842. Biblical Change

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. We've had really wonderful series on the theme of what is man in one of our desires and our chapels is to be able to teach sound solid biblical doctrine that will make a difference in sound solid biblical living, because ultimately we live out in our lifestyles. What we believe in our heart, our behavior is affected by our beliefs and so this semester we have dealt with the theme of what is man, understanding man in creation how we relate to God man in the fall man in salvation and all that. All that is been taking place and we had some really very wonderful messages were continuing the study series about the doctrine of man. Today's message will be preached by seminary professor Jason Ormiston in the title of his message is biblical change. Good morning. Let me invite you to take your Bible and turn with me to second Corinthians 3 verse 18 second Corinthians 3 verse 18. This will be the text that will end up landing in but I would have build a little bit of the case to help us understand the process were on in connection to who man is and in this series and what is man, we've been on a journey looking at man through the eyes of creation and we realize that man was created in the image of God. The pinnacle of all creation. We considered man as man has been affected by the curse. The image of God was defaced, not a race but we have serious struggle as a result, which adds all these questions in our own hearts. Regarding why man that happens to be fallen how man-made essay grabs the phone can actually do good things we've seen and heard message regarding how a bad man to do good things and how that works and then the cross so we started with creation went to the curse and then just recently been in the cross we see the need for a heart transformation and of course we've also seen the need for re-generation so today the task at hand.

When I get to do with all of us today is to consider biblical change and I want to think of it from the lens of one who is redeemed to is regenerated and how to live in light of the gospel. This is a big deal to talk about because I think in our setting. Many times we find ourselves struggling with this failure to change because of our struggle, we come to the conclusion maybe what I really need to do is get saved and that in some ways is the easy way out now. I hope that you're here today and you don't know Christ as your Savior. You haven't repented and turned to him that she would embrace the change that can only come through Christ as the rest of what I want to talk about is no good if it's just about reforming your behavior. That's not what I'm here to talk about but I think the more difficult yet more appropriate for each of us to consider as we study through man is, what is the Bible say about a redeemed man and how he changes.

If you're still not quite connecting with what I'm saying if you ever found yourself asking the question, if I truly am redeemed, why do I keep struggling with the same sins over and over and over again may be your one who says what I keep struggling with swearing, arguing, lying, lasting, why do I struggle with this tendency to always care too much about what everyone else thinks about me. Many are not safe.

Not maybe perhaps you don't understand biblical sanctification not help you understand biblical sanctification, and maybe on the other hand, you find yourself asking the question, why cannot you not keep the decision that I made at camp this summer. Why can I keep the decision I made yesterday and chapels or the day before and Chapel white while I have such a strong tendency to drift away. So as we build the case for this work in the land in second Corinthians 318. I want to see some harsh realities. As we its the first harsh reality is that the struggle begins with your heart, and we find this in Matthew chapter 15 we understand the struggle starts out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The corruption comes from our heart is not external sources. Things that need to change in order for us to really reform how we act or really become successful in the process of change. The other aspect is the struggle continues. Now it's super sensitive area that struggle continues after conversion. Once you get this if you think that once you get saved, it's going to be okay. I want you to realize that there is an aspect in which, when you get saved. It is okay.

Romans six tells us that we are set free from the power of sin. Romans eight tells us that were set free from the penalty of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans seven tells us that we are still struggling with the presence of sin. We have been going back and forth we know the power doesn't have power over us and we know ultimately were not going to be condemned because of Christ. And we rejoice in that the why do we still feel that presence within us. It's just the reality for all believers in the struggle demands than intervention. If you consider Jeremiah 1323 it says this can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots then may you also do good, that are accustomed to do evil, how can you just get up and change the way you live and what you do and how you respond well after start with understanding that there some harsh realities. But the world has answers and let me give you some of the world's answers and these are coming from a testimonial from a guy named Mike Cleveland who wrote a book called men of honor, and he suggested that he tried to be set free from sin and went to all sorts of counselors and found the counselors giving answers like this try the rubber band method that you put a rubber band around arrested whenever you're tempted to send you just pull it back and you snap it in the pain associated with the rubber band method will wake you up to realize this is wrong. Falling in the temptation of the the police officer with the stop sign method. Seriously counselors are saying these things work when you're right about the sin envision in your mind. A police officer with maybe a whistle in his mouth, putting out his hand saying stop and amenable that will change you regressive therapy. This is when you go back into your past and relive the things that have happened to the hurts the wrongs you try to apply Christ to all the situations and you know this can take years and years and years and you always miss something you always end up blaming someone it doesn't quite come out working to visualize emotional experience yet to think about the happiest moment in your life the most tragic event in your life. And so when temptation hits you visualize that emotional experience and it will be greater than the temptation that you're facing in. These are the world's answers. These are not answers. I'm suggesting you actually use and especially this one sniffing ammonia. This is like fry the brain cells and start all over.

I don't think I have to encourage you this is not a good approach would actually counselors throw it out as if you really manage it appropriately. It's going to work it doesn't work and about the cutback principal and this is just so disgusting. This principle teaches that an addict wean himself or herself off a particular bad habit. For example, if your problem is pornography than what you need to do is the first month go from 20 pornographic movies to 18 the next month. Go down to 16, and work your way down. Tell your only about one or two a year that's honoring to God. I don't think so.

So I encourage you how we can change I have for you.

Just these three simple points for you to consider Emma spend the majority of my time on the second one that I mention all three here understand first of all your fallen condition, so this is what I'm saying to you if you're taking notes here are the three main points ready understand your fallen condition.

The second point on encouraging understand his rest in divine intervention. We need God to break through in our lives. If this is going to work then finally look forward to the day of redemption. We are not supposed to grow comfortable with this present world were supposed to understand that were pilgrims and were foreigners and aliens and were supposed to look forward to the time were set free. When we see him face-to-face, and that is something that I hope causes joy within your heart, not terror within your heart so insert with this first one. Understand your fallen condition look to Paul and consider how he understood his own status as a born-again believer in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse nine he makes the statement that he is the least of the apostles and then later on about five years later when he wrote Ephesians 18 he says that he is the least of the same in about 2 to 4 years after that time, we have been making the statement that he is the chief of sinners.

Notice his pattern as he is getting older and more mature in his faith. She has a bigger idea of how little he is in comparison to who God is and who God's people happen to be. I'm suggesting to you that if we do understand our fallen condition, it will drive us to our knees and will realize that we desperately need divine intervention.

If this is gonna work. I think that as we get older we should all grow a little bit closer to God. A little bit more aware of our need. We shouldn't grow more arrogant that I know the Bible. I've studied the Bible. Therefore, I have it all figured out that the more I study the Bible, the more I realize I am so desperately in need of Christ and in need of his grace.

That's a daily thing I want you to understand that and embrace that reality. This is good news though. The second aspect where we will focus our attention is on this divine intervention. I hope your Bible is open to second Corinthians. Let's pick this apart. Chapter 3 verse 18 second Corinthians 318.

In order to understand this verse ripped understand its backdrop in the backdrop and its context is we find a passage in Exodus chapter 34 Exodus 34 is an account of the second time Moses goes up into the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments. Remember the first time you went up there. He came down and he found all of God's people worshiping a golden calf and he was very upset about it and he threw the 10 Commandments down against the mountainside and they shattered God was gonna start all over with just Moses and yet Moses prayed on behalf of God's people, and God listened and responded and gave God's people a second chance.

Moses went back up in the mountain and we came back. This time he had a take two tables of stone in this time as he's walking down, he didn't realize something about him, but his face was glowing was radiating light. Aaron looked at him and said hey listen, but I think you need to put something on your face.

I can't look at your your shining on a farm shining on the big screen right now, but I'm talking about light coming out okay and so we have this situation where a veil was placed over his face whenever he talked remove it. Many put it back over his face and so here Paul brings us to the passage where he relates that story and we start to understand the principle to look at this verse together with me 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. Now consider what this passage is teaching us.

I want you to understand the need for change is universal.

I get that by looking at that first phrase which says but we all, the apostle Paul is including himself in the week so that means he's not saying I am the great apostle and I have arrived.

He saying we all have a need. If you go back to acts chapter 18 and you see who actually showed up in Corinth to help plant the church in Corinth were in second Corinthians, so this is a letter to the Corinthians. We find that it's not just Paul mentioned in the week we find in chapter 18. Paul, of course, is there but we also see Silas because this is after call and Barnabas had their dispute, and Paul and Silas went together. Timothy is mentioned in chapter 18. We also find Tukwila and Priscilla mentioned this husband-and-wife team.

They are included in the we all Christmas, the ruler of the synagogue is included and then if you go to first Corinthians, some Sam of Paul. Some of the policy. Some of Cephas and I'm saying to you.

We all means we all just a simple truth that I want to get what you understand that the need for change is true for all of us, all of God's redeemed that includes every professor that you have every pastor that you have your parents.

It's not just something you're working on it. Something we all are working on to get that to don't think that we have this great gap between the two of us. I struggle like you struggle. I need Jesus as much as you need. Jesus and according to what I just looked at because I'm older than a lot of you. I guess I should have a greater awareness of my need for Jesus. We all need notice though the second part about this. It's supernatural love. This it says with open face. Okay, what is that mean open face will go back in your Bible to verse 13 of second Corinthians chapter 3 it says and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, but the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished, but their minds were blinded, their minds were blinded. It says for until this day remain at the same veil undertaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, and if you have a pen you could underline this truth which veil is done away in Christ. So we see about the supernatural aspect here is that we have an open face wide because the veil has been removed through Jesus Christ is the great joy of the gospel. The veil has been removed. When she get that the veil is removed.

That means we can see him as he is. We have this wonderful truth of being set free. Notice the next phrase we have beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord. This is an interesting phrase because in the ESV you don't have any connection to a glass just have the statement that your beholding the glory of the Lord. So what is it mean when it saying beholding as in a glass. It also says that in the new American Standard. Is it perhaps a reference to James chapter 1 verses 20 through 22. As we look into the mirror of God's word were changed perhaps perhaps it's connecting us back to first Corinthians 13 verse 12, which is now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I will know even as I'm fully known, but it could also just give us a simple connection to how to see God's glory and I want to know that the truth is revealed if you take the mirror out of their the glass out of their pod we see God revealed to us through two ways creation and conscience creation. Romans 118 through 20 conscience Romans to 14 through 16. We all know that God exists and that he is real and we can rejoice in this, as we consider.

We all, including all of us need Christ to remove the veil. We need God to help us understand his truth, but you Paul in their the Bible you have this general revelation.

We also have special revelation. The most special of all is Christ himself. Hebrews 11 through three. All I want to understand that this change is possible because it's supernatural verse and x-rays were changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord change here is the word for metamorphosis same word we find in Romans 12 verse two were being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even by the spirit of the Lord. This is good news because the transformation has begun. Now if you're still struggling to understand how this is supernatural. Let me take you back one more time. Let me show you what I'm talking about what we see here is that you can change and I can change because it is God himself.

The Trinity that makes it possible.

Notice this again. First, the open face who is that referring to who removes the veil okay you're right it's God the son, Jesus Christ. How about the glory of the Lord was that talking about. I think that's talking about God the father and no question about the spirit is talking about God the spirit so the Trinity is interested in you changing me changing to guess what that means. I think we can do this because it's not dependent upon me. It's God doing his work in and through me and I rejoice in that the third aspect of this is going back to the phrase are changed into the same image.

We realize the process of this change is identical for all of us. The goal is Christ likeness.

It's not you, becoming the best possible version of you. It's all of us becoming more like Jesus Christ, which is a common goal that we can all go after.

It's not based on your abilities. It's based on who Jesus is and what he does in and through you and it goes from glory to glory and notice if you don't know this term. The term I want you to learn about who you are as an image bearer of God you are God's child, and God has designed to help you change and that change is progressive and so I introduce you to this term progressive sanctification I'm saying to you that God is in the business of changing us from one shade of glory to a brighter shade of glory.

In contrast to Moses who started out glowing but ended up having the glow die away. That's what the law does you are amazed at the holiness of God, but confronted with your own sin. There's no glow left but when you understand the spirit of God working in you.

You continue to glow brighter and brighter, and it is progressive and it's full of struggles and yet it is something that we can rejoice in and find hope in. So how to help you get one exam while I'm afraid that many of us give up on the transformation process because we failed way too many times or we grow inpatient with the process had a chance to grab lunch with one of my students from Old Testament messages. Just last week.

We're sitting in the dining common and we found a common bond in our love for sports that was easy. He loved basketball soccer. I asked in the natural next question. So Alex, are you not try out for the Bruins basketball team to that he kinda chuckled and he said, let me tell you a quick story is that when I was a freshman in high school I played against one of the Bruins basketball players. He was a senior in high school. His name was Ray Holden, Junior, and Ray managed to steal the ball from me and he ran on the court and he dunked it with ease two-handed, no problem. So he laughed and said no I think I'll stick with society ball. Now I know half of you guys out there like get whatever I could play for the Bruins if I wanted to let check this out. I admit this is off the record. But I want to hear this, we need to not make a division between our athletes and our college students. These athletes are ambassadors for Bob Jones University. They must be servant leaders.

I want to follow a servant leader. I don't want to follow someone who's arrogant if you get to know some of these guys in some of these girls what you can find out is they are getting up really early and staying up really late and working really hard to represent the school for the glory of God. And so I think maybe we should stop with the division thing and start treating each other as image bearers of God just said back to what I'm saying. I can relate with Alex. I can relate with his feelings of man would be great if I could just dunk on whomever I wanted to whenever and I know you look at me like a adopter or 266. Should you be able to any other tall guys in here can relate with people saying should you build a dunk yeah okay well okay thank you thank you I hear you. I see okay I wanted to do something about it.

So in high school. Between my junior and senior year I went out and did some research and I found these jump shoes platform shoes and by and II a bottom for like 100 bucks and I Warren and I started the program and actually the guaranteed to increase your vertical 5 to 10 inches. Now that was huge.

I started it and I have this good news to tell you it actually works, but I was so pumped up about it that I did. I went off the program and decided to wear the shoes everywhere. Whenever I played because I wanted to see if maybe I could increase my vertical bike 15 inches or 20 inches because IBI grew impatient with the plan I I went off the grid and decided to do my own thing because I was so eager about change you not happen at the end of that summer I tore my Achilles tendon yeah you know what that meant to my vertical jump. I was in a cast for eight weeks.

I went down to negative inches.

Anyway, this is not sensitive. A lot of times the reason why you get frustrated with change is because you're not sticking with God's plan. His plan is that you require divine intervention that means the tri-unity doing a work in you. His plan includes everybody in this auditorium who is born again in his plan is incremental it goes from one shade of glory to the next shade of glory. So why don't you just step back and let God be God in your life. Stop thinking you have to do something in order to change yourself and just yield yourself to Jesus and asked him to help with that being said, the last point that I want to consider want to consider with me that there is a day of redemption, and this should cause within your great hope. Consider these verses from Titus 211 through 14 for the grace of God that bring us salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly last. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking unto looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works so his mom saying to you might be frustrated. I join you in that frustration. I wish I happened to get over some of the struggles that I experience and I know that the more I yield to the Lord, the more I get to transform but there is coming a day. Jesus is going to take us home. And if that doesn't cause you to get excited then maybe you've got a warped view of what heaven is gonna look like and what it's like going to look like to be in his presence. If you think for a second that I am okay with Jesus coming back with Timmy, come back after I graduate from college for you to come back after I get the job. I've been working so hard to get wrapped I get married or after after after and I'm saying to after is not the answer, we should look for that blessed hope and I want you to find hope in this that you are. You're going to struggle. It's a harsh reality after your saved you struggle, but there is hope. It's found in God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit and the promise that he one day is coming again so here's my application for you. Would you admit that you need to change if you're sleeping wake up you need to change see your need. We all need to change submit to God working in you, God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit anticipate his return and keep persevering until he comes back or chooses to take you home. You been listening to a sermon preached at Bob Jones University by seminary professor Jason Ormiston. This was part of the series about the doctrine of man join us again tomorrow as we continue the series here on The Daily Platform