Be like Christ

As Christians we believe the blood of Jesus has paid a spiritual debt. It has set us free from the power of sin. Yet we continue to struggle with temptation and we often fall back into our old vices.

Why is that? Alistair Begg explains the answer today on Truth for Life Weekend. He's titled this message, Be Like Christ. Let's read just a couple of verses from Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 28. Paul writes, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified.

And those he justified, he also glorified. I don't know if there's any truth in the notion that people become like their pets, or they look like their pets. But it is a truism, isn't it? You'll hear people saying, Well, you know, people look like their pets.

And I'm not actually sure whether the process is one whereby the pet begins to look like the human being or the human being begins to look like the pet. I have a sneaking suspicion in certain cases in our neighborhood, but I would never be so bold as to make the point. I'm not qualified to talk in these matters, but it is also suggested that couples, husbands and wives, married for a long time, become so interwoven with one another that it is not infrequent that they are asked if in actual fact they're brother and sister, because they've taken on so many characteristics of one another.

It certainly would make some sense, wouldn't it? It would testify to the fact that we become like the company that we keep, that the presence that we engage in, the people that we spend time with, have an impact on us, and we on them. That's why, incidentally, friendships formed are so important. That's why it is inevitable that we have to teach our young people, especially as they go into their teenage years, that friendships are seldom neutral. There are people in whose company it's easy to be good.

There are people in whose company it's easy to be bad. And therefore, it is vitally important that we establish friendships that nurture and help and encourage and so on. Well, here we find that God, from all of eternity, is nurturing his children so that the children—those who are following after him, who is the firstborn among many brothers, many brothers and sisters—are actually being fashioned into the likeness of Jesus. Now, it is in light of that that I think we ought to study the verse which is a far better known verse, which is a verse that precedes it, Romans 8.28. And many of us would probably have neglected verse 29.

It's a bit of a sticky verse. It raises all kinds of questions, and we tend to retreat into verse 28. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who've been called according to his purpose.

And we press that into all kinds of service. But it is actually verse 29 that helps us to understand the good towards which God is working, and what is that good? That we might be conformed to the image of his Son. In the King James Version, I think it is, and we know that all things work together for good, as if somehow or another the things that are working are working to good.

I think the NIV's a better translation, don't you? And we know that in all things God works for the good. It is God who is at work, in and through all the different things and aspects of our life, and he works according to his good purpose. You can read of his eternal purpose in Ephesians chapter 1.

We won't turn there. But it reinforces this notion that when you think about your life, wherever you are today, whatever is happening, and you say to yourself, well, as I try and understand where I fit in the great panorama of God's redemptive purposes, it is an immense thought to recognize that God from all of eternity has purposed to make me like his Son Jesus. Well, when will that day dawn? I mean, hopefully we're a little more mature than we were last time we were together, a little more towards completion, but there are so many gaps and uncertainties, and that is why we recognize that there are lessons learned in those experiences, purposes that are accomplished in those experiences that aren't accomplished any other way. And I think many of us would testify to the fact that more spiritual progress has been made in our lives by way of disappointment and failure and tears than has actually been made in the realm of success and laughter. Not that we would go and seek these things out, but that we would recognize that Father knows best, that nothing is taking him by surprise, and that from all of eternity, in the ebb and flow of life, in that which we regard as good and bad and sometimes horrible and impossible to deal with, in the challenges that we face that sometimes appear to never go away, in the experiences of unanswered prayer, or at least the answer comes back in a prolonged wait or in an apparent no, that still in the midst of all of that, God's eternal purpose is at work in the lives of his children. So that when we read Christian biography and we say to ourselves, what is God doing in the life of his children? What was he doing when they took their jackets and laid them down at the feet of a fellow called Saul of Tarsus? What was he doing in the life of Stephen?

He was accomplishing his eternal plan to make Stephen just like Jesus. Doesn't seem right, does it? Especially not when we've been bred on the notion that the way that all of these things happen is in tranquility and in blessing and where everything's going fine, and aren't we having a wonderful time, and isn't it a great day? Well, it is a lovely day, but I can guarantee you that I speak to a congregation this morning that is marked by all kinds of difficulties and challenges—by lives that are marked, if we were honest, by at least significant spells of quiet desperation. That if ever we were to come clean about what it is that we're pushing in our wheelbarrow, there would be so much that mitigates against this.

What is it that gives us equilibrium? Well, to get up in the morning and to say, Whether it's raining or sunny, whether I am frail or forceful, I thank you today, gracious God, that you are my Father, that in Jesus you have made me your child, that you have plans and purposes from all of eternity that you will definitely accomplish, and that today is another opportunity for me to make progress down that road. That's the first word this morning. It begins with p. It's the word purpose.

The second word also begins with p, and it's the word process. And for this we go forward to 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 17. Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the LORD's glory—notice here the present continuous—are being transformed into what? Into his likeness.

Okay? So it is God's eternal purpose—those he predestined—to be conformed to the image of his Son. That's his purpose in eternity. What is his purpose today? To continue the process.

It is an ongoing process. And the context—and I'll need to leave you to read 2 Corinthians 3 for homework—but the context here is the contrast in between the reflected fading glory of the old covenant and the freedom to gaze upon the glory of God in the face of Jesus. So, for example, if you look at verse 7. Now, if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory—which it did—so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, insofar as by the law no one could be set right with God, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness?

And then he goes on all the way down through there. We're not like Moses, verse 13, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It hasn't been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

And there you have it. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness. Remember we said that Moses faced Sean and he didn't know? That his face shone and he didn't know?

His face shone even with the opportunity that he had. And what Paul says is if the face of Moses shone in that fading, dimming glory, surely the faces of those who are in Christ ought to really shine. Shine! You know, that when they come into our churches, they say, No, there's a group of people where something's happening. I don't know what's happening to them. But they just shine. They are the shining people. There is a glory about them.

There is something about them. You see, the work of the Holy Spirit is to turn our gaze towards the Lord Jesus. And as we look at Christ, so there is this reflection—a glory that is revealed in the gospel itself. The wonderful, freeing, transforming story in the gospel, that he died in our place to free us not only from the penalty of sin, as we have noted, but also from its power and its dominion.

So, for example, rock of ages, cleft from me. Let me hide myself in thee. That is, in Jesus. Let the water and the blood from your riven heart which flowed—it's kind of archaic language—from your riven heart which flowed, be of sin the double cure. Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

So that we have been cleansed from all the guilt and stain of sin, we are being cleansed from sin's power. And that is why it is vital, loved ones, that we have a solid grasp of the gospel, so that we can preach the gospel to ourselves every day. I don't think it would be surprising if I did a survey here, and amongst an august group of individuals like this, to discover that people said, Well, you know, the gospel is something that gets you started. It's way in my past. I believed the gospel a long time ago, and I've moved on from then. Oh, I hope you haven't. I hope you preach the gospel to yourself today, because that's the only way you'll stay sane.

That's the only way you'll make progress. Because when Satan tempts you to despair and tells you of the guilt within, what's your answer going to be? Upward I look and see him there, who made an end to all my sin. That's the gospel. Our standing in Christ is unalterable. On our best week, we are no closer to God.

On our worst week, we are no further from God. Because our standing with the Father is all in the righteousness of Christ. We are not put right with God on account of something done by us, nor are we put right with God on account of something done in us. We are put right with God on account of something done for us. So that as Luther said, in one realistic way, the gospel is all outside of us.

Now, if you think about that, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Because if you set yourself up for a little inventory this morning, and you say to yourself, Now let me just do an inventory of how well I'm progressing. How's my prayer life? On a scale of one to ten, with ten being high.

What do you want to give yourself? Brave enough to give yourself a four? There you go, four. Okay. So we haven't even hit the fifty percent mark.

All right? A scale of one to ten, witnessing in the speculator area ever since I got here, shining for Jesus and giving a word of testimony if the opportunity arises. Scale of one to ten, with ten being high.

Someone wants an eight? We need to wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow is about humility.

The rest of us will be hard pressed to give ourselves a two. And so we could go down the inventory. Because our hearts condemn us, and justifiably so. Because if we constantly look within to see how well we're doing as a basis of our standing with God, we will constantly feel that we have no standing with God. But when we realize that God's eternal purpose, which he is definitely going to complete, is to conform us to the image of his Son, and that the ongoing process in which we find ourselves engaged is that very selfsame thing—that we are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Notice it's in the passive as well. We are being transformed into his likeness. Well, is this passivity? No, but it is a reminder to us that this is a process that is Spirit-endued and in which we are involved.

We don't just sit back and let it happen. There are means of grace which God has provided, so that as we avail ourselves of the means of grace, we make progress. So, for example, when the writer of the Old Testament speaks prophetically of the Son, he says, About the Son, that is Jesus, you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. So I know that I am not making much progress in being conformed to the likeness of Jesus if I have determined that I'm going to love wickedness and hate righteousness.

It just doesn't happen, you see. Because the grace of God that has appeared—Titus 2—teaches us to say no to ungodliness and all kinds of wickedness and to live upright and self-controlled lives in this present age. The Spirit that teaches us through the Word enables us by his presence within us, but no more than God believes for us so that we might be saved—'cause he doesn't, we must believe in order that we might be saved. So the work of God within us to make us like Jesus is his work, in which he includes our endeavors. So, for example, in Philippians, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

In other words, get up off your hind legs and let's get going. For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The purpose from all of eternity, the process which is ongoing, and finally, the promise that keeps our chins up and allows us to keep heading in the right direction. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2, Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. It's okay to say, I don't know. Somebody came to the apostle John after one of the services and said, The apostle John, what are we going to be?

He says, Well, frankly, I don't know the answers to that question. I'm always very encouraged by the agnosticism that I find in the Bible. Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be we don't know yet, because it hasn't been revealed in fullness. But we do know this—that when he appears, here's our phrase, we shall be like him.

Now, we are not to be surprised by that, because the very reason that God has saved us is in order that that might be true. That his purpose from all of eternity is that we would be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that what he's doing with us, in the experience of our earthly pilgrimage, is completing the process. And finally, even though we know what we are—our ragtag and bobtail gathering of people, and with all our faults and all our foibles and our stumblings and our failings and so on—the fact of the matter is that when he appears, we will be like him.

The brevity of John in relationship to these things, I think, is quite striking. He tells us that Jesus will appear, he tells us that we will see him, and he tells us that we will be like him. Paul, interestingly—and you needn't turn to this—but Paul, when he talks about it in Philippians 3, you know, where he says, Our citizenship is in heaven and so on, he says in verse 21, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. And what he anticipates and he affirms is the fact that not only will we be like him, but we will be with him.

In fact, you know, when he says, I really don't know whether I should leave or whether I should stay with you and so on, the fact of the matter is, he says, I don't know whether I should depart and be with Christ or stay with you for a little while longer. So for Paul, the anticipation is that we will be with him. For John, the anticipation is that we will be like him.

And for all the rest, we can wait confidently and contentedly. Two children's songs as our close. I wish to be like Jesus, so humble and so kind. His words were always tender, his voice always divine. But no, I'm not like Jesus, as anyone can see. O Savior, come and help me, and make me just like thee. And the final one, cleanse me from my sin, Lord, and put your power within, Lord. And take me as I am, Lord, and make me all your own.

And keep me every day, Lord, in the narrow way, Lord, and make my heart your palace and your royal throne. Ethics is an exhortation to become what we're not. The call of Christianity is to become what we are. You are in Christ.

Come on now. Let's be like Christ. Learning to be like Christ.

That's our goal today on Truth for Life Weekend with Alistair Begg. As Alistair talked today about growing in holiness and about breaking free from the bonds of sin, it can often be an encouragement for us to look at our own spiritual growth and see how it's progressing. Too often it's easy to fall into complacency, to plateau on the path to spiritual maturity.

That's why it's so important for us to regularly check ourselves and to keep our eyes on the goal. That's the subject of a book our team is recommending today written by Alistair's friend Sinclair Ferguson. The book is titled Maturity, Growing Up and Going On in the Christian Life. Sinclair takes us on a journey pointing out the steps and the pitfalls that come along with spiritual growth. He dives deep into the scriptures and gives us clear guidance for how to identify dangers, how to overcome temptation, and how to press on patiently and diligently all the way to the end.

If you'd like to understand the Bible's vision for Christian maturity and more than just understand it but to begin to experience it, be sure to get a copy of the book Maturity by Sinclair Ferguson. Learn how you can request the book when you visit us at truthforlife.org. Again, that's truthforlife.org. If you have an Amazon Alexa or a Google Home device, did you know you can listen to Truth for Life at your convenience with a few simple voice commands? Simply ask Alexa to play Truth for Life or ask Google to play Alistair Begg. Find out more about other voice commands you can use with your listening device, go to truthforlife.org slash subscribe. I'm Bob Lapine. Hope you can join us next weekend as we continue learning how to know Christ more deeply. This program and the Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life, where the Learning is for Living.