The Transformed Life

THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Acts 9

True saving faith is not faith in the facts but faith in a person, Jesus Christ.

And it is not mental ascent or agreement. ... "it is a firm conviction that leads to conduct".

Where there is no accompanying conduct... it is just head belief.

True belief causes a transformation on the inside (thoughts, trust, motives, desires) that causes a transformation on the outside (words, deeds).

This week I want to talk about TRANSFORMATION ... The Transformed Life.

But I want to start with a question: Can anyone really be transformed?

Psychologists say “yes, we have everything from positive thinking to electro- shock therapy

but psychology can’t do it.

Educators say education can do it... we just have smarter criminals.

Some say prisons can do it through rehabilitation ... but we can't build enough prisons for the "repeat" offenders

Some believe economics can do it... and you have the welfare debacle ... mess.

None of them work.

In fact, you begin to query the question in Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his

skin or the leopard his spots?"

The answer to that question is the same as the answer to my original question

Can the leopard change his spots?

Can anyone really be transformed?

YES but he cannot change himself... ONLY GOD CAN DO IT?

Soap can't do it.. ... Jeremiah 2:22 "Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the

stain of your iniquity is before me ", declares the Lord.

The song said, “What the world needs now is love sweet love." But can love do it?

9:4 says "Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor. And do not trust any brother. Because a brother deals craftily. and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.

Even firmer laws or corrections can't do it. 2:30 "In vain did I strike your sons, they accept no chastening."

THERE IS NO OUTSIDE FORCE THAT CAN CHANGE A MAN!!!!

Man does not have an "outside" problem...... IT IS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM

9:1-4 READ

Jeremiah 17: The heart is more deceitful than anything else. It is desperately sick. No one can

understand it.

Pendleton version ... The natural heart of man is a cesspool, churning out moral and spiritual filth. It is critically ill, unbelievably wicked. It is beyond any man's ability to understand.

That is not an outside problem. Yes we live in a world that is a moral abyss, bottomless pit. It seems there is no limit to the pornography and lust in our culture.

But our problem is not an outside problem... what we live among.

OUR PROBLEM IS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM

WHAT WE HAVE ALLOWED ON THE INSIDE.

WHAT WE ARE LIKE INSIDE. NATURALL Y

God gave his diagnosis in Isaiah 1: 5 "The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, whelps and raw wounds.

Believe me... when the scripture talks about being transformed... it does not mean improved or healed, or fixed. God did not say you are a little off and just need to be tuned-up... HE HAS TO START ALL OVER AND MAKE YOU TOT ALLY NEW!!!!

Transformation is not putting a new suit on an old man .. it is putting a new man in a new suit.

2 Cor. 5:17 God says, "Therefore, if any wan is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, all things are new!"

In chapter 9 of Acts .. we have the pattern for a transformed like ..... Saul/Paul.

Who was Saul?? The world's worst sinner, lived to hurt and murder true believers, he blasphemed Christ, he blasphemed the Holy Spirit, he was a hit man, a hireling of dirty politicians, he absolutely hated Christians more than anything in the world, He rejoiced in killing all who name the name of Christ.

But look at what we have in 1 Thess. 2:7-13 READ

Philippians 1: 18, I rejoice in preaching Christ.

NOW THAT IS A TRANSFORMED LIFE!!!!!

HOW??????? BY CHRIST… FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

6 Ideal Characteristics of the Transformed Life

1. FAITH IN THE SAVIOR. vv 1-9

Not head faith …faith that brings convictions that lead to new life, new thoughts, new actions NEW CREATURE!!!!

Faith in Who He Is pre-existent Son of God

God in the flesh

creator of everything

Messiah

Eternal judge, at right hand of God

What He Did fleshly incarnation

sinless life

substitutionary death

vicarious suffering

bodily resurrection

ascended to heaven, to the right hand

What He Will Do Come again as victor over death, grave, and evil

Rapture all true believers to eternal heaven

Damn all unbelievers to eternal hell

Rule eternally as Lord of Lords and King of Kings