Becoming Christlike: The True Goal of Christian Life

Devotional

Day 1: Conformity to Christ as Our Ultimate Goal

Our ultimate goal as Christians is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, as stated in Romans 8:29. This means that every decision and action in our lives should be evaluated based on whether it helps us become more like Christ. Just as we choose a flight based on its destination, our life choices should be guided by this ultimate goal. This involves a conscious effort to align our thoughts, actions, and desires with those of Christ, seeking to reflect His character in all aspects of our lives. [02:50]

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29, ESV)

Reflection: What is one decision you can make today that aligns more closely with becoming like Christ?

Day 2: Love as the True Evidence of the Holy Spirit

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the love of God in our hearts, not by external signs like speaking in tongues. This love empowers us to live righteously and witness Christ through our lives. The Holy Spirit's presence in us is marked by a transformation that enables us to love fervently and live in a way that reflects Christ's love to others. This love is not just an emotion but a powerful force that compels us to act in ways that honor God and serve others selflessly. [17:12]

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5, ESV)

Reflection: How can you demonstrate the love of God to someone in your life today, in a way that goes beyond words?

Day 3: Balancing Grace and Truth in Our Lives

Like the Pharisees, we can start with good intentions but lose sight of love and compassion. We must strive to maintain a balance of grace and truth, reflecting the nature of Christ in our interactions with others. Jesus exemplified the perfect balance of grace and truth, and we are called to reflect this balance in our lives. This involves standing firm in truth while being compassionate and loving towards others, even those who have wronged us. [22:35]

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practice balancing grace and truth in a challenging relationship or situation today?

Day 4: The Power of Forgiveness

True Christlikeness involves having compassion and forgiving others, even those who have wronged us. This reflects God's nature and ensures that we are not handed over to spiritual consequences due to unforgiveness. Forgiveness is a powerful act that frees us from the burden of bitterness and allows us to experience the fullness of God's grace. It is a choice to release others from the debt they owe us and to trust God with the outcome. [49:09]

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Day 5: Humility and Dependence on the Holy Spirit

Achieving the balance of grace and truth requires humility and a constant reliance on the Holy Spirit. Like a GPS, the Holy Spirit guides us, providing course corrections to keep us on the path to Christlikeness. Our passion for becoming like Christ should be as strong as any earthly ambition, and we must be willing to make sacrifices to achieve this goal. This involves a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit's leading and a willingness to be corrected and guided by Him. [01:00:35]

"Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Sermon Summary

In our journey as Christians, it's crucial to understand the ultimate goal of our lives. Many people believe that the primary aim is evangelism or social work, but these are secondary to the true purpose God has set for us. According to Romans 8:29, our destination is to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. This means that our lives should be focused on becoming more like Christ in every aspect. Just as we choose a flight based on its destination, our life choices should be guided by this ultimate goal.

The path to Christlikeness involves being filled with the Holy Spirit, which is not about speaking in tongues or performing miracles, but about receiving power to be witnesses of Christ through our lives and words. The evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the love of God poured into our hearts, enabling us to love fervently and live righteously.

We must also be cautious of becoming like the Pharisees, who started with a desire to preserve God's truth but ended up missing the essence of love and compassion. Jesus exemplified the perfect balance of grace and truth, and we are called to reflect this balance in our lives. This involves standing firm in truth while being compassionate and loving towards others, even those who have wronged us.

The journey to Christlikeness requires humility and a constant reliance on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Just as a GPS corrects our course, the Holy Spirit provides the necessary adjustments to keep us on the path to our destination. Our passion for becoming like Christ should be as strong as any earthly ambition, and we must be willing to make sacrifices to achieve this goal.

Key Takeaways

1. The True Goal of Christian Life: Our ultimate goal is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, as stated in Romans 8:29. This means that every decision and action in our lives should be evaluated based on whether it helps us become more like Christ. [02:50]
2. Evidence of the Holy Spirit: Being filled with the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the love of God in our hearts, not by external signs like speaking in tongues. This love empowers us to live righteously and witness Christ through our lives. [17:12]
3. Avoiding Pharisaical Attitudes: Like the Pharisees, we can start with good intentions but lose sight of love and compassion. We must strive to maintain a balance of grace and truth, reflecting the nature of Christ in our interactions with others. [22:35]
4. Compassion and Forgiveness: True Christlikeness involves having compassion and forgiving others, even those who have wronged us. This reflects God's nature and ensures that we are not handed over to spiritual consequences due to unforgiveness. [49:09]
5. Humility and Dependence on the Holy Spirit: Achieving the balance of grace and truth requires humility and a constant reliance on the Holy Spirit. Like a GPS, the Holy Spirit guides us, providing course corrections to keep us on the path to Christlikeness. [01:00:35]
** [60:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Understanding the Goal of Christian Life
[01:24] - Individual vs. Church Goals
[02:33] - Predestined to be Like Christ
[03:52] - Capacity to Receive God's Life
[05:01] - Evaluating Life Choices
[06:37] - Ambitions for Our Children
[08:30] - Evidence of Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
[10:53] - Understanding New Testament Doctrine
[15:31] - Power to be Witnesses
[17:12] - Love as Evidence of the Holy Spirit
[22:35] - The Danger of Pharisaical Attitudes
[28:56] - Balancing Truth and Compassion
[31:16] - Desire for Repentance
[35:31] - Grace and Truth in Christ
[49:09] - The Importance of Forgiveness
[60:35] - Following the Holy Spirit's Guidance

Sermon Clips

The destination God has made for us, it's a very important verse for all of us to remember, and I hope those who don't know it should know it too. Romans 8:29, it says God has predestined us. Three dozen means a destination determined beforehand. Pre means beforehand, just like you get a flight ticket. [00:02:42]

God has predestined us to become conformed to the image of his son. That means this capacity that we have has to fully receive the life of Jesus Christ. So that's a very, very important verse that everything in my life must be determined by where am I headed. [00:04:39]

If you see clearly my goal in life God is determined for me before I, he saved me, his plan is I have to become totally like Christ. I will evaluate everything in my life. Why is this gonna help me to get to that destination? [00:05:21]

What is the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Now there are many people who have different ideas of what being baptized in the Holy Spirit is. You go to the brethren, the Plymouth Brethren assemblies, they'll say when you're born again, you're baptized in the Holy Spirit. [00:08:47]

When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will have power from God to be like Christ and to speak the words of Christ, to be his witness by your life and your works. So one more verse from the doctrinal teaching sections of Scripture, Romans 5 verse 5. [00:16:44]

The love of God is poured in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us. So when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, he's filled with the love of God. Multitudes of people have been filled with the Holy Spirit who had never spoke in tongues at their whole life. [00:17:08]

The Pharisees, when he said that, it proved that Jesus said the doctrine of the Pharisees is 100% right, but don't do like they're like they their deeds don't follow their actions. Their teaching is correct, but their actions are a bit proud, self-righteous. [00:24:20]

One of the dangers we can face in pursuing righteousness is to lack compassion for sinners. I mean for backsliders and sinners and evil people and compromisers and all that. We don't have to compromise with them. Jesus sat among sinners. There was no sin in him. [00:28:09]

The only way to become like Christ, that's our goal, is to ask the Holy Spirit to show us the glory of Jesus more and more and more and more and change us into that image like it says in 2nd Corinthians 3:18. [00:29:41]

What does it mean to become like Jesus Christ? One thing is I will not want anybody to perish. I want everybody to come to repentance. What about that guy who did so much evil to you, harm do you, or hurt your family, or your reputation, or hurt your children very badly? [00:31:27]

I have to treat others like the way da treated me. That's what the meaning of the story is. Have I forgiven you so much and being so good to you? Can't he be good to this person who treated you badly? Can't you forgive this person who did something wrong? [00:48:53]

The journey to Christlikeness requires humility and a constant reliance on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Just as a GPS corrects our course, the Holy Spirit provides the necessary adjustments to keep us on the path to our destination. [01:00:35]

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