Right To Become Children

John 1:12 (ESV Strong's)

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

A person who receives Jesus does not automatically become a son of God. They have the right to become a child of God, but being made in the image of Christ involves walking with Him through the wilderness and enduring through the end. It is something we do with His leading. We call it sanctification. Then we will see Him face to face and be like Him, unless we stay where we are. 

Colossians 3:8-10 (ESV Strong's)

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Your Life Is Hidden

Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV Strong's)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

What we have in Jesus is new and eternal life hidden for now in these mortal bodies. The time will come when we shed these bodies of the dust of the earth and will appear in the bodies of a new creation like the resurrected flesh of Christ Jesus. We will share in His glory. 

Up To Us

Hebrews 12:12-14 (NASB Strong's)

12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Repentance leads us to the forgiveness of sin. We are now ready for the wilderness journey between the world and God. 

Sanctification leads to our salvation which is seeing and being with the Lord. 

To overcome the world one must be made in the image of Christ. 

It is up to us to walk with the Lord and overcome the world. 

This is the narrow path that leads to heaven’s gate. 

Breathed Out

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV Strong's)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Holy Spirit is the breath of God. He has provided the word of Scripture and inhabits that word so we can be made in His image. Christ has given His Spirit to enable us to have the mind of Christ for the transformation of our minds. 

We can be complete, though not perfect. Perfection will come when Jesus returns. Until then, we bear the fruit of the Spirit which is God working in us. 

Take His Cross

 Matthew 10:38

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Death on a cross is the way to overcome the world. While this is foolishness to the world, it is the wisdom of God. He laid His life down for us. If we follow Him, we will do the same for Him. In this way we become the Bride of Christ, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. 

From The Beginning

2 Timothy 1:8-10 (ESV Strong's)

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

The purpose and grace of God was established before creation and time began. It was included in the word of creation. 

One Flesh

Genesis 2:21-23 (ESV Strong's)

21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.”

The deep sleep of Adam foreshadows the time between the ascension of Christ and His return. During this time the bride of Christ is being fashioned from a small portion of the body of Christ. When the time is right, we will join join Him in a united and consummated union. 

The Hebrew word for “woman” here is an unusual plural construct. In effect it denotes many into one. This is true of the Bride of Christ. 

It Is Finished

John 19:28-30 (ESV Strong's)

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The power and dominion of death was overcome by Jesus on the cross. In this way He overcame the world. This is the work He came to do and He finished that work. When we follow in His footsteps, we will arrive at our own cross. If we lay down our lives voluntarily for Him, the same resurrection power to the life of God will be ours. We will overcome the world to sit with Christ Jesus as sons of God. 

The sour wine symbolizes the punishment of death poured out from the cup of the wrath of God for the sins of our flesh. He became our sin and experienced death in our place. Now we can rise in His resurrected life by entering the body of Christ. He has made a way and is the way to God, for He is God. 

The Promise

The promised land for the Jews is based on God’s covenant with Abraham. Zion will be the Holy Mountain and the resting place of the New Jerusalem. 

The promised land for those who follow Christ are the resurrected bodies of all who believe and obey Him. These we know as the Bride of Christ. We will be the temple of the New Jerusalem. 

Every Tongue Confess

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV Strong's)

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Everyone will confess Jesus is Lord. Don’t let it be the last thing you do!

Found In Human Form

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV Strong's)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

And we being found in human form can humble ourselves by becoming obedient to the point of death of self on our own cross, thereby being reborn into the image of God. We have been given the mind and nature of Christ Jesus. The body will soon follow. We will be like Him. 

Take Hold

1 Timothy 6:11-12 (ESV Strong's)

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Paul reminds Timothy that the fight of the faith requires more than resting in the salvation of the Lord. We are to leave the world behind and follow Him. We are called to eternal life in the image of Christ. 

This is our time in the wilderness as we follow in His footsteps, facing temptations with the knowledge of good and evil. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we begin to see the world with eyes opened by the light of God. That light makes things visible that were not before and we see differently. 

We have been given the great gift of God. Paul tells Timothy to take it, grab hold to its wonder and promise and make it his own. 

Not Everyone

Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV Strong's)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Calling on the name of the Lord does not mean you are going to heaven. You could be taking the name of the Lord in vain. 

Just saying you trust in the name of Jesus does not mean you are going to heaven. Saying you have faith does not mean you have faith. 

Doing all the “right” things in the name of the Lord does not mean you know the Lord. 

Knowing Jesus includes obedience, the ever increasing of the fruit of the Spirit, and the desire and goal of being made in the image of God. Doing these things will ensure you enter the kingdom of heaven on the day of the Lord. 

Life And Death

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV Strong's)

19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

All of creation is witness to the choice we each make in response to our Creator. From the Garden of Eden to this very day, God awaits our decision. Those who choose life will join Him in that eternal life. 

Whoever

John 3:36 (ESV Strong's)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Believing includes obedience. Believing without obedience gets one no further into the kingdom of heaven. 

You are like a fish flopping at the edge of the water of the world and in danger of finding yourself back in the dark sea. 

Hebrews 5:9 (ESV Strong's)

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Be Perfect

Matthew 5:48 (ESV Strong's)

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV Strong's)

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Being perfect in the righteousness of God is only possible when we put on the righteousness of Christ. We then can be perfect as He is perfect and holy as He is holy.

Repent

Matthew 4:17 (ESV Strong's)

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repentance leads to profession , which leads to abiding, which leads to one bearing  the fruit of the abiding Spirit, which leads one into being made in the image of God.

Discipleship begins with repentance. It is the first step in the walk with Jesus. Repentance is not changing one’s mind alone, but a change of direction, a change of life. 

For Good Works

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV Strong's)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Works will not save us, but they are evidence of transformation and the presence of the Spirit, which we refer to as the fruit of the Spirit. We are a work in progress, being made in the image of God. It must be possible to be saved, but not made in the image of God. John 3:16 says if we believe we will be saved. Perhaps this is the great multitude in white robes without number who stand before the throne of heaven. (Rev 7:9)

Walking where the Spirit leads will bring us to the thrones of the elders before the throne of the Lord. These are the good works for which we are created, the hallmarks of the life of a new creation in Christ. 

There we will take a seat wearing the crowns of those who overcome the world. 

Easter Road

Christ entered our death so that we might enter His life. 

Come After Me

Mark 8:34-36 (ESV Strong's)

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

It is probable that many of the crowd believed Him, maybe believed in Him. But how many would follow after Him?

That would mean walking with Him to a place He would show them. That is the narrow road oftentimes not taken. 

Except Through Me

John 14:6-7 (ESV Strong's)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

God revealed Himself as “I AM” to Moses out of the burning bush. Jesus is saying “God is the way, and the truth, and life 

the life. No one comes to God the Father except through God the Son. He is the way because He is God. 

If we follow Him into heaven where He is staying, we will find we are like Him. This is the invitation Jesus gave to the first disciples and extends to all of us today. Come and see. He will open our eyes to the truth. 

Not as God, but the body of Christ. From the body of Christ, some will be taken and fashioned into a suitable companion  as sons of God who are made in His image, that of Christ Jesus. 

We have to go through God to get to God. Then we will be filled with His Spirit and made one with Him. 

That We Might

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV Strong's)

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We are justified by His grace that we might become heirs in the hope of eternal life. This may call to mind the need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2:3)

Our works of righteousness mean nothing to God for our salvation. It is the gift of Christ Jesus. We will be known by Him according to the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Knowing and being known by Christ ensures our place at the wedding feast. 

Divine Transaction

Jesus paid the highest price for our lives with His own life. When we pay the same high price for His life with our own, we cross over into the kingdom of heaven. This is the divine transaction of transformation. 

Stone Of Grace

1 Samuel 17:40 (ESV Strong's)

Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:49 (ESV Strong's)

And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 

Five in the Bible is the number for grace. David took one stone from his shepherd’s pouch, leaving four. He faced the Philistine with the grace and strength of the Lord. That stone would be all that is needed when combined with David’s faith in the Lord. 

 This may foreshadow the rock upon which the church is built. A firm foundation is the grace of our Lord. 

Mystery Of Godliness

1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV Strong's)

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.

The mystery of godliness extends to all who believe. We of the flesh have been freed from the burden of sin by the Holy Spirit and raised up into the life of Christ. 

Those in Christ participate in His glory which is the glory of God. 

Overcoming

We find ourselves as new spirits made alive in the old flesh of the world. It is this world we are to overcome to receive the overcomer’s reward from the hands of Christ. 

We transform, grow, and evolve into the new creatures of our rebirth by following and walking with Him in obedience to His word, our bread of life and the source of the living waters that flow from the throne of God. 

Sons God

Adam is referred to as the son of God. 

Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man, while He was the Son of God. 

  

Eve was the mother of all the living, per Adam. 

With the help of God, she brought a man to life. 

From her descendants would come the Son of Man. 

From the Son of Man would come many sons of God. 

We are formed out of dust and placed in the garden of the presence of the Lord. It is here we work the ground of our earth. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed into the image of Christ until we reach the perfection of the mind, body, and spirit of Christ. 

From Adam, the son of God, and through Jesus, the Son of Man, we are made into sons of God. We are the children of the living God, our Father in heaven. In Him we breath, move, and have our being.