Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I'm not who I used to be

2Co 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2Co 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
2Co 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.


I'm not who I used to be, I'm a different man because of my faith in Christ. I am, as Paul writes, "a new creature." Now, I'm not a superman, I don't have special powers that I can suddenly use if only I took off my "suit." But I am a different man. I am now indwelt by the very spirit of God, I have his Holy Spirit in me, his very presence giving me the ability and power to live the life I can't live on my own. In some ways I am like superman- there is something others can't see, there is a power available to me that I can depend upon. It's God's power, working in and through me, to conform me to the image of Christ.

Now here is the secret that most people don't know- my old man, my sin nature, NEVER gets any better. No matter how hard I try the me who needed Christ so badly is still in desperate need of him every moment. I am always going to be a fallen man in need of a savior.

I am only different as I allow the Spirit of God in me to live HIS life through me. It's God in me, living through me, that makes me different. Only as I "unzip" me and allow HIM to live through me will people see God in my life.

It's encouraging to me that He is all I need for life and godliness, and makes it available to me whenever I allow him to be Lord in my life.

I don't look like him yet, but every day he is working in me, and soon, one day, perhaps I will hear it......someone will say, "Hey, you looked like Jesus when you did that! Well done!"

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praise God!

What a fantastic picture.

You, me, everyone who is in Christ is being transformed into the image of the son. How amazing that we can participate in the process.

Thanks for helping me along.
(this is Brandon - couldn't post normally)

Anonymous said...

I think it's amazing that God even WANTS to transform ME! Great picture - thanks for the grin.

Schweers Mom

Anonymous said...

Hi, Mike -- I'm a friend of Joye's (from online! -- thanks for the pile of books, btw!!!) :-D

I love this picture! And, your post reminded me of what I read in Steve Brown's book, "A Scandalous Freedom" -- have you read that? It's a fantastic book! :o)

Thanks for the reminders. ;)

Mike Messerli said...

D- on the books- you are welcome. It was a real treat for us to do that.

on Steve Brown's book, no I haven't read it, but I like his work. I'll look into it.

Let me know what you think of the different books as you read them.

thanks, Mike