tend to value far more Jesus’ death and resurrection for the good things it can give us in the way of physical blessings like health and wealth. We value less the making of our spirits more like Jesus, even though this brings the innumerable blessings of the kingdom of heaven now and forever after we leave these bodies behind.
This book invites us all to place the development of our spirits where it belongs – first place in our lives. To prioritize the growth of our spirits into the likeness of Jesus expands worship, defeats the devil, and prepares us for life in heaven forever . This book will explain how allowing the Holy Spirit to bring out of our new creation in Christ through Faith Together the transformation of our spirits for the wonderful life God has for us now and forever.
The Togethers of Scripture, while certainly not complete, consolidate hundreds of Scriptures into 65 things God wants us to do when we are together. This Faith Together obeys God’s interdependent design of the human race and forces the change in our spirits that makes us like Jesus and prepares us for heaven. Awaiting us there in heaven is a life where relationships are more important than experiences and in the spirit more than in the flesh. Relationship together with God and relationship with one another is what heaven is all about. The many pleasures there, from the feast to unimaginable opportunities, all exist to enhance our relationship with God and one another.
This can be likened to a ski trip with friends. The fun activity is for the relationship of the friends. Otherwise, the ski trip could have been taken with strangers. And, if the ski vacation was taken with strangers, in God’s perspective, the people are still more important than the skiing. Heaven will be primarily about relationships. Our relationship with God together is most important. Our relationship with one another is also quite important in heaven. The church as the body of Christ is more important to our Lord than the individual as hand or foot.
We are not far different from the Jews who did not see that Jesus came to deliver our spirits through His death and resurrection but thought that He would deliver them in the physical realm by overthrowing Rome through military might and delivering national deliverance for Israel. We tend to value far more Jesus’ death and resurrection for the good things it can give us in the way of physical blessings like health and wealth. We value less the making of our spirits more like Jesus, even though this brings the innumerable blessings of the kingdom of heaven now and forever after we leave these bodies behind.
This book invites us all to place the development of our spirits where it belongs – first place in our lives. To prioritize the growth of our spirits into the likeness of Jesus expands worship, defeats the devil, and prepares us for life in heaven forever . This book will explain how allowing the Holy Spirit to bring out of our new creation in Christ through Faith Together the transformation of our spirits for the wonderful life God has for us now and forever.
Now all of us, with our faces unveiled, reflect the glory of the Lord as if we are mirrors; and so we are being transformed, metamorphosed, into His same image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it.
2 Cor 3:18 (The Voice Bible)
|
The more we go to heaven like Jesus, the more will open up for us in heaven forever. Every challenging situation is an opportunity to be conformed into Jesus’ character and yields benefits in heaven for all eternity.
If we have difficult marriages, friendships and/or kids, we can rejoice that such relationships will require changing more into the image of Jesus. As irritating or painful a situation might be, it is an opportunity to have our spirits grow for this life, and, what is not emphasized enough, for heaven.
If we have difficult marriages, friendships and/or kids, we can rejoice that such relationships will require changing more into the image of Jesus. As irritating or painful a situation might be, it is an opportunity to have our spirits grow for this life, and, what is not emphasized enough, for heaven.
Although training your body has certain payoffs,
godliness benefits all things—holding promise for life here and now
and promise for the life that is coming.
1 Tim 4:8 (The Voice Bible)
godliness benefits all things—holding promise for life here and now
and promise for the life that is coming.
1 Tim 4:8 (The Voice Bible)
That is why suffering is called a blessing in Scripture.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Rom 5:3-5
|
Therefore, regardless of God’s will for employment, marriage, business, and other lesser considerations, God’s primary will for our life is already happening. Everything we face in our day-to-day existence is God’s will for our lives because it is those things that give us the opportunity to become a little more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Every meeting we have with another Christian requires obedience to at least one of the Togethers and its foundational Scriptures. If it is easy, it is a way to glorify God but might not stretch our spirits more into Jesus’ character. To spend time with a spouse in some vacation spot may be fun and trouble-free, but it will not produce spiritual growth like needing to take care of a sick spouse in spite of a busy schedule. The second is difficult and has potential for the growth of a Christian’s spirit that will honor God and produce spiritual abilities in heaven.
We can start to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and let God the Potter shape us into the image of His Son by thinking about the character of Jesus.
Every meeting we have with another Christian requires obedience to at least one of the Togethers and its foundational Scriptures. If it is easy, it is a way to glorify God but might not stretch our spirits more into Jesus’ character. To spend time with a spouse in some vacation spot may be fun and trouble-free, but it will not produce spiritual growth like needing to take care of a sick spouse in spite of a busy schedule. The second is difficult and has potential for the growth of a Christian’s spirit that will honor God and produce spiritual abilities in heaven.
We can start to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and let God the Potter shape us into the image of His Son by thinking about the character of Jesus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, . . .
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
Jesus began our transformation by giving us spiritual life through his substitutionary death. He perfects our faith when we look at Him long and hard enough to become more and more like Him. If we can learn how Jesus loved his disciples day by day on the roads of Israel, then we will know what loving character we want. We will learn the specifics of how Jesus wants us to be like Him in our inner circle of Christian friends and relatives through the Togethers of Scripture.
Thus, the Togethers can be a blueprint for changing into the image of Jesus Christ. In commanding us to love one another in our closest Christian relationships as He had loved his disciples (John 13:34), Jesus showed us the way to become like Him.
Thus, knowledge about and practice of the Togethers should consume us. Every Christian needs to find time to put them into practice, within all contexts and especially with his or her closest Christian friends and relatives. Without this, we will only know about the character of Jesus, not truly become more and more like Him.
There is so much in our character that needs to change. We must avoid thinking that we are presently very much like Jesus. It would be unfortunate to go to heaven with minimal likeness to our Lord, unaware of our shortcomings, just because we wanted to think too highly of ourselves. We must spend the rest of our days letting the Holy Spirit change us more and more by revealing Christ’s superiority.
When we examine each of the 65 Togethers, we need humility. Before we say to ourselves, “I do that!”, we need to ask, “Do I do this to the extent Jesus did?”
Rather than assure ourselves that we are doing okay, let us embrace that God’s grace is special to us particularly because we are not okay. Being “not okay” is not dangerous because the penalty for being “not okay” has already been paid.
We Christians too often assure ourselves that we are “not all that bad” because we compare ourselves to those outside of the faith, those who are not empowered by the Spirit of God. Or we compare ourselves to other believers.
Perhaps we think that working to conform ourselves to Jesus is not necessary because we believe that simply walking through the gates of heaven will make us perfect. And, by that we mean “complete” – that we will know everything we did not learn and be changed into a replica of Christ without making all the biblical choices necessary for that to happen.
Yes, we will enter heaven completely sinless because only that which is like Jesus will be admitted – the new self. However, there is so much in the Bible that instructs us to seek godliness that it is mere wishful thinking that we will be totally transformed just by death and entrance into heaven.
Thus, we need to continually make decisions to let the Holy Spirit take us to greater levels of Christlikeness and worship. If we are to grow spiritually, if we are to really prepare for heaven, we need to compare ourselves only to Jesus. All our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) because every thing we do comes short of the perfect mark of Jesus. That is why He is the Teacher. That is why He is the Master. He is just plain better. And, if we are smart, we will want to grow to be more and more like Him, even though we will never reach His perfection in anything.
Every time we become a little bit more like Jesus, He lives in us a little more. We can adopt in incremental measures the thinking and behaviors of Jesus. For that we need a blueprint. The Togethers of Scripture is that guide and will help us greatly to behave more and more like Jesus. Growth in each Together will require thinking and behaving more and more like Him.
Let us take one of the Togethers, “Bear with One Another”, and use it as an example. In bearing with other Christians, we do not react to their objectionable behavior by rejecting or judging them. Nor do we let their behavior take away our peace and security in Christ. Often we have to also forgive them as Colossians 3:13 commands, “bear with each other and forgive”.
God puts up with us and our waywardness many times every day. Jesus put up with his disciples’ lack of understanding and Peter’s denial on the way to the crucifixion. We should want to walk through the gates of heaven as much like Jesus in bearing with others who sin against us, irritate us, really make us mad, let us down, or simply seem silly.
First of all, we must not foolishly think that we do this Together acceptably – at least not very well. Sure, we can think of some people we put up with without judging them or avoiding them. Good for us – a great start. But, let’s not give ourselves a good grade at bearing with one another. Contrasting ourselves with Jesus, we should realize we have quite a way to go.
No problem. We can grow in Christlikeness. We can purposely seek to identify kinds of people we do not put up with, who irritate us or we write them off as not important. And, in prayer and Bible study we can change our thinking about them until, in our minds and actions, we no longer reject or avoid or judge them, only their thinking and behavior, but not them as people.
Perhaps there is an ex-brother-in-law who treated our sister very badly. And, we see him every time one of our nieces or nephews has a school function we attend. Jesus would put up with him, not let the man negatively affect His feelings and ruin the event, and maybe even greet him politely. Not easy, but possible when we work at bringing Jesus and his ways into our lives, being crucified with Christ and having Him live in us.
In a similar way, each of the other 64 Togethers can change our spirits to make us more like Jesus. Faith Together brings forth the very nature of Christ in us. Christian relationships guided by obedience to those Scriptures that are represented by the Togethers are the means to significantly change our spirits into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Thus, the Togethers can be a blueprint for changing into the image of Jesus Christ. In commanding us to love one another in our closest Christian relationships as He had loved his disciples (John 13:34), Jesus showed us the way to become like Him.
Thus, knowledge about and practice of the Togethers should consume us. Every Christian needs to find time to put them into practice, within all contexts and especially with his or her closest Christian friends and relatives. Without this, we will only know about the character of Jesus, not truly become more and more like Him.
There is so much in our character that needs to change. We must avoid thinking that we are presently very much like Jesus. It would be unfortunate to go to heaven with minimal likeness to our Lord, unaware of our shortcomings, just because we wanted to think too highly of ourselves. We must spend the rest of our days letting the Holy Spirit change us more and more by revealing Christ’s superiority.
When we examine each of the 65 Togethers, we need humility. Before we say to ourselves, “I do that!”, we need to ask, “Do I do this to the extent Jesus did?”
Rather than assure ourselves that we are doing okay, let us embrace that God’s grace is special to us particularly because we are not okay. Being “not okay” is not dangerous because the penalty for being “not okay” has already been paid.
We Christians too often assure ourselves that we are “not all that bad” because we compare ourselves to those outside of the faith, those who are not empowered by the Spirit of God. Or we compare ourselves to other believers.
Perhaps we think that working to conform ourselves to Jesus is not necessary because we believe that simply walking through the gates of heaven will make us perfect. And, by that we mean “complete” – that we will know everything we did not learn and be changed into a replica of Christ without making all the biblical choices necessary for that to happen.
Yes, we will enter heaven completely sinless because only that which is like Jesus will be admitted – the new self. However, there is so much in the Bible that instructs us to seek godliness that it is mere wishful thinking that we will be totally transformed just by death and entrance into heaven.
Thus, we need to continually make decisions to let the Holy Spirit take us to greater levels of Christlikeness and worship. If we are to grow spiritually, if we are to really prepare for heaven, we need to compare ourselves only to Jesus. All our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) because every thing we do comes short of the perfect mark of Jesus. That is why He is the Teacher. That is why He is the Master. He is just plain better. And, if we are smart, we will want to grow to be more and more like Him, even though we will never reach His perfection in anything.
Every time we become a little bit more like Jesus, He lives in us a little more. We can adopt in incremental measures the thinking and behaviors of Jesus. For that we need a blueprint. The Togethers of Scripture is that guide and will help us greatly to behave more and more like Jesus. Growth in each Together will require thinking and behaving more and more like Him.
Let us take one of the Togethers, “Bear with One Another”, and use it as an example. In bearing with other Christians, we do not react to their objectionable behavior by rejecting or judging them. Nor do we let their behavior take away our peace and security in Christ. Often we have to also forgive them as Colossians 3:13 commands, “bear with each other and forgive”.
God puts up with us and our waywardness many times every day. Jesus put up with his disciples’ lack of understanding and Peter’s denial on the way to the crucifixion. We should want to walk through the gates of heaven as much like Jesus in bearing with others who sin against us, irritate us, really make us mad, let us down, or simply seem silly.
First of all, we must not foolishly think that we do this Together acceptably – at least not very well. Sure, we can think of some people we put up with without judging them or avoiding them. Good for us – a great start. But, let’s not give ourselves a good grade at bearing with one another. Contrasting ourselves with Jesus, we should realize we have quite a way to go.
No problem. We can grow in Christlikeness. We can purposely seek to identify kinds of people we do not put up with, who irritate us or we write them off as not important. And, in prayer and Bible study we can change our thinking about them until, in our minds and actions, we no longer reject or avoid or judge them, only their thinking and behavior, but not them as people.
Perhaps there is an ex-brother-in-law who treated our sister very badly. And, we see him every time one of our nieces or nephews has a school function we attend. Jesus would put up with him, not let the man negatively affect His feelings and ruin the event, and maybe even greet him politely. Not easy, but possible when we work at bringing Jesus and his ways into our lives, being crucified with Christ and having Him live in us.
In a similar way, each of the other 64 Togethers can change our spirits to make us more like Jesus. Faith Together brings forth the very nature of Christ in us. Christian relationships guided by obedience to those Scriptures that are represented by the Togethers are the means to significantly change our spirits into the likeness of Jesus Christ.