Brand New

The Bible tells us that God wants to sanctify us & transform us into the express image of His Son Jesus Christ. He wants to make us into a better & more holy people - both on the inside & the outside.

The first thing each Christian must know is exactly what it is that God wants to change about us. If you don’t know exactly what it is God wants to do with you in this sanctification-transformation process, then you will have a hard time cooperating with Him. There are a million self-help books on the market, but there is only one Book that will tell you exactly what it is that God wants to do with you on the inside to change you for the better - the Holy Bible. Your job is do qualitative, meditative study of God’s Word everyday.

The Bible tells us that we are to put on positive qualities, put away negative qualities operating in our personalities. Example - I have a problem with bad temper. The first step I should do is to find the specific verses from the Bible on this topic. After knowing that God wants me to have more self-control, then I will have to work at this problem. If someone cuts me in traffic, instead of getting angry, I will just bite my lips, start to have more self-control. I will not flip the other car off, I will just let go. Maybe at the beginning I may not always be successful but if I try again, I will, in time lessen the number of times I lose my temper.

This transformation process is completed "by the power of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of each believer. It is His job to mold, shape & transform us into the kind of holy & righteous people that God would really like all of us to become in Him. Many Christians already know this. They then wonder why there has not been much change in their personalities after they have been saved. Where is the Holy Spirit? How come He is not removing some of my negative qualities? The reason is that they have not spent enough time doing their part. They have not spent enough quality time in the Word of God & they have not made any real effort to try & change for the better. Our spiritual growth is a partnership. God works in us to will and to act, & we, for our part, cultivate His presence, which makes His influence more powerful, and clear. We also make right choices which confirm into our character what God is doing in us. God, on His part, empowers & encourages us in these choices. Let God do His work on you and you will become a much better person, a much better Christian.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1)

The Power of Christ

Just as our acceptance with God must come through the righteousness with Christ, so our power to live the Christian life must come from Christ as well. Too often we try to grow by our own willpower & self-discipline. We assume that if we read the Bible enough & pray enough, we will grow. We approach the Christian life much like a student approaches a difficult course in college – just buckle down & try harder. That attitude assumes that we have the ability within ourselves to grow into maturity as believers. But as Jesus indicated in John 15:5, we have no ability within ourselves to grow. All the ability must come from Him.

Think of an electronic appliance that you use either for personal care or in the kitchen. I think of my electric shaver. That shaver has within its case a small motor that causes the shaver to do its job. But that motor has no power of its own. It is completely dependent on an external source of electric current. Without the supply of that power, it is useless.

You & I have been given a new heart at the time of our conversion. A fundamental change has indeed taken place in our inner being. We really are new creations in Christ. To stay with the shaver analogy, we now have a new motor designed to receive the electric current. But the power is still outside of us. It resides in Jesus Christ & is applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit as we depend on Him.

That is why Paul makes such statements as “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,” (Phil 4:13) & “To this end (that is, pursuing his ministry) I labor, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me,” (Col 1:29).

Paul expected to grow in his spiritual life, & he expected to be fruitful in his ministry. His confidence, however, was not based on his own ability or determination but in the fact that he could rely on the power of Christ working in him to enable him.


Excerpted from: Growing Your Faith, by Jerry Bridges, NavPress Ministries, 2004, p 22.

Why the World Does Not Need Superman

After Lex Luthor defeated Superman on the island made of kryptonite, Superman fell down to the sea. In that very touching scene where Superman was sinking half-dead in the waters, we hear the voice of his dead father Jor-el “I sent you to this planet, even if its people are cunning, vicious & deceitful; because deep down inside, there is some good in them.” This statement was repeated in another scene. Deep down inside there is something good about us earthlings. Is there?

Jor-el made a big mistake. There is nothing good inside Lex Luthor. Lois Lane turned to another man when Superman left. Even Perry White, the editor, callously prepared 2 front-page headlines, just in case Superman dies – despite the fact that Superman saved his life a few hours ago… And consider this - even Superman himself was thinking of coveting someone else’s wife!

No. We human beings have nothing good inside us. We strive to do good & yet, we always stumble. There is none righteous, no, not one. (Rom 3:10) For all have sinned, & come short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin & misery.

Superman says he can hear the people crying out for help. And he tries to help them – physically. He keeps them safe from fire, from earthquakes, bombs & even car crash. But the next day, & the next, there will be more fires & more disasters. Superman does not & cannot give us the help we need. He does not understand what we need. In our sinful state, we did not know what we needed either.

God heard man cry many thousand years ago & He, our gracious Creator, who knows our very hearts & needs, sent us a hero, who is so powerful that He can create the whole world & yet became small to become a human baby; who is so mighty that He can create many miracles & yet humble enough to die on the cross; who owns the whole universe & yet gracious enough to include us in His eternal kingdom. This hero alone can open our eyes, enlighten our minds & make us realize our need for salvation. And when we repent & turn toward Him, He causes a change in our lives for forever. This is the kind of hero we need – Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior.

Huh? My Attitude?

There are people who think that since they are already saved, they can continue living however they want to & do whatever they want to. They have obviously been misguided. But then, there are many “sincere” Christians who want to be mature & more ‘godly’, so they load up their lives with so many “have to’s.” “If I’m going to grow, I have to do this,” “The pastor said I have to do that.” I have to be more mature, more disciplined, more committed…

When we think this way, we are in danger of substituting duty & obligation for a loving response to God’s grace.

This should be clear: We should seek to practice commitment, discipline & obedience. We should be thoroughly committed to submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life. But we should be committed in these areas out of a grateful response to God’s grace, not try to earn God’s blessings.

Our reason & motive for commitment, discipline & obedience is important to God, perhaps even more important to Him than our performance. David said to Solomon, “You, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, & serve Him with wholehearted devotion & with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart & every motive behind the thoughts.” (1Chronicles 28:9 NIV)

God searches the heart & understands every motive. To be acceptable to Him, our motives must spring from a love for Him & a desire to glorify Him. If we view our efforts as a duty or obligation, or because we fear the consequences if we do not do our ‘Christianly’ duties or we do these things to gain favor with God or so that we can ‘look good’ to the other people in the church, we are not pleasing God.

We should look to the cross & find inspiration to obedience, commitment and discipline. Our actions then will naturally reflect a grateful response to the grace He has already given us through Jesus Christ.




Reference: Balancing the Christian Life. Charles C. Ryrie. The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1994.