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Do People Change? People Do! BNewton, May 26, 2004 at 10:49:00 PM BST
by Barry Newton Confident? Reality? Fatalistic? Lazy? An excuse? How would you describe the claims: "They will never change" or "I can not change"? Whether the words trickle forth as a seemingly despairing self-confession or a mumbled pessimistic comment labeling others, some people appear to be determined to believe that what is will always be. To be sure, transformation can be daunting./1 Admittedly, some people may never grow into all that the Lord wants them to be. But there is really good news ... no, it is not good news, it is great news. People are not forced to remain imprisoned forever in destructive, foolish, immature or ungodly behavior patterns. God has made it possible for people to be transformed from the inside out. Changed Status (Guilty to Innocent) The story of God working through Christ is the story of God's efforts to radically alter people. Offered as an undeserved gift, God has created a way for the guilty to legitimately be declared righteous, holy and blameless!/2 No longer should dark memories of their previous deeds haunt their lives and drag their sense of self-worth through the mud. The person in the mirror can not only be respectable and honorable, but also free from any accusation! This is great news. How has God made this possible? With Jesus' death on the cross, Christ took upon himself our sinfulness in order that we might receive his righteousness./3 Those who rely upon Jesus and his blood are set free from their guilt./4 The gospel calls people to rely upon Jesus by being buried in water that the old self might die with Christ. Then a new man is raised up with Christ to the new life made possible by God through Christ./5 Changed Behavior, Values & Beliefs (Darkness to Light) God does not want human transformation to stop with a changed status. God expects the whole person of those whom He has redeemed to likewise be changed./6 How can this happen? If we listen to Scripture and were to organize some general steps, they would be:
Disciples of Jesus are expected to learn from Christ the values and behaviors which characterize a spiritually healthy life./7 As those who have died in baptism to their former lifestyle, they are to seek to please the Lord who now reigns over their life./8 Disciples are expected to adopt the new beliefs and values associated with Christ. These will create new agendas, new dreams, and a new standard of behavior.
God's people are expected to put the new lifestyle into practice; it is not an optional extra./9 While forgiveness is available for sin, this can never become an excuse to hamstring a genuine effort to grow. Do People Change? People Do! The status and behavior of self-centered greedy individuals, swindling business dealers, those imprisoned in various kinds of sexual immorality and perversions, gossipers, thieves as well as those condemned by every other form of ungodliness have been transformed in the name of the Lord Jesus./10 People can change. This truth brings a revitalizing freshness filled with hope for a stagnant world mired in harmful routines. God has made real transformation possible. God can change our status. The question is whether we are willing to put forth the effort to learn of Christ to start the lifestyle change from the inside out. Each of us needs to ask the question, "how is my way of living life different from the image of Christ?" Having created a specific list of new thoughts, motivations and behaviors which need to be adopted, God calls us to act. The Christian life is about continued growth and transformation./11 1/ Jeremiah 5:3; Proverbs 27:22 2/ Colossians 1:21-22 3/ 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18 4/ Romans 3:24-26; Ephesians 1:7-8 5/ Romans 6:1-23; Colossians 2:11-13 6/ 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Ephesians 5:8-11 7 Ephesians 4:21-24; Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:9-10 8/ Ephesians 5:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-12 9/ Ephesians 4:1; 5:1; Philippians 1:27; 3:16 10/ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 11/ 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:5-7; Romans 8:29 ... subscribe
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Update on FMag Forthright Magazine continues, more dynamic than ever! We have groups created for FMag on Facebook and the Churches of Christ Network. Announcement blog is up and going on Preachers Files. Email lists about FMag and FPress are available both on Yahoo and GoogleGroups. And, to top it all off, we're twittering for both on Twitter.com. by randal @ 1/20/09, 11:55 AM How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:24--47 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless Yes, it is popular to say that we are not supposed to judge, but the truth is we all make judgments about many things daily. Otherwise, we would never succeed in life. The real question is what is our guide for judging. Why can we not simply follow the example of our Master and Lord? He said, 30 "I can of Myself ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:08 AM Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Chronicles 1--3 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? Think on the manner, in which the Book of First Chronicles begins, 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh (1 Chr. 1:1). In this way begins the longest genealogy in the Bible. The names continue to the end of the ninth chapter! Were these just names? Adam; who is he? You know there is more in the Bible than the mere mention of his name in ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:05 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:1--23 Jesus healed a man. Praise God! However, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Uh oh. Some people were ready to kill Jesus for this perceived violation of the Sabbath Law. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16). Jesus did a good thing. Yet, people criticized Him severely for it. And they were not people ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:03 AM They Were His Servants by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 24 and 25 They Were His Servants As the writer of Second Kings explains whom the Lord sent against Judah, the writer said that this was 2 ...according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken by His servants the prophets (2 Kin. 24:2). Those great men we have honored for centuries were nothing more than servants of the Lord God. What does that make us? Do you do something ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:01 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 4:30--54 The disciples went into a town to buy food while Jesus remained out of the town. There He engaged a woman in conversation. When the disciples returned, here is what happened, 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (Joh. 4:31, 32). As you read the Gospel According to John, watch ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:59 AM Having a Tender Heart by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 22 and 23 Having a Tender Heart When Josiah heard the word of God for the first time, he tore his clothes, knowing of the wrath that was upon Jerusalem for the idolatry of his forefathers. Therefore, he sent messengers to a prophetess to inquire of the Lord. He did have a message for Josiah. God said through the prophetess, 19 "...because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:56 AM
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