An attempt to change our behaviors apart from the motivating work of the gospel is a fool’s mission.
Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.”
This is quite remarkable! Christ must be in us and we must be in him if we desire real change! Therefore, to attempt change without Christ is at best superficial and temporary.
Without the foundation of Christ, all our change would be like building a house on sand. (See Matthew 7:24-27) The change process will not be able to stand the test of time and trouble.
A simple analogy may shed some light on the biblical theology for change. At birth, my daughter Ansa received all she needed to grow normally. She did not need to wait to receive more than what she received at birth in order to grow into an adult. However, what she must do, now that she has “all the parts” necessary to reach adulthood is to continue to strengthen herself throughout her young life in order to grow into full, physical maturity.
For her to attempt to grow without being born defies common sense.
Similarly, at our spiritual birth, when we are “born again” (John 3:3) we receive all we will ever need to grow into a normal, vibrant and joyful Christian.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (2 Peter 1:3-4).
If you are a Christian, you have all you need to change, grow and mature and Paul gives you a glimpse in Ephesians 4:22-24 of how this transformational process can take place.
…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
We see that if we have put off the old man and put on the new man (i.e., the act of salvation), and continue to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be strengthened by His renewing work, only then are we ready for progressive and lasting change!
First things first
Therefore, the first question we ask if you want to change pertains to the new birth. If you have not been born again, it would be like my daughter attempting to grow without being born the first time.
Are you in Christ?
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Read also: Why Behavioral Change is Not Effective Over the Long Haul
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To “put off the old self” and to “put on the new self” works in tandem. To “put off” effectively we must “put on” something new. The new nature is not something we can manufacture … it had to be given to us by the One who created us initially. Without God providing this “new self” for us, we could only put on a weak imitation. Without the redemptive work of Jesus Christ in our lives, we would surely be without hope. He is the One who creates, regenerates, and sustains us.
Hey Rick:
Well said. I hear so many people quote John 3:16 over and over without thinking about what it means in context. John 3 is a great chapter of scripture which needs to be read in its entirety. “Whosoever will” means very little w/o “the wind blowing where it will” and “you must be born again.”
Is it OK to post some of you entries on my blog? I would gladly give your name and url the credit?
In Christ Alone,
Greg