Becoming More Like Christ
Three stages of Holiness
- Salvation – God makes us holy at salvation
- Presenting – Our surrendering ourselves to His leadership and Lordship
- Progressive – our growing in Christ over time as His child
Progressive Holiness
Growing in Christ – becoming more like Jesus day by day.
Begins at salvation and ends in our physical death – we will be totally transformed completely into His image
Our life’s goal – to be more like Jesus –
Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
At Salvation we are all equally Holy – We have been set apart by Him
We continue to grow in both character and conduct – we grow a different pace
Romans 8:26-30 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Progressive holiness is up to us
Our obedience to His conforming us is the key
Rebellion slows the process of conforming (Rebellion is any resistance to His leading in our lives
Progressive holiness will be notices by others as well as yourself
Progressive holiness changes:
• Motives
• Attitudes
• Actions – your response to situations
• Anger, bitterness, self-control, critical spirits etc.
• Your love for His word
Cleanse ourselves
This is a moving forward toward perfection (bringing to an
end, to finish, to complete
Birthed at Salvation
Up to us to complete the work that God begins
Yielding to His spirit
Romans 7:21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the
mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Perform – bring to an end, accomplish, perfect, execute, complete
NEXT TIME – HOLINESS MISUNDERSTOOD