Transformed Into His Image
Concluding His contrast between the Old and New Covenants, Paul said that those who turn from the Old Covenant to Christ, and keep their eyes on Him “are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).
Notice some ways that we are transformed by keeping our eyes on Jesus.
1. He was humble. He gave up the glories of heaven in order to come “in the form of a servant,” therefore God highly exalted Him (Phil. 2:5-10). Peter said that we should be submissive to one another “and be clothed with humility” (1 Pet. 5:5).
2. Jesus was forgiving. Even as He hung on the cross, He said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). If we are like Christ, we must “put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3:12,13).
3. Christ was zealous to do His Father’s will. After cleansing the temple, his disciples remembered that the Psalmist had written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (Jn. 2:17; Ps. 69:9). Those who have been redeemed from iniquity are to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).
4. Christ was prayerful. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear” (Heb. 5:7). He was heard in that the Father gave Him strength to bear His trials (Lk. 22:43). If we follow Christ, we must “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17), because the “fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 6:16).
5. Christ was compassionate. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (Jn. 11:35), and because of His temptations is “able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). When we are conformed to the image of Christ, we learn to not only rejoice with those who rejoice, but to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Jesus was not self-centered and unconcerned about the plight of others and neither are those who are transformed into His image.
6. Perhaps the greatest characteristic of Jesus was that He was a giver. After giving His time, energies and efforts in helping men, “He gave His life a ransom for many” (Mt. 20:28). Paul commended the giving of the Macedonians because of their liberal giving, but said they “first gave themselves to the Lord, an then to us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5). When we give ourselves, giving our time, energy and material possessions will be easy.
Peter summarized the life of Jesus this way: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when Hew suffered, he did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” 1 Pet. 2:21-23).
This is the pattern that challenges us as we seek to be His disciples!
Notice some ways that we are transformed by keeping our eyes on Jesus.
1. He was humble. He gave up the glories of heaven in order to come “in the form of a servant,” therefore God highly exalted Him (Phil. 2:5-10). Peter said that we should be submissive to one another “and be clothed with humility” (1 Pet. 5:5).
2. Jesus was forgiving. Even as He hung on the cross, He said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). If we are like Christ, we must “put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3:12,13).
3. Christ was zealous to do His Father’s will. After cleansing the temple, his disciples remembered that the Psalmist had written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (Jn. 2:17; Ps. 69:9). Those who have been redeemed from iniquity are to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).
4. Christ was prayerful. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear” (Heb. 5:7). He was heard in that the Father gave Him strength to bear His trials (Lk. 22:43). If we follow Christ, we must “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17), because the “fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 6:16).
5. Christ was compassionate. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (Jn. 11:35), and because of His temptations is “able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). When we are conformed to the image of Christ, we learn to not only rejoice with those who rejoice, but to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Jesus was not self-centered and unconcerned about the plight of others and neither are those who are transformed into His image.
6. Perhaps the greatest characteristic of Jesus was that He was a giver. After giving His time, energies and efforts in helping men, “He gave His life a ransom for many” (Mt. 20:28). Paul commended the giving of the Macedonians because of their liberal giving, but said they “first gave themselves to the Lord, an then to us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5). When we give ourselves, giving our time, energy and material possessions will be easy.
Peter summarized the life of Jesus this way: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when Hew suffered, he did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” 1 Pet. 2:21-23).
This is the pattern that challenges us as we seek to be His disciples!