How many are the Christians who can quote Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Yet how few are the believers who can quote the 29th verse wherein God informs us just WHAT is this good God is seeking to work in us! I quote: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Yes, there is awesome purpose in our being called by God to become members of the Body of Christ. It is not merely to save us from eternal death or even to inherit the splendors of heaven. It goes far beyond that and begins in the here and now! God is literally creating a family of spirit sons (ladies included) – what the Bible calls, “sons of light.” (See Hebrews 12:9; James 1:17; John 12:36; Matthew 5:14-16 and I Corinthians 15:40-42). As sons of light, we are called out of the darkness and misunderstanding of this world. And we are called to walk in holiness and purity in this present physical body so as to be a burning and shining light in whatever generation we happen to be born into. Satan hates this doctrine and truth and blinds countless numbers of believers from seeing it. (That is why every warning to beware of spiritual deception is directed to believers? See I John 4:1; 2 Peter 3:17; James 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:3, etc.)
God places teachers in the body of Christ “for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (spiritually complete, mature) man, TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Let’s not water that down or try to “interpret” it. Those words mean exactly what they say. It is God’s clearly stated intention to conform or mold YOU into the very spiritual image of Jesus Christ, so that upon our Lord’s return He can be presented with a resplendently pure bride that is “glorious…not having spot (of sin) or wrinkle (of impurity), or any such thing, but that she should be HOLY and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). Remember, God has COMMANDED us “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (See I Peter 1:16). Would God give His human followers a commandment He knew good and well could not be obeyed? Peter goes on to say that Jesus Christ “left us an example that you should follow Him, WHO DID NO SIN!” (See I Peter 2:21-22). He further stated that we are to be “dead to sins” and “should live unto righteousness” (See 1 Peter 2:24).
Where do believers get the warped, and frankly satanic, idea that believers cannot break with sin, that sin has been, is now, and ever shall be an insurmountable obstacle for the fully surrendered child of God. (If you, my reader, have used Romans 7 for excusing sin in your Christian life, I urge you to read another of my posted articles entitled “Paul – A Perfected Believer!”)
The apostle Paul says, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (See Romans 5:1). How can I have peace with God if I keep sinning day in and day out? Sin interrupts our peace with God. Our conscience is bothered. We feel a distance developing between ourselves and God when we sin. A believer is to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), a life of joy unspeakable and full of glory – not a life of constant defeat and subsequent depression! Paul says that the believer is “made free from sin” (Romans 6:18). The tempter’s power is broken. Finally, I can say “NO!” to the pulls of the flesh.
Paul told the believers at Corinth that the life of Jesus is to be made manifest IN OUR MORTAL FLESH! (See 2 Corinthians 4:11). Satan would have us believe that the flesh is stronger than God’s Holy Spirit and that as long as we are in the flesh we will do the deeds of the flesh. That is a devil’s LIE! “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2). Yes, dead to sin NOW. Turn a deaf ear to the preacher that says none of us will be free from sin as long as we live in these physical, fleshly bodies. The deceiver is then saying our death frees us from sin, not Christ’s death. We then become our own savior – not Christ! What a satanic teaching that is!
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). We don’t gain the victory over sin through our own human strength and efforts. GOD gives us the victory via the Holy Spirit. “Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Don’t look at your weakness. Look at HIS strength. “Look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). “Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves (through HIS strength) from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). God help you to understand is my hope and prayer.
Christ’s servant (Galatians 1:10),
Donald Wiley