C H A N G E

I’m All Right The Way I Am!

When I was growing up, I used to go to church on Sunday, but I lived like I wanted to the rest of the week. For me, going to church on Sunday was only an obligation I had to fulfill in order to justify my sinful behavior the rest of the week. Later, I came to a Bible study group with my same attitude. I had no desire to change or grow as a Christian. But as time went on, and after I experienced God’s discipline, I discovered that we as Christians should have a desire to change and grow into Christ-likeness. So let’s find out what change is, why we should change, why people don’t have the desire to change, and how we can change. Hopefully, you, too, will see that we as Christians should change into Christ-likeness.

First, what is “change?”

According to The American Oxford Dictionary, 1980, to change means “to pass from one state to another.” Another word for change is grow. We as Christians should want to change or grow into Christ-likeness. To grow means to increase. How should we increase? Well, according to Ephesians 4:15, the Bible says, “We are to grow up in all aspects into Him.” According to Walvoord and Zuck’s Bible Knowledge Commentary, “We should have as our goal to be like Christ in all our character.” As Christ was loving, forgiving, kind, patient, giving, selfless, diligent, obedient, righteous, etc., so should we.

Second, why should we change or grow as Christians?

We should change as Christians because God wants us to. Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” What are we predestined for? We are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. In other words, we are to be Christ-like. 1 Peter 1:15 says, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 843 states that Christians are “ to reflect not their former ignorance but the holy nature of their heavenly Father who gave them new birth and called them to be His own.” So we as Christians should be changing and becoming more like Christ.

Another reason to change is because we should be living our lives fully for God. Matthew 22:36-38 says, “to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.” How do you show your love for God? We show our love for God by obeying Him. John 14:15 says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.” I asked one person why he has a desire to change and become more Christ-like, and he said, “I desire to please God, and to please God, I must change some of my present actions and thoughts because they are not what God says He wants from me. Also, as His child, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am not my own; God owns me; therefore, I must change.” God owns us; He created us; therefore, we need to do His will and not our own. I asked this person if we should obey all of God’s commands or just a certain few. He said, “I have no right to pick and choose what I want to obey. I am under God’s ownership or possession. Also, it shows who that Christian really loves. By not being totally obedient, the Christian forfeits rewards and invites God’s discipline.” God owns us. We are His possession. The more that we obey God, the more we become Christ-like. I have seen dramatic changes in people’s lives in very short periods of time. I know a person who became a Christian about 3½ years ago. This person is now obeying God by training Christians to be Christ-like and by aggressively sharing his faith. Because this person has a desire to change, God has brought him a long way in a short period of time. When we as Christians surrender our lives and plans to God’s will instead of our own desires, then we become usable to God. What about you? Are you an active member of God’s army, or are you on the sidelines cheering others on? Are you what God wants you to be? Jesus said in Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me.” Are you with Christ or against Christ? By living a carnal or lukewarm Christian life, you are actually aiding or helping Satan’s kingdom. If you are not witnessing or sharing your faith, you are not furthering or adding to God’s kingdom, but letting people stay in Satan’s. A carnal Christian is a hindrance to the gospel. Non-Christians see the carnal Christian’s life and say, “Why should I become a Christian, there is no difference between him and me.” They also use this excuse, “Christianity is full of hypocrisy.” It is carnal Christians who project the wrong image of Christianity. People see a carnal Christian and then say that they don’t need any of that kind of religion because it doesn’t seem to help that person. Carnal Christians are a discouragement to genuine, sincere Christians. Non-Christians see spiritual Christians as fanatics in relation to a carnal Christian. Also, because carnal Christians don’t want to obey God, they criticize spiritual Christians and want them to tone down because they are being made to look bad. All of these things help Satan, not hinder him. Since Satan knows that a Christian will go to heaven, all he wants to do now is to hinder the Christian from obeying God. God hates lukewarmness or carnality. Rev. 3:15, 16 says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary, page 2469, says:

Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper or condition to have in the world. If religion is worth anything, it is worth everything. If God is God, then follow Him. If Baal be God, follow him. There is no room for neutrality. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in earnest either for Him or against Him. Lukewarm professors turn the heart of Christ against them. Lukewarmness is nauseous to Christ.

Most Christians have one foot in the world and one foot in heaven. They want the best of both worlds. They want to ride the fence. The Bible says in James 4:4, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 1 John 2:15-17 states, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; yet the one who does the will of God abides forever.” So the world is defined as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. The lust of the flesh is defined as people’s sensuous nature that excites to sin and can be mental or physical sin (Gal. 5:16, 17, 20; Matt. 26:41; Eph. 2:3). It includes the sins of gluttony (Prov. 23:21; Phil. 3:19), drunkenness (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:21), sexual lust (Matt. 5:27, 28; Prov. 6:23-25), and illicit drugs. The lust of the eyes includes the sins of coveting: things, objects, possessions, people, or riches (Ex. 20:17; Lk. 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:6-10). The boastful pride of life includes the sins of arrogance, self-importance, and pre-eminence, because of a person’s position, office, power, wealth, prestige, popularity, abilities, talents, intelligence, achievements, possessions, associations, etc. (Prov. 27:2; 25:14, 27; 26:12: Matt. 23:5-7, 12; Rom.12:3, 16; 1 Cor. 3:18; 4:6, 7; 8:1; 2 Cor. 10:12, 18; Gal. 6:3; Phil. 2:3; 1 Tim. 3:6; 6:17). Do you practice any of these things? Are you in the world? Are you an enemy of God? If you are, choose right now to change your sinful ways.

A third reason we should change is because we are to be like Jesus, by obeying God’s Word, the Bible. According to 1 Peter 2:22, Jesus was sinless/perfect. Can you say that? Yet, we are to be holy even as God is holy, according to 1 Peter 1:15. Jesus left us an example to follow. We are to be humble servants to other Christians, as John 13:14, 15 states. We are to patiently suffer for God’s cause and will, as Jesus did in 1 Peter 2:21.

A fourth reason to change is because we are to obey God’s commands and will. Are there areas in your life that need to be conformed to the image of Christ? If you think that you have made it or that you have arrived, then I challenge you to take a long and deep look into your character. Are you a patient person? If not, then you need to do what 1 Thes. 5:14b says, “be patient with all men.” What about pride? Do you think that you are inherently better or more important than other people? Are you as humble as Jesus? Prov. 16:5 says, “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” Are you an abomination to the Lord? Do you boast about your accomplishments? Prov. 27:2 says, “Let another praise you and not your own lips.” What about your tongue? James 1:26 says, “If anyone thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” Eph. 4:26 says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth but only such a word as is good for edification…” Are your words edifying? Or, do you cut other people down to try to build yourself up? Are you proud and boastful? Are you patient? Are you kind? Eph. 4:32 says, “And be kind to one another.” Do you get angry easily? Eph. 4:26 says, “be angry and yet do not sin.” And when you are angry, is it for the right reasons rather than because someone stepped on your toes? Are you jealous? 1 Cor. 13:4 says, “Love is not jealous.” Are you independent or a team player? Are you rebellious or submissive to authority? If you have a problem with any of these areas, then you need to change. You need to conform these areas and all things to the Lordship of Christ. Remember, we are commanded to be holy. Eph. 1:4 says, “just as He chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” Why should we change? Because God commands us to. For example, some people still have a problem with submission to authority. Their spiritual leader/authority asks them to do something, but they don’t do it. Or, if they do comply, it has to be in their way. This is called rebellion. Hebrew 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” If this group is your church home and you regard Don as your spiritual leader, then you are obligated to obey him. Whenever he instructs you from God’s Word, then you should obey him, as the Bible states. How many times has he instructed us to evangelize on a regular basis and build up other Christians spiritually? Are you submitting in obedience to your spiritual leader in this area of your life? There are some Christians who do not like to hear about evangelism and building up other believers spiritually. They only want to hear about topics that they know they can obey God in, or don’t have any problem with. Other people want to spiritually build up other Christians and witness, but they want to do it their way rather than the way Jesus and Paul did it. And since they don’t want to be submissive, they leave this group. God doesn’t like an independent, rebellious spirit. In fact, the Bible says in Prov. 16:5, “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” Though there are people here that are able to train them, they still believe that they can make it on their own. Or, how about some character trait your spiritual leader has confronted you about. Maybe you don’t agree that you have a problem in that area, but he thinks you do and even points out specific examples of deficiencies in your life. Yet, you resist and argue and don’t want to work on that character trait (whether it’s an attitude, habit, or speech problem). God tells us to be humble, not proud, to be obedient and respectful, not stubborn and obstinate, to comply, not be rebellious and independent. What will you do the next time your spiritual leader tells you to do something biblical or that is right and within his realm of authority to direct you in, but in which you don’t agree with or want to? Will you change? Will you humbly submit and become a co-operative, teachable person? Changing is what life is all about (Rom. 8:29). The Bible is our final authority; it was written or inspired by God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is inspired by God.” God created us. Did He create us to do our own thing and ignore Him? God created us to obey Him and to do His will. If He didn’t have a purpose for Christians remaining on earth, then He would take us to heaven immediately upon our conversion. Our purpose is to glorify Him. After all, He is the Creator, and we are His creation; therefore, obedience to Him should be our first and foremost priority.

A fifth reason to change is because every Christian will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, according to 2 Cor. 5:10. Many Christians will have to explain to God why he or she selfishly put their job, school, family, and time ahead of obeying Him. Are you going to be ashamed on that day? Some people are saying things like, “I want to go to school first before I obey God;” and, “ I want to get married and have a family first before I obey God.” Or, “I don’t have time to obey God in evangelism and building up other Christians now.” In fact, there are some people here who have been coming to this Bible study group for several years, but still are not witnessing regularly, if at all, and are still not building up spiritually other Christians. Why is this so? It seems that when we talk about building up other Christians and evangelism here, it doesn’t even phase these people any more. If it did, then the people in this group would be motivated to start doing these things. Instead, they aren’t. God’s commands are for all Christians, and not just a select few. I have heard some people say that they want to start witnessing, but they don’t. Some people say the right things in front of everyone else in order to act spiritual or look good in their eyes. If this is what you are doing, then think about this: the Bible says in Psalm 90:8, “Thou hast placed our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy presence.” You can fool other people by saying that you will witness and build up Christians, but you can never fool God. He knows all things, including our hearts. And if you don’t know how to witness or build up believers spiritually, then that is no excuse because that is what training groups are all about. We are here to help people learn how to do these things. We’re here to train people. Remember, James 4:17 says, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Do you realize that you’re in sin if you’re not actively sharing the gospel when you know you should and even have the resources to be trained in how to do it simply and effectively? And do you realize that you’re in sin, if you’re not taking steps to follow-up Christians you know, who would be willing to learn more about the Bible and how to grow as a Christian. Rev. 22:12 says, “Behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” According to John Walvoord in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 989, he states, “In connection with His return, which will be soon, a reward is promised to His saints for what they have done for Christ. The reference is to the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). The final judgments of both the wicked and the righteous will be judgments of works. This is the joyous expectation of those who are faithful, and the fear of those who have not been faithful.” What about you? Are you fearful of that day when Christ comes and raptures the Church, which could happen today? Or, are you looking forward to that day? 1 Cor. 3:14, 15 says, “if any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.” Are you going to be saved so as through fire with no rewards? Who are you living for, yourself or God? Are you materialistic? Do you have to have the latest in fashion and material possessions? Do you realize that we are going to be held accountable for how we spent our money? Everything that you own is God’s, and you need to make sure that you use your money for God’s kingdom, for His glory (1 Cor. 10:31). Some people know that they are materialistic, but will not change. They come to Bible study, read articles on money management, or do the Bible study on “Money, Riches, and Wealth”, and they will feel guilty and convicted, but they fail to do anything about it. They never change. Then, after the Bible study, you will hear than talking about jobs, clothes, cars, fancy perfumes, jewelry, sports, computers, etc. They are content in their sinfulness. Someday, these people who wasted a lot of their money on fancy clothes, jewelry, and other materialistic things will stand before God and answer to Him as to why they worked 40 plus hours a week, came home and watched TV, went out to eat, got fat, did a lot of other things for themselves, and didn’t have time for God. Do you fit this trend or mind-set in any way? Are you content in your materialistic sinfulness? Is your heart callused so that you don’t care about changing into a spiritually-minded person who has eternal values? For example, do you spend more time thinking about buying some new outfit than you spend time thinking about witnessing to your neighbors? Or, do you have a greater desire and excitement about watching sports on TV than you have for talking to God in prayer or reading your Bible? What is God going to have to do to make you come to grips with changing from being materialistic to having spiritual values? Matthew 6:19, 20 says, “Do not lay (store) up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay (store) up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary, page 1640, comments on verse 21, “Where your treasure is, on earth or in heaven, there will your heart be. We are, therefore, to be concerned to be right and wise in the choice of our treasure because the condition of our minds, and consequently the condition of our lives, will be either carnal or spiritual, earthly or heavenly. The heart follows the treasure.” Where is your heart today? Is it bent on earthly or worldly pleasures and sinful pursuits, or are you storing up for yourself treasures in heaven by seeking and saving the lost and being holy in Christ-like character? All of us will appear before God very soon. James 4:14 says that our lives are like vapors. Are you ready to stand before God and give an account of your life? If not, then decide right now to change and to do what it takes to become Christ-like. If you’re impatient, become patient. If you’re independent, stubborn, or rebellious, then because humble and submissive to authority.

Third, why don’t people have a desire to change into Christ-likeness?

First, it’s because of pride. Some people are content to stay just the way they are. They have the attitude that, “I am going to do what I want to do despite what the Bible says.” Or, they may even think that they are already doing what the Bible says, but really aren’t. They are self-deceived. They have blind spots in their lives that they fail to see. I know some people who realize that they should be having a personal quiet time with God everyday, but they aren’t. Some of these people have been Christians for years, but aren’t having their quiet times regularly. This is one of the first things that a new Christian should learn to do, but some Christians still are not. Psalm 199:11 says, “Thy word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against Thee.” Are you treasuring God’s Word is your heart? Out of the 24 hours that we have in each day, do you make time for everything that you want to do except for time with God? By not having a Bible reading and meditation time, it shows that “your” time is more important than God’s and that you don’t need God. Apparently, you believe that you can make it through the day on your own.

Another reason people don’t want to change is because of obvious character deficiencies which they know about, but due to self-centeredness refuse to change. These character flaws could include laziness. Prov. 18:9 says, “He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys.” There are people who will do anything to get out of work or to waste time when they know that there is work to be done. Some people say that they want to change, but they don’t do anything about it. It’s all talk and no action; just a lot of hot air. I think that some people just like to hear themselves talk or get people’s sympathy by putting themselves down and then sounding spiritual by saying they want to change. For example, some people say that they want to be disciplined/self-controlled, yet they fail to take the necessary steps in order to achieve this goal. As soon as someone suggests some exciting or fun activity, they impulsively go for it without thinking how the time spent in that activity is going to affect the rest of the day’s responsibilities and priorities. It’s like dominoes. One decision or activity affects another. For example, someone calls and asks if you want to go some place that sounds fun, so you say “yes.” By saying “yes” and going, it pushes your quiet time and prayer time out. You come back in the evening and you’re tired, but you know that you need to spend time with God in Bible reading and prayer. The undisciplined Christian fails to see these connections or the domino effect. Or, if he does see them, he doesn’t really care because he’d rather be impulsive and have fun than to be disciplined and be responsible. What it boils down to is pure hypocrisy, a spiritualized phoniness, saying you want to change when in reality you don’t really want to, unless you are self-deceived. Some people are impatient, and they use this excuse, “My parents are impatient, and I got that from them.” That excuse is no good because as Christians we are all indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and if we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, then all we have to do is be patient as an act of our will because one of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. I know a Christian who said, “I will be happy just to make it into heaven.” This person works at a restaurant/bar and says that all be cares about is going to school, getting a job, and making money. Unfortunately, for this person, the Bible says in Heb. 12:6, “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines.” If this Christian persists in disobeying God, he will lose rewards in heaven and incur God’s discipline. In reality, he is saying that his desires, goals, and ambitions are more important than obeying God.

Fourth, how does a person change and grow into Christ-likeness?

First of all, a person has to become a Christian. 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

The second step in to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Eph. 5:18 says, “…Be filled with the Spirit.” That is a command we must obey. The only way to please God is by being a Christian and by being controlled by the Holy Spirit since Rom. 8:7, 8 says, “…because the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God … and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Since a non-Christian has only one nature, which is the sinful nature, then it is absolutely impossible for Him to please God. As Christians, we also have a sin nature, but we have a new nature as well, and we can choose which one is in control of our lives at any given time. When we choose to sin, then we are controlled by our sin nature. When all of our sins are confessed and we are in fellowship with God, and we ask to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, then we are.

A third step in actually changing your life to be Christ-like in character and mission is by first desiring to change as an act of your will. Choose to change and obey God. Then obey God in every area of your life and not just in a few areas. Read the Bible daily. How can we know what to change, unless we read the Bible? God’s Word tells us both what and how to change. We need to have our quiet times “daily”, so that God can convict us of the things in our lives that we need to change. Many Christians say that they will change or start obeying God in this or that area of their lives, but they never do. Do not “lie” to yourself and others by saying you will do something, and then don’t. Don’t play games with yourself and God. Either you want to be spiritual, or you want to be carnal, but don’t pretend like you are going to obey God, then don’t. I know a Christian who told me, “I want to get life together, but God keeps disciplining me over and over.” By listening to this Christian say this, I reasoned that he was content in his carnality. He was defeated. Does God have to discipline you over and over and over before you finally realize that God wants all of you instead of little chunks or parts that you give Him? I have heard Christians say, “yeah, yeah, I’ll start witnessing tomorrow, or I’ll help other Christians grow spiritually”, but tomorrow never comes. Do you fall into this category? If so, choose to follow through with what you said you would do.

Are you going to blow God off and continue to live your life for your own selfish desires? Either progress or stagnate in your Christian life; it’s up to you. Which will it be? Begin changing today.