Becoming Like Jesus Christ

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Becoming Like Jesus Christ
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Romans 828-30

• And we know that for those who love God all
  things work together for good, for those who are
  called according to his purpose. For those whom
  he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed
  to the image of his Son, in order that he might
  be the firstborn among many brothers. And those
  whom he predestined he also called, and those
  whom he called he also justified, and those whom
  he justified he also glorified.

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I John 31-3

• See what kind of love the Father has given to us,
  that we should be called children of God and so
  we are. The reason why the world does not know us
  is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are
  Gods children now, and what we will be has not
  yet appeared but we know that when he appears we
  shall be like him, because we shall see him as he
  is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies
  himself as he is pure.

4
Col. 127-29

• To them God chose to make known how great among
  the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this
  mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of
  glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and
  teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may
  present everyone mature in Christ. For this I
  toil, struggling with all his energy that he
  powerfully works within me

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I John 21

• My little children, I am writing these things to
  you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does
  sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
  Christ the righteous.

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Romans 828-30

• And we know that for those who love God all
  things work together for good, for those who are
  called according to his purpose. For those whom
  he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed
  to the image of his Son, in order that he might
  be the firstborn among many brothers. And those
  whom he predestined he also called, and those
  whom he called he also justified, and those whom
  he justified he also glorified.

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The First Phase Is Our Justification
• Its only through Jesus death that we can find
  justification in Gods sight (Romans 321-26)
• Justify To pronounce as just, righteous,
  declare not guilty
• Through the cross Jesus paid the penalty we owed
  for our sins Though guilty, God can see us as
  innocent!
• Jesus is our redemption, propitiation, and
  atonement!
• Justification is provided, but we must respond
  in faith to Jesus sacrifice (Rev 15 Acts
  2216)
• When we come to the Jesus death through
  baptism, we are coming to the blood (Rom 63-4)
• Notice how Paul uses the terms of unity and
  likeness

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Romans 63-4

• Do you not know that all of us who have been
  baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
  death? We were buried therefore with him by
  baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ
  was raised from the dead by the glory of the
  Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The First Phase Is Our Justification
• Its only through Jesus death that we can find
  justification in Gods sight (Romans 321-26)
• Justify To pronounce as just, righteous,
  declare not guilty
• Through the cross Jesus paid the penalty we owed
  for our sins Though guilty, God can see us as
  innocent!
• Jesus is our redemption, propitiation, and
  atonement!
• Justification is provided, but we must respond
  in faith to Jesus sacrifice (Rev 15 Acts
  2216)
• When we come to the Jesus death through
  baptism, we are coming to the blood (Rom 63-4)
• Notice how Paul uses the terms of unity and
  likeness
• At this point our sins are removed, we are
  justified in Gods sight, and we are like Jesus
  Christ!

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The First Phase Is Our Justification
• At this point we are sinlessly perfect, but we
  still sin. How can we still be like Christ?
• God is still able to say, There is no
  condemnation (Rm 81)
• Because we have been justified and have contact
  with the blood, God continues to cleanse us (1
  John 17-9)

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The Second Phase Is Our Sanctification
• Sanctification sounds complex, but is a simple
  idea
• Hagaizo Make holy, purify, consecrate Set
  apart to God, dedicated to God, made pure and
  holy
• OT often used it for groups or items dedicated
  to Gods service NT often uses it of our
  spiritual transformation
• Romans 828-30 ? Conforming to the image of His
  Son
• In our sanctification, God is at work shaping
  us
• He uses trials to shape us into the image of
  Jesus (I Pet 16-9)
• He chastens us so we can share in His holiness
  (Hb 1210-11)
• God is certainly at work in more common ways too
  (Phil 16)

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The Second Phase Is Our Sanctification
• God doesnt sanctify us against our wills We
  have to work at pursue sanctification (2 Tm
  221 1 Th 43, 7)
• Gods commands are there to make us more
  Christ-like
• Sanctification must become our motivation, a way
  of life!
• As we learn Jesus we emulate His mindset,
  character, life
• This was what Paul lived for His passion!
  (Phil 38-14)
• This is an ongoing struggle in our hearts
  between the spirit and the flesh Which will
  win? (Rom 8)
• Our sanctification is a process that takes time!
• Each day we better reflect His glory Its a
  growth process
• We dont reflect it perfectly But were still
  Christ-like!

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The Third Phase Is Our Glorification
• Knowing that God is working out our
  glorification puts this life in great perspective
  (Rom 818 1 Pet 510)
• No amount of struggles, suffering, heartache, or
  disappointment can compare to the glory to be
  revealed
• Gods plan for us From suffering, to grace, to
  glory!
• Our ultimate transformation will come when Jesus
  returns for our final salvation (1 Jn 32 Phil
  321)
• What exactly will we be like? Only God knows!
  He has told us all we need to know We will be
  like Jesus!
• Jesus is in a glorified state now and one day we
  will join Him!

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The Process Of Becoming Like Christ

• The Third Phase Is Our Glorification
• This glorification means a new body prepared for
  eternity in Heaven in Gods presence (1 Cor
  1548-57)
• We have borne the image of Adam with the
  corruption sin brought Then we will bear the
  image of Jesus Christ!
• Physical bodies are incapable of abiding in
  Heaven, of living for eternity, of abiding in
  the presence of God
• Well be freed from the pain, sickness, death
  of this life
• We can only dream of what God has in store Our
  concern now is to have Christ in us, or we
  will have no hope of glory! (Col 127)

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It Begins With Putting On Christ

• For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God,
  through faith. For as many of you as were
  baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
  (Gal 326-27)