WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MEANS GOD USES TO BRING ABOUT CHRIST-LIKE CHANGE IN US?  Consider 7 means He uses to “MATURE US”

 

  1. He Sanctifies us by His Spirit– 2 Thess 2:13;
    “We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the
    beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”
  2. He sanctifies us through His Word-Hebrews 4:13– “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” John 17:17; ” Sanctify them according to Thy Word, Thy Word is Truth”;
    “…when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it
    really is, THE WORD OF GOD, which also PERFORMS IN YOU WHO BELIEVE.”- 1 Thess 2:13
  3. He sanctifies us through Prayer-Col 4:12;
    “Epaphras,…always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand MATURE and fully assured in ALL the
    will of God.”
  4. He Sanctifies us through Trials– James 1;3-4
    “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing, that the testing of YOUR faith produces
    endurance. AND LET endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be MATURE and complete…”
  5. He sanctifies us through Suffering– 1 Peter 5:10
    “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of ALL Grace who called you to His eternal Glory in Christ
    WILL HIMSELF, MATURE, confirm, establish and strengthen you.”
  6. He sanctifies us through Gifted leaders– Eph 4:7-15
    “And He GAVE some as…. evangelists, pastor-teachers, for the equipping of the saints…to the building up of the
    body…until we all attain…to a MATURE man…. We are to GROW up in all aspects into Him…even Christ”
  7. He sanctifies us through Preaching Christ – Colossians 1:28 –“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone FULLY MATURE in Christ.”

THE GOAL? Note the Goal in Colossians 1:28 “…so that we may present everyone FULLY MATURE in Christ.” “For this purpose I also labor, striving according to His power which works mightily within me.” -{Colossians 1:29}; He wrote to the Galatians, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—”-{Galatins 4:19}.

GODS GOAL IS WE BECOME more and more like the LORD Jesus, living to please the Father and be about the Father’s business [John 4:34; 2 Cor 5:9]; To become Eternal minded [Col 3:1-3]; To become an Example to be followed [1 Tim 4:12; Phil 4:9]; To become like Jesus Christ, which will be manifested in a submissive servant [Eph 5:21; Phil 2:5-9]

God’s Goal is to make us like His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in attitude, thought, word, and deed, which as Christ’s follower, He is at work “IN” us [Phil 2:12] to conform His followers to the image of His Son.

God’s Bless,

Aidan.