Being transformed to what I already am!

I’m glad that salvation means i am justified. That is, because of Christ, God looks on me ‘just as if’ I had never sinned. That is my standing before Him — not guilty, free from condemnation. However, I’m also glad that even though justified and loved just as I am, His love refuses to leave me that way!

A huge hindrance to the process of spiritual growth is self-condemnation. The voices in my head say, “You are so stupid” or “How can God bother with a sinner like you?” When any person, or the devil (who is called the ‘accusor’) or even my negative outlook begin to accuse me with charges of falling short, I stop trusting the Lord, stop bearing spiritual fruit, and start looking at poor me. With that, I stop growing because I’ve turned from a foundational truth — in Christ I am justified!

Romans 5 begins with a statement of fact about who I am and what God has done in Christ for me:

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1–2)

These and the verses following are clear; I do not have to take accusations seriously, at least those regarding my salvation. It was accomplished by Jesus Christ and does not depend on me, on what I do or don’t do, either in the past, now, or in the future:

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly  . . . but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6; 8–11)

Jesus, my substitute, satisfied the law’s requirements and its penalty. Only because of Jesus can God, in perfect consistency with his justice and holiness, declare me forgiven of all sin and justified. Jesus Christ died for all that I could ever be accused of and was raised again for my justification. Because of Him, by faith I have peace with God. By faith, I can rest alone in Jesus Christ.

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” (Romans 8:33)

However, relying on ‘no condemnation’ does not exclude the Holy Spirit from convicting me about my flaws. If I am to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, He needs to expose and remove all that does not look like Jesus. God’s Spirit tells me what needs to change, not that I can change it, but so I can confess it and He will change it!

 

Therefore, when those gentle yet firm accusations come at me, I must acknowledge that He speaks the truth about my selfish, sinful, ungodly thoughts, words, and deeds. When I do, God forgives me and cleanse these from my life.

Certainly discernment is required. Do I know the difference between truth and false guilt. Can I detect Satan’s accusations when he tries to stop me from growing? Do I know the nudgings of the Holy Spirit who is working to transform my life?

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Jesus, I’m so glad that I know Your voice. I’m also grateful that my sins are forgiven and I am justified in the estimation of God and at peace with Him. I’m also joyful that faith in You includes Your work to change me, and let me know what needs changing so I will cooperate with the transformation. Grant me wisdom and grace to always recognize who is doing what — so I can joyfully submit to what You are doing and refuse to accept what Satan tries to do. Thank You for the peace that comes with knowing and trusting You, both in being justified and being transformed.