Spirit #7 – The Christian Journey is about Work and Change

Workings of the Holy Spirit

courtesy Dean Williams 2012

Salvation came to us by grace through faith based on the works of Christ; and now, Christians have an obligation to do our own works because of God’s free gift.

Scripture says we are to “put off” our old self, “renew” the attitude of our minds, and “put on” the new self that God created to be like him (Eph. 4:22-24 NIV). Few churches, however, preach on doing our own works—such as “put off”, “renew”, and “put on”—because few understand that life and incorruption are contained in these verses.

1. The reason we put off our old self is because it is still tied to lustful desires that continue to corrupt our spirit, soul, and body (Eph. 4:22 NIV).

2. The reason we renew the attitude of our minds is to rid ourselves of a mindset whose focus is on death (Heb. 9:27), and to embrace the abundant life Christ came to give us (John 10:10; John 11:26).

3. The reason we put on the new self is because God created the new self to be like him—incorruptible and full of life (2 Peter 1:4).

Jesus did his work and said “It is finished”.

Then he sent his Spirit to work: to change (mĕtamŏrphŏō) us into the Lord’s likeness from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). But his Spirit doesn’t change all Christians. His Spirit changes only those who contemplate, ponder, and reflect upon—his glory!

Isn’t it time you got to work, Christian?

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Scriptures marked “NIV” are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Other Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Life #4 – To Live is Christ



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To live—so we never die—is a process. Our process is revealed in Romans 6:5, where we are closely united together with Jesus in his death and resurrection. On one hand, we take to the cross all lifestyles that cater to our former corrupt self. On the other, our minds and affections rise to things above, fixed where Christ is (Colossians 3:1, 2).

We:

1. grow up into the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13);
2. put on the new self, created to be like God in holiness and righteousness (Ephesians 4:24 NIV)
3. transform ourselves and renew our mind to prove God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:2);
4. have the intellect of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16);
5. bring forth properties of Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23);
6. live; yet not us, but Christ (Galatians 2:20 KJV);
7. behold him as his Spirit transforms us into the Lord’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

From inception to completion, our confession should be “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21).
Jesus rendered death useless and made us joint heirs with him (2 Timothy 1:9, 10; Romans 8:17). Having equipped ourselves with renewed minds, we may lay claim to our life-inheritance today.

God planned that we conform to his Son’s image (Romans 8:29). This New Year, if we work out our salvation according to God’s plan, then we have not fallen short of God’s grace, which is Christ in us the hope of glory (Galatians 2:21; Hebrews 12:15; Colossians 1:27) .
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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.