Thursday, March 31, 2016

What Are We Becoming?

'We are becoming what we already are.' is a theme that is repeating again and again in the booklet I'm reading.

Our world view is so vital isn't it? The theory of macro evolution states that change is happening slowly. Some change is useful and some isn't. The useful change will survive and the less useful change will die out. But Christian thought makes a distinction between natural replication and spiritual replication making the claim that the natural is missing something vital and that over time that missing piece causes a more and more degraded product.

"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;" - 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 ESV

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." - 1 Corinthians 15:10a ESV

When what was missing (spiritual life) has been restored we are what we are by the grace of God and we are becoming what we are by the grace of God.

The flesh isn't 'regarded' in this dynamic because our bodies continue on the course they were on from birth. They age and experience quickenings at times but our identity is new. This new person can live in newness. The new person can glorify God in the moment. The new person can love, forgive and have mercy. The natural person can dabble in those elements but the new person thrives in those concepts. A new person inhales mercy and exhales forgiveness.

If a person hasn't believed in Jesus they have an identity based on the fall. The God of the Bible sees two identities. One is found in the fall and the other is found in His Son Jesus.

"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." - Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

Yes, I am convinced that we are all becoming what we already are. Are we hidden in Christ or do we have only one birth to identify with?

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