GOD'S DESIRE FOR SELF EXTENSION

"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26, NKJV)

Devotion 7 of 10

CHANGED INTO THE SAME IMAGE BY GOD'S SPIRIT

We have talked about WHEN this process (being changed by the Spirit) begins--when salvation is initiated, or started. But HOW does it continue. People that come to Christ do not instantly lose all of their old ways. They do not begin at once to be 100% like Jesus in all that they say and do. Mark this well, that is what they WANT to do, but it simply is not accomplished in an instant. Our sins are forgiven in an instant, but we still grapple with them. Our hearts are made pure in an instant, but evil still tries to push its way in. Our desires are made new in an instant, but old desires linger to tempt and distract us.

Although it is apparent, it is good to say it: we are not in heaven yet! How are we going to get there? How will be presented "before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy" (Jude 24). Can you really be assured in your heart that you can be part of "a radiant church," presented to the Lord "without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:27). There is a way, praise the Lord, there is a way!

The Holy Spirit, working within our hearts, changes us by degrees, or in stages. This process does not necessarily indicate a long period of time. The point is that it is not all at once. It is like a growing child--it takes place one stage at a time. Here is what the Bible says on the subject. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The idea is that as we concentrate on Jesus, we are changed into His likeness. The term "unveiled faces" takes us back to the Old Testament times. The reference is to the time of the giving of the ten commandments. This took place on a mountain called Sinai, where God Himself gave the ten commandments to Moses. There, in the presence of the Lord, Moses appearance was altered. Without him knowing it, the skin on Moses face actually started to glow. He did not become aware of it until he came down from the mountain to face the people. The book of Exodus says it this way. "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD" (Exodus 34:29). Moses was changed when he looked upon the Lord--changed by the Lord's glory. More on this tomorrow.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You in Jesus' name that You are the Lord of the completion of my salvation as well as its beginning!

-- TOMORROW: MORE ON TRANSFORMED BY THE SPIRIT --