People are born thinking highly of themselves. They compare themselves to others and feel superior if they are a little smarter, prettier, stronger, wealthier, or more moral or religious, etc. God is the Judge and He does not compare one person to another; He compares each person to His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus lived on earth for 33 years and never sinned. He obeyed every law of God and every law of men. He was despised and rejected by men and crucified for claiming to be God. The perfect, righteous Son of God is the standard God uses to judge each person. How do you stack up when you compare yourself to Jesus?
The Word of God says that, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). That means that every human being fails God's comparison test. No one is perfect like Jesus. A person has to be perfect to get into heaven. Men in their unconverted state are sinful, rebellious, and lawless. They can’t change themselves because their sin nature controls them. They need divine help in order to change. That is the work of God which He does by the Holy Spirit regenerating the sinner’s heart. The change is immediate! The spiritually dead sinner is made spiritually alive and begins to love God and obey Him. By faith, the sinner believes in Jesus’ life, death, and bodily resurrection and is justified by God at once. God declares the believing sinner righteous and sees him as perfect in His eyes. Legally, the new born sinner has a perfect standing before God. Only God can change a sinner and make him a saint!
The converted sinner is a new creation because God did a divine work in his heart. The new born believer has new desires, hopes, motives, and power to live godly in Christ Jesus. When a person truly believes in Jesus for salvation, there is always a change. (2 Corinthians 5:17). While the Christian has a perfect legal standing in God’s eyes, he still sins and has a lifetime of growing in grace as He tries to become more and more like the Savior.
One day, all believers will be changed and become perfect like Jesus in every way. That amazing change will take place when Jesus returns. (Philippians 3:21). If you profess to be a Christian, have you been changed by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit? And, are you continuing to change to be more Christ like in your speech, words, and actions? “He who began a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6).
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dennis
