2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV): Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
It is always God’s goal to completely transform those who come to Him for salvation. If a person comes to Him in their filthy rags of sin and depravity and then, after being forgiven, they turn away in the same sad state, what has been accomplished? Absolutely nothing!
When someone believes in Jesus for salvation, when they repent, turning away from their sinful actions and attitudes and back toward God with all of their hearts, He does more than just issue a pardon for sins committed. He actually changes that person into a completely new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) with a completely different heart, and a completely different center of gravity in their lives. This transformation makes them see all things differently, to actually want different things. It completely transforms actions and attitudes.
But as amazing and profound as that initial change is, it is still only the beginning. From that moment forward, God’s will for that person, His chosen destiny for them, is that they will be transformed into the very image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). This transformation happens through that person abiding consistently in God, allowing His Holy Spirit to shine in and through them, so that they begin to reflect the very image of God, the image of Jesus, back to the world in which they live.
This transformation is not just for an elite group of Christians, but for every single follower of Jesus. And it is not designed to be a process that takes a lifetime before any appreciable progress is seen. The initial transformation is profound and instantaneous, with immediate results that are able to be seen clearly by those who know that person, and by the person themselves. The additional polishing of the image, though it does last a lifetime, should be continual and noticeable as well.
God’s people all need to keep in mind the destiny to which He has called us: to reflect His glory, and to be transformed into the very likeness of Jesus with ever-increasing glory. (And they must never doubt His power and ability to do that in their own lives. Believing that they are a “special case” that can’t actually be remade into the image of Jesus is doubting God’s power, as well as His word.) Keeping that ultimate goal in mind will keep us from being distracted by the cares of this world, and will keep us focused on God and on His agenda.
Father, I know that the initial transformation in my own life was nothing short of moving from death to life, from darkness into the full light of Your presence. (And I have seen the same instant transformation in the lives of many others as well.) And You have been working continually in my life every since then, polishing and adjusting every area of my life to be more and more like Jesus. Thank You for this destiny You have called all of us to, and for the power You have to accomplish it. Amen.