Category: Spiritual Theology

The theology of spiritual growth & sanctification

transformation image of Christ

The Restoration of His Image

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After Jesus returns and we see him God will complete the restoration of his image in us; we will be completed New Adams! 1 Corinthians 15:49 states: “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (ESV). Our complete Christformation will make our previous life seem like a long war. We spent many years pursuing God and his holiness. We slowly learned how to walk in the Spirit and abide in Christ. We gradually purged selfishness and hedonism and unbelief. We did not set our hearts on things on this earth (Col. 3:1) and we did not make it a priority to accumulate wealth (Matt. 6:19) or fame. We looked to him to satisfy our deepest desires, which he began to do. We crucified our corruption, accepted rejection and learned to love our enemies. After Jesus Continue Reading →

What is Christlikeness?

What Does It Mean To Be Christlike?

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We know that our highest calling is to be Christlike and love God. But what are the essentials marks of Christlikeness? This post summarizes Christlikeness into five categories. This should help us to examine our lives and pursue areas of growth. Christ fully abided in the Father, which produced everything else in his life. He was filled with the virtues of God, and these virtues led to fruitful deeds, which is one of humanity’s original callings (“Be fruitful”, Gen. 1:28). This is an important element of the image of God, for God is the fountain of fruitfulness. This included actively loving people and healing their bodies and hearts. On Earth, Jesus employed all his faculties to impact others with his words and actions and developed disciples who would carry on his work after him. We are to do the same in our families, occupations, communities and societies. Whoever abides in Continue Reading →

new earth, callings

Looking Forward To The Fulfillment Of The Purposes Of Our Lives

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This post is about our future hope, the anchor for our lives. First, think back to the Garden of Eden. Consider the callings (we could also refer to them as missions or commissions) that God gave to Adam and Eve. They lived in a paradise, but God did not want them to just sit and enjoy the scenery. Rather, he made them in his image and likeness giving them tremendous abilities and individual gifts so that they could expand the Garden of Eden and create beautiful societies in a beautiful world. Below are the eleven callings God gave to them; these are the purposes for our existence: The Eleven Callings for Humans in the Garden of Eden Bear the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) Be fruitful (Gen. 1:28) Multiply (Gen. 1:28) Fill the earth (Gen. 1:28) Subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28) Exercise dominion over animals (Gen. 1:28) Work the garden Continue Reading →

wedding marriage

Our Future Blissful Marriage

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The most astonishing feature of the next age is that we will be “married” to the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9; 21:2, 9-27; 22:17).[1] “In the story of redemption and the history of heaven the supreme event for which the ages are waiting is the marriage of the Lamb. The Bible is one long love story and redemption a divine romance of the love of God.”[2] The bride of the Lamb comes down out of heaven as the New Jerusalem (the city of the saints of God) “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel” (21:11). Our wedding day will finally arrive and having been clothed in staggering beauty our loving Bridegroom will take us into his heart and ravish us in loving embrace forever. Being Christformed, deep will call to deep and form a complete, eternal spiritual bond with God. As in a human marriage, this union Continue Reading →

joy new earth

We Will Have True Life One Day

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After Jesus returns, God will create “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1, ESV). This New Earth is the consummation of the kingdom of God that Jesus brought to earth. This is what we now desire more than anything and the goal toward which God has been guiding his people for the entire history of humanity. God will flood his people with blessing so that they will fully delight in their God and in his creation, especially his people. We will prosper in a kingdom of people who are fully Christlike and fully able to form mutually edifying friendships. As fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), the Father will direct us to “take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matt. 25:34, NIV). How astonishing to think that God views us as his children and he made a kingdom for us to Continue Reading →