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Title: 26. God of Transformation (3)
3. God's Underlying Objectives
A. Introduction •
previously -
Psalm 113 where God is seen to transform lives
•
then we considered
things that hinder transformation and the mechanics of transformation:
the will of God, the word of God, and our obedience to that word.
B. Consider the Example of Abram – Gen 12:1-3
Note the following transformations:
1. A Change of Land
2. To place of blessing
We have also suggested along the way that ‘transformation' is seen throughout the Bible. Why?
C. God's Design: The Need for Transformation restated • We
need to restate the basics of what has happened to the world
• God
made a perfect world, and that included giving us free will.
• Adam
and Eve chose to exercise that free will by disobeying God
•
From that moment
on ‘Sin' was observed in the human race and has ‘tainted' every life ever
since.
• i.e.
our thinking is skewed and we place self at the centre
of our lives instead of God – we think we know better and that affects
what we do.
• God
was going to change Abram's thinking
• i.e.
our ‘ doing'
produces
behaviour
that is contrary to that designed by God for us to
enable us to live lives full of self-worth and self-fulfilment.
• Abram's
behaviour would become God motivated.
We think these two ‘self' things - self-worth and self-fulfilment.- can be achieved by self-effort but in fact they can ONLY be achieved when we are
D. The Reason for God's Activity •
God is
thus, constantly at work
•
Jesus said, “My
Father is always at his work” (Jn 5:17
)
•
God is seeking
to:
•
draw us back
into relationship with Him, and
•
to give us guidance
as to how to live in conformity with His design for us.
•
Why?
Because of His character :
“the LORD,
the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger ,
abounding in love and faithfulness , maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (
Ex 34:6,7
)
•
This is seen in the
NT expressed by John :
“God is love” (
1 Jn
4:8,16 )
•
Paul's ‘fruit
of the Spirit' are also expressions of the outworking of God's character:
“love, kindness,
goodness” (
Gal
5:22
,23 )
•
Because this
is how God is, He wants:
•
to reveal Himself
and His love to the whole world and
•
bring us back
to a place where we are able to live in conformity with His design.
E. God's Activity in the Old Testament • ‘Testament'
is another word for ‘covenant'
• The
Old Covenant was simply God's agreement with Israel
on how He would
make them a ‘light to the Gentiles' ( Isa
42:6 )
• In
the OT we see God
• calling
Abram into relationship with Him
• saving
Israel
from Egypt
and making them a nation
• giving
them the Law to guide their individual lives and national life, and to
give them a way of restoring their relationship with Him when they sinned.
• It
is all about relationship which transforms them into a people who reveal
Him and His goodness.
E. God's Activity in the New Testament •
In direct continuation
of His previous work, He brought His Son to the earth, to:
•
reveal
His love ,
kindness and goodness
•
die as
a sacrifice for
our sins.
•
Both of those
things have the ultimate goal of:
•
restoring
us
to Him and guiding
us
into the sort of lives He designed for us, and empowering
and
leading
and
changing
us
•
to bring that about
as an ongoing activity (which will continue until we go to heaven)
F. Looking at How that Works
•
The NT is full
of guidance of how
God wants us to live
•
e.g. 1 Mt
5:3 “Blessed
are the poor in spirit ”
- blessing comes from realising our poverty of spirit without God – the
Beatitudes lay down such principles of how we receive God and His design
for our lives.
•
e.g. 2 Mt
7:1 “
Do not judge
” meaning
do not condemn others – for we fail to realise what we're like
•
thus Jesus taught
many similar things.
•
Paul continued,
e.g. 3 1 Thess 4:14 “Warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” - how to create a blessed, fulfilled and caring community – God's community according to His design. • EXCEPT we find we are still incapable of doing these things on our own. We still fail; we need help. • This is where the ongoing relationship with the Lord comes in. • He is there and will
as we turn to Him •
That's what relationship
with God is all about – being transformed into His design for us.
•
Eph 2:10
For
we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which
God prepared in advance for us to do.
•
Christians are
those who have been remade or reborn – God's workmanship
The good works are just how we live – doing good, being kind, loving, following God's leading This is simply in conformity with His original design and so He is there seeking to lead us into this.
G. Our Part
Recap: God is thus, constantly at work seeking to:
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