Conformed to His Image
Griffith Baptist Church – 8/10/08
A.M. Service
Text: Romans 8:29-30
Key verse: Romans 8:29 - For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The Introduction
During the US civil war Abraham Lincoln met with a group of ministers for a prayer breakfast. Lincoln was a man of deep, if at times unorthodox, faith. At one point one of the ministers said, "Mr. President, let us pray that God is on our side". Lincoln’s response showed far greater insight, "No, gentlemen, let us pray that we are on God’s side." If we want to know what God wants us to do, then we must first strive to live a life of conformity to Him.
CONFORM = To correspond in form or character; be similar.
In this world we are taught NOT to conform:
o We are taught individualism
o We are told not to be like everybody else, to be your own person
o We are told that conformity lowers self-esteem and self-worth
From the way things look, the world has given some bad advice and set itself on a wrong course
Of course, this advice has crept into the church and changed our theology
In God’s Word, we are told that conformity is a good and necessary virtue, when we are conformed to the Christ.
Before we begin to understand what being conformed to Christ’s image means and how we are to go about doing that, we need to deal with this process that we are going through in salvation.
1. Foreknow
A. To have knowledge beforehand
B. God sees that past, present and future as if it were all the present
C. 1st Pet. 1:2; 2; 2nd Tim. 2:19
2. Predestinate
A. To predetermine, to decide beforehand
B. To what – be conformed to the image of His Son
C. That is the destiny, from God’s viewpoint of every believer, and the subject of our message
3. Called
A. To invite, to give a name too
B. It is obvious that there are two aspects of this calling:
i. 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
ii. We are called out of something – out of darkness
iii. We are called to something – into His marvelous light
4. Justified
A. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous
B. Rom. 8:1.
5. Glorified
A. To cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged
B. This is yet future and is ultimate glory
C. This glory we will receive is never-ending - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we 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.
D. It is finally experienced in the presence of Christ - Colossians 3:4 – When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory
To be conformed to Christ’s image means, in this context, to be like Him presently in holy attitude and behavior and that one day we will be like Him in eternity
What does it mean to be conformed to Christ’s image? What does it mean to be like Jesus?
Transition Statement: To be like Jesus, our life needs to be directed by God’s will
Body
1. We should be Directed by God’s Will
A. David Livingstone tells how he was chased up a small tree and besieged by lions. He said the tree was so small that he was barely out of reach of the lions. He said they would stand on their back feet and roar and shake the little tree, and that he could feel the hot breath of the lions as they sought him. "But," he states, "I had a good night and felt happier and safer in that little tree besieged by lions, in the jungles of Africa, in the will of God, than I would have been out of the will of God in England."
B. The will of God is God’s perfect plan and desire. It is flawless and best and is determined by His character, knowledge, wisdom and eternal planning.
i. It can be specific (call to the ministry, or the call of a believer to a task or service)
ii. It can be general (such as here, being conformed to the image of Christ)
C. Christ’s Example
i. He taught His disciples to be concerned about this - Matthew 6:10 – 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
ii. He instructed us that the mark of true salvation and discipleship is doing God’s will - Matthew 7:21 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
iii. Even when faced with death, Christ’s main concern was the Father’s will - Matthew 26:42 – He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
D. The Believer’s Responsibility
i. Purposeful transformation - Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
ii. A Godly motivation - Ephesians 6:6 – Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
iii. A change in lifestyle - 1 Peter 4:2 – That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
E. This involves -
i. Separation from worldliness - 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 - 14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
ii. Purity - 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
iii. Thankfulness - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Transition Statement: Our life should also be dominated by God’s Word
2. We should be Dominated by God’s Word
A. The Word of God certainly has the power to change us completely - The story is told of a South Sea Islander who proudly displayed his Bible to a G.I. during WW II. He had received it as a present from a missionary some time before. The soldier said, “O, we’ve outgrown that sort of thing.” The native smiled back and said, “Well, it’s a good thing we haven’t, because if it weren’t for this book, you would be our evening meal.”
B. Christ’s Teaching
i. Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
ii. What God says is more important than your physical food
C. The Believer’s Responsibility
i. It should abide in us, mind and heart - Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
ii. You have heard the old, true proverb “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book” – Psalms 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
D. What it will do -
i. It will make us strong and help us overcome wickedness - 1 John 2:14 - I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
ii. It reveals our souls as they truly are - Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
iii. It’s end purpose is to change us and make us more a holy people - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Transition Statement: Also, we should be about the task of doing God’s work
3. We should be Doing God’s Work
A. Someone has written that there are four kinds of bones in the world. The WISH BONES who spend their time wishing someone else would do the work; The JAW BONES who do all the talking, but very little else; The KNUCKLE BONES who knock everything that anyone else is trying to do; The BACK BONES who shoulder the load and do the work;
B. Jesus Example - Acts 10:38 – How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
C. Our Responsibility - Ephesians 4:12-16 (read)
i. Perfecting of the saints – maturing (12)
ii. For the work of the ministry (12)
iii. Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ – goal
iv. A man called a pastor’s office at a church one day to inquire into membership in the church. He stated that he would not be able to get involved or anything, but he felt it was important to have some religious affiliation. The pastor advised this man that the church he pastored might not be the best fit for him, but he knew of a place where he would fit in quite nicely. The man asked about a phone number, but the pastor only gave him an address. On Sunday morning, the gentlemen followed the directions and pulled up into the yard of a delapidated building. The roof was falling in, the doors were locked, and vines were growing into the windows. This gentlemen called the pastor and told him that he had given him the wrong directions. "Oh no," the pastor replied. "Not at all. That is the place. That church has a membership roll filled with people who did not want to get involved or committed. That is what will always happen to a church whose members do not care about its success."
D. Our Privilege
i. Worship (Acts 2:42-47)
ii. Prayer (Acts 2:42-47)
iii. Fellowship (Acts 2:42-47)
iv. Soul Winning – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 - all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
v. Individual and corporate accountability (encouragement, exercise of gifts in the body, maintaining unity in the body of Christ, etc)
Transition Statement: Last, we should be demonstrating God’s welfare
4. We should be Demonstrating God’s Welfare (concern)
A. To do the work Christ began because it was on His Father’s heart and we carry it into the church
B. Christ’s Example
i. What He came to do - Luke 4:18-19 - 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
ii. His emotions over the lost - Luke 19:41 - And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, John 11:35 - Jesus wept.
C. Our Responsibility
i. Empathize with one another - Romans 12:15 – 16a - 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another.
ii. Forgive one another - Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
iii. Pursuers of peace and building up one another - Romans 14:19 – Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Conclusion:
How much of Christ’s image do you possess?
Maybe better to ask, how much of Christ’s image possesses you?
What is most important in your life?
What concerns you the most that dominates your time and thinking?
