“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:8-10 NKJV)
Prior to coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord we mistakenly believe our lives are given to us for our enjoyment and pleasure, but that’s not the whole story. Yes, of course, the Lord wants us to maximize our pleasure in knowing Him as Lord, but we wrongly assume those pleasures are to be found in the world when in truth, they can only be found in Him.
That’s the process of conformity to His likeness. Our “death” to self is actually a pronouncement to enjoy life to its fullest. Conformity to the likeness of Jesus doesn’t decrease life’s enjoyment and pleasure, it multiplies it exponentially. No one enjoyed life more than Jesus, and no one’s life was lived with more discipline and determination.
We won’t coast into conformity to our Savior’s likeness; we must scratch and claw our way through the mire of our own desires. We want what we want when we want it, and we don’t want anyone getting in our way or interfering with our efforts. It takes an act of God, a miracle of God to change our direction, but that’s exactly what happens in our conversion.
Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in our life’s direction; a transformation of our heart that leads to, not only a willingness, but a strong desire to be more like Jesus. And please understand, none of this process, from start to finish, is accomplished in our own strength. Neither I nor you changed our own mind and set out on a new course, a new direction on our own.
Every step is planned, engineered and structured specifically for us by the Holy Spirit. He convicts, calls, cradles, carries, corrects, and, yes, at times even coddles us into the image of God’s Son, our Savior. Our only assignment is to listen and obey. Oh, if it were only that easy, huh? Actually, it is. It’s just that Satan wants so desperately to keep us for himself, he sets traps, snares, for us along the way.
It’s called temptation and Satan’s very good at it. But here’s the good news. Jesus has anticipated and provided a means of escape for every trick Satan has planned for us. “So, why do I fail so often?” Because listening and obeying are learned skills. How do we learn? Trial and error; trying and failing; walking and falling.
We attain the qualities of those with whom we spend the most time. If you want to become like Jesus, you must commit to spending time with Him. And by spending time with Him I’m not talking about just reading the Bible, praying a few minutes a day, and attending “Jesus” meetings. He IS OUR LIFE! He’s the air we breathe, the food we eat, the energy we expend living our life. He is with us EVERY SECOND! He’s not a religious activity or a building to which we go to meet with Him.
Jesus is alive in the person of His Holy Spirit who lives in us and is with us every second of every day. Abiding in Him means to be consciously aware that we are NEVER alone. He walks with us and talks with us in the hectic as well as the peaceful moments of our day. You’re becoming like the one(s) with whom you spend the most time. Who is that? Do you REALLY want to become more like Jesus? It takes time.
Conformity to His death is joyfully living in His life. It’s the realization that whatever we need, He’s the answer. Need strength to overcome temptation? Perseverance to withstand hardships? Money to pay your bills? Wisdom to love well? Whatever you need, whenever you need it, Jesus is with you, for you, and is working to make Himself more and more recognizable in and through your life. Trust Him!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 