by Nancy Taylor Tate
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” 2 Peter 3:18.
I am encouraged as the years go by and I see areas of my life where I am not the same person I used to be. Yet there are areas where God is still working in me.
The Bible says “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (1 Corinthians 5:17a). If that is so, why do we still have areas in our lives that are less than we would desire?
We are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8). When I accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, instantly, my sins are forgiven. But now we are to “grow up into Him” in all things, or in every aspect of our lives. How do we grow up into Him?
It’s the Lord’s desire to take us beyond our sin being forgiven, to our nature being changed that we become more like Christ. This requires an inner working of the Lord. As we choose to yield to the Lord, He begins to do this further work in our hearts.
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” Philippians 2:13.
The word of God works within us as the Spirit of the Lord changes us. Through a progressive working of the Lord, inner change comes, which then becomes outwardly visible.
Now, the word of God is no longer just written in stone or on paper, but in my heart (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). His life flows from that word and by His spirit changes me:
“But we all…are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” 2 Corinthians 3:18.
This is a lifelong process of growth which we never outgrow. My salvation is sure – it is Christ that lives in me. Now He is working in me (Romans 8:27-29). We are to become “as he is” in this life: because “as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17b).
Paul spoke of himself not as one who had already attained or was already made perfect, but as one who was pressing forward, believing for God’s highest and best in his life. Then he says:
“Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” Philippians 3:15.
The Apostle Paul realized God was still working in him. How important it is that we see Christ working in us, as areas of our lives are being changed. We need a Saviour, that is why He died for us! We are less than perfect, that is why He works within us. What great love overshadows our lives!
In John 3:7 Jesus says, “…Marvel not that I say unto you, you must be born again.” Then in Matthew 16:24, “…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
In His first statement, Jesus is talking about sins being forgiven. In His second statement He is talking about the outworking of the cross in our lives until we are able to say like Paul,
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…” Galatians 2:20.
Salvation is a free gift, but this new nature (or godly character) is not a gift, there is cost involved, as I submit my life to the Lord Jesus Christ and allow His working within my life. That same power by which Christ rose from the dead, is the same power by which we now can walk in this newness of life.
As I make the choice, the Lord enables me. I continue to make choices until through those choices my nature is changed, and it becomes no longer just my choice, but who I am.
As I make these choices and I choose to walk in His ways, He delights in me, and the progress I am making. What an encouragement!
We can be thankful for all that God has done, as we continue to yield to His working day by day, being sure that He will finish that good work which He has begun in us.
Also encouraging is when we remember areas Christ has brought victory into our lives. The Israelite were taught to remember all the mighty things God had done in the past, and to rehearse them, as they gave thanks to the Lord.
Our thoughts can be uplifting or pull us down. How worthy the Lord is of our thanksgiving and praise, as we reflect on those things He has already accomplished in our lives.
There were times when David was under great pressure. There was not always someone to encourage him, but he learned to encourage himself in the Lord. We too can learn to do this.
“…but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” 1 Samuel 30:6.
John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). This happens in our lives as we maintain our focus on Christ and walk in a love relationship with Him.
Our faith and hope is in Christ and the finished work of Calvary. It is God who girds us with strength! He gives us hinds’ feet! It is He who makes our way perfect.
“It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places” Psalms 18:32-33.
We can be confident, as we follow his ways for sanctification, growing up into Him in all things, that
“…he which hath begun a good work in you (He) will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6.