At Work Within

This includes the Seven Truths of Transformation

AT WORK WITHIN

Embracing God’s Transformation Power in You

I. In His Image – The goal of your salvation is transformation into His image

a. Romans 1:15-16 (ESV) 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

i. In these verses, Paul explains that the Gospel is “God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes”—not just when they first believe but also as they continue to believe.

ii. According to Paul, you are not just to enter God’s Kingdom through the Gospel message, but you are to continue in the Gospel, living by the same faith in Jesus Christ that got you in.

iii. Paul didn’t have two messages; he preached the Gospel to the lost and continued to explain it to those already entered into it Romans 16:25; Galatians 1:6-7 (no other Gospel); Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8

b. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV) – For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God

i. In these verses Paul says that the message of the cross is for Christians who are “being saved.” He says the same thing a little further on in this same letter.

c. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 – Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

i. Although the thought might seem surprising at first, the Bible is clear that you are “being saved” by the Gospel. Now to be abundantly clear, the New Testament teaches that when you make a decision for Christ, you are saved.

d. Romans 10:10 (HCSB) – One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

i. You are saved and you are being save—both happen by the Gospel, which is the power of God. The first is instanteous and complete; the second is a process which you progressively grow into what was already accomplished for you.

e. 1 Peter 1:9 (HSCB) - …because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

i. Peter also wrote about “being saved.”

f. James 1:21 (HSCB) Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.

i. James also wrote about “being saved.”

g. Romans 5:9 (HCSB) Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.

i. Paul also wrote about a future aspect of your salvation.

ii. You are saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. The Gospel is the Good News of God’s love and what Jesus did for you, and it encompasses all three aspects of your salvation: past, present, and future. Paul wanted to go to Rome and preach the Gospel to the Christians there because he knew how important it was for them to understand not just how to get into the Kingdom but how to live and grow within the Kingdom.

h. Genesis 1:26 (HCSB) – Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

i. Prior to this point in the creation story, the emphasis seemed to be on God the Father. In this verse, however, the plan to make humankind is revealed to be something God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all agreed to do together. According to God’s Word, the decision to send Jesus to die for you was made before God said, “Let there be light” (see 1 Peter 1:20 and Revelation 13:8). That means that God’s “et Us conversation was not merely talking about Adam being created with God-like attributes but was prophetically looking forward to you being created new in Christ Jesus.

i. Romans 8:29 (HCSB) For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

i. God foreknew and predestined you to be “conformed to the image of His Son.” When did he foreknow and predestine this? When He said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Furthermore, the Bible tells you that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.

j. Colossians 1:15 (HCSB) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

i. So when God said “Let Us make man in Our Image,” He was talking about His plan to create you in Christ, who is the image of God. This is a key thought! God knew that humankind would lose His image in the fall, and He already planned for you to regain it and to fully realize it in Christ.

ii. But why does Genesis 1:26 use both the word image and likeness? The word “image” seem to describe God’s intent for you to have His nature and become Christlike, but what about the other word: “likeness?” If God meant “likeness” to show that His intent was for you to look like Him – two arms, two legs, etc—that creates a problem. God the Father doesn’t literally have a physical body and look like a man. But Jesus does!

iii. The word image here is not referring to physical likeness, but is translated from the Hebrew words tselem and demut, both meaning essential nature, copy, characteristics, and essence. This denotes that man as a spirit being is an expression of God’s moral and spiritual nature and his attributes make him ‘godlike,” and place Him above and beyond all earthly creation. In essence, man was created by God in the god-class and was given the responsibility to exercise that quality as God’s agent on earth.

k. Philippians 2:7-8 (HCSB) Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.

i. Jesus was God’s plan from the start, and Genesis 1:26 prophetically looked forward to Jesus coming, being born as a man, and taking on human likeness (“taking on the likeness of men…as a man in His external form”). God the Son—Jesus Christ---has two arms and two legs, and He’ll have His resurrected body forever. Jesus became like you so that you could be like Him (image and likeness). At the end of this age, you will receive your glorified body, which will be like Jesus’ current heavenly body—and God’s original and full intent for “likeness” will be completely realized.

l. Philippians 3:21 (HCSB) He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself (See also 1 John 3:2.)

i. God intended to fulfill His desire to make you in both His “image and likeness” by sending His Son. The Gospel was proclaimed in Genesis 1:26. The real important thing, however, is how that affects you today as you live your life as a Christian. Your body isn’t junk that is somehow made special because God decided to live in you. Jesus designed your body (John 1:1-3) knowing He’d have one forever and that you’d be the temple of God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)—built by God, for God. In realizing this, you need to treat your body as much more than a disposal earth suit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

ii. However, for the moment I’d like to focus on the image part—how that affects your everyday Christian life and what it shows you about the goal of “being saved.” So

II. His Disciples – Jesus wants to transform you personally by discipling you from within

III. Righteousness and Grace – You can be transformed from within because Jesus gave you His righteousness, and he empowers you by His grace.

IV. From Faith to Faith – Everything you need to be transformed from within has been supplied, but it won’t happen by itself; you need to receive it and walk in it by faith.

V. All Things New – Jesus redeemed everything about you so that your transformation could be successful and completed.

VI. The Renewing Of Your Mind – Having your mind renewed with God’s Word is an essential part of your transformation.

VII. Transforming Prayer – Knowing what the Spirit taught about prayer through James, John and Paul will help you pray through your transformation.

VIII. Conclusion – Making Disciples – Getting back on track with the Great Commission