by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2011
Posted 4/20/11

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Are you hard on yourself? Does it help? Are you determined to bring about a change in your life? Is it working? We all need progressive sanctification - that is, we all need to become more like Jesus in our daily experience. We need to be changed from what we are in the sinful flesh into the image and likeness of Christ. This is the will of God for our life, but it is always and only the work of grace. We must first realize that we cannot change ourselves. We must not attempt, in our own strength, the impossible - striving to do for ourselves what only God can do in us. The sanctification or change that we desire is the work of the Holy Spirit who indwells all who believe. Sometimes the change we desire is not given to us because we have not learned this. If we think that we are doing well, then we might think that we are sufficient in and of ourselves. This is why God leaves weakness.

In, The Chronicles of Narnia - "The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader" by C. S. Lewis, the rebellious boy Eustace found himself, once again, in trouble. In his defiant absence from the others, he found a treasure hidden in a dragon's lair. He decided to take as much of it, for himself, as he could carry. He placed a gold band on his arm which (because of some magical power) turned him into a dragon. At first he found it fun to be a dragon and thought to make sport of the others. Before long, however, he just wanted to be a boy again and he began to realize that there was nothing he could do to change himself back. He became remorseful of his rebellious ways that had gotten him into so much trouble. He longed to be changed, but any attempt would be futile. In his dragonly state he had a change of heart. In the end (according to one film version) he was crying out in great distress and clawing the scales from his arms - trying to rid himself of his dragonliness. That is when ASLAN appeared and said "it is not enough, I must do it for you" and Eustace was changed.

Only God can change us. It is enough that we truly desire it. It is enough that we behold him in the mirror of the word and sup with his Spirit until our change comes. Our change, in one sense, is decided by God. It happens at his pace and in his time. We are in his sovereign process. This truth obliterates any form of legalism. The change that God effects in our life is not contrived, but is genuine, because it is according to his effectual power that works in us. We are changed by the power of his indwelling Spirit as we behold him through the mirror of his word. The King James Bible does a fine job with this present passive verb are changed - metamorphoumetha (are being transformed). We receive the action of being changed by God - through beholding.

But what, then, do we do with the exhortations to obedience within the scriptures? Very simply, we behold them, love them, and agree with them. We desire them for our lives and yield ourselves to them, all the while understanding that obedience comes with our change.

He has done it, he will do it, and indeed, it is he who must do it.

"Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight." (Psalm 119:35)

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