Series: Christ in Us
Sun am 27 March 2011 – Kobus Swart
Rom. 8:18-30; Matt.5:6; Heb. 10:26; 1 John 2:4-5; 2 Cor. 3:6, 12-18; James 1:21-24
The invisible God decided to become visible in Jesus Christ the First Born – the pioneer of our salvation; He was the Word made flesh. There is a corporate son that is busy following in His footsteps; He came to bring many sons to glory. God will become visible again in the corporate son.
God created Adam and Eve in His image, in His likeness. Adam and Eve fell in sin but then Jesus came and redeemed the original plan of God. Everything we do as Church, that is not contributing to the formation of His image and likeness in us, is of no use and is invalid. We have to present every man complete in Christ! (Col 1:28). There should be a proceeding word that will have one focus – to restore the image of Christ in believers. This is our mandate.
When this Living Word is received it is bound to cause shakings in our lives, it will put the spotlight on things that should not be there. God is chiseling away to remove everything that does not look like Him, so that what is left resembles Him accurately. We are looking for an accurate representation of Christ in the earth. Only then He will say, “Go forth and multiply.” He predestined us to become conformed to the image of His Son! (Rom 8:29).
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). The only way this works effectively for us is when we have work together with Him when the Spirit of God puts His finger on something in us that has to change. If we do not bring adjustment or change we will repeat the same mistake down the road. We cannot gamble with God’s grace.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:7-10). It is all about having the image of Christ restored. Satan will do anything to contaminate and mislead us in order to stop that from happening.
…but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. But unto this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their heart. But whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Cor. 3:14-16). We can sit in a meeting and the Word of God can be read, but it can be no more than a letter to us, we can’t hear it or understand it, …for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6). We must hear and catch the Spirit of God in the Word.
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18). We are transformed when we look into the mirror of His Word. What do we see in that mirror of the Word? We see ourselves; we see Christ! It is about being transformed into the image of the Son. Then don’t leave without becoming a doer of the Word. If we want God to make everything work together for good in our lives, we need this heart attitude and we will be transformed.