Focus on Your Purpose

 

2Cor. 3:17-18

Theme: The focus of New Testament Believers is our Lord Jesus Christ to experience the freedom of transformation.

Introduction:

Setbacks and struggles assert our need for maturity! We take two steps of progress forward only to face another three steps going backwards! Genuine spiritual growth is a frustrating battle.

Spiritual change in this life is not immediate, comprehensive, or lasting. We will fight to effect meaningful change in this life; no, the growth experience is not easy. Our change is a gradual transformation, and not an unbroken, uphill progression. Rather, it is like a stock-market chart. Some days up, some days down, but overall, we hope, an upward movement. This can be extremely unnerving at times.  But it helps to know Jesus must be our focus and during setbacks it’s time to refocus on him…again.

Message:

I.     The Purpose of Change—The Excellent Reason is Freedom— “there is Liberty.” (2Cor. 3:17)

A.    The Spirit Produces Freedom.

                                        1.     “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” it says in verse 17. Whenever and wherever Jesus Christ is recognized as Lord Jehovah there is freedom from the bondage of the Law, clarity instead of obscurity when reading the OT—liberty from misunderstanding, and freedom to gaze upon the unveiled face of the Lord of glory! The Spirit of the Lord removes the lack of understanding by exposing us to the Lord Jesus.

                                        2.     A major result of the New Covenant is freedom. Elsewhere Paul compared those under the Old Covenant to children of slavery and those under the New to children of freedom (Gal. 4:24–31). This freedom is possible because Christ has redeemed from the penalty of the Law those who believe so that they become children of God (Gal. 4:5–7). This freedom as children is confirmed by the Spirit, who enables Christians to call God Father (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).^[1]

                                        3.     Freedom:

a.      Romans 8:15, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

b.     Galatians 4:7, Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

                                        4.     The Judaizers who had invaded the church at Corinth were depending on the Law to change men’s lives, but only the Spirit of God can bring about spiritual transformation. The Law can bring only bondage, but the Spirit introduces us into a life of liberty^[2]

B.    The Key is Focusing on Jesus and Not the Law! Such focus requires depending on grace and not relying on rules, regulations or the Law.

                                        1.     Ephesians 4:22-24, But ye have not so learned Christ; ²¹ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

                                        2.     Galatians 2:20-21, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

                                        3.     Paul says he does not nullify or make void the grace of God because righteousness (or salvation) is through Christ and not self-righteousness, or mere religious activities. He differentiated between faith in Christ and merely following the law. Nobody can be justified in God's eyes by such activities of the law, but only by faith in the faithful Christ. Believing in Christ is being crucified with Him and having Him replace our sinful tendencies and motivations in each of our experiences.

                                        4.     The Law is limited in too many ways to mature a NT Believer; we need grace that is applicable in any situation instead of a rule, law, or limitation.

C.    This Freedom is Secured through Progressive Change! 2 Corinthians 3:18 says we, “are changed [transformed] into the same image from glory to glory” ….

                                        1.     Even the child of God, who has a new nature and is indwelt by God’s Spirit, must depend on, trust in, yield to, and cooperate with “the Spirit of the Lord” to experience real changes.

                                        2.     Also, some reflection on the word “change,” employed strategically by Paul, is helpful here. The Greek word is “metamorpho,” which means “to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure—to take on a different physical form or appearance.”

i.       Our English word metamorphosis is a transliteration of this Greek word. Metamorphosis describes the process that changes an insect from a larva into a pupa and then into a mature insect. The changes come from within. –The Bible Exposition Commentary

ii.     Metamorphosis reminds me of the TV show, the Incredible Hulk where Dr. David Banner was transformed into a giant muscular monster because of a gamma radiation overdose.

iii.   The term refers to Christ’s appearance in Matthew 17:1-9 as changed and resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration. 

a.      Matthew 17:1-2, And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, ² And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

b.     Though it is clear Jesus is human, it was here that he was revealed to also be divine—100% human and 100% God occupying a singular person! The idea associated with change is significant!

iv.   It is the same word the apostle Paul used in Romans 12:2, where he commanded, “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Obviously the nature of this transformation is fantastic.

                                        3.     In 2 Corinthians 3:18, it says we “are changed into the same imagine” suggesting the Believer is rather passive; the Lord is effectuating this inner spiritual transformation. However, in Romans 12:2, it says to the believer, “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” indicating that Christians must put forth serious effort to experience holy change! It is neither all up to you nor all up to God; you see, holy transformation does require collaboration and engagement involving God and us! Beloved, it is our part to know, trust, discipline, and obey God. 

 

Conclusion:

We are in a continuing process of transformation into the very image of Christ. Christlikeness is the ultimate goal of our journey (Eph. 4:23–24; Col. 3:10). 

Now in regeneration a person is instantly given a new nature, and she or he is enabled to respond to God in faith. Furthermore, the literal meaning of regeneration is “born again.” There is a first birth and a second birth. The first, as Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3:1-12) is “of the flesh”—merely physical; the second birth is “of the Spirit”—thus, supernatural and spiritual. Being born of the Spirit is essential for a person to “enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) Again the Bible insists the new birth is effectuated by the Spirit of God, not a church, not a preacher, not a priest, and not a ceremony (John 3:6-8). Just as we were passive in our natural and first birth, the same is truth with regards to our second birth. God does all the work the instant we believe. Without the new birth there is no present relationship, nor eternal future with the Most High God. Regeneration is the beginning of that spiritual relationship just as when we were born to our natural parents.

We all were born spiritually dead in sin with our first earthly and natural birth (Eph. 2:1).  In the new birth we are finally made alive to the living reality of God and brought into a relationship with Him who is “life!” The Lord Jesus insisted upon this fact in John 3:5-6, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He continues in John 3:7, saying to Nicodemus, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Firmly our Lord asserts this requirement. The life-giving element of the new birth is aptly communicated by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, where he says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” We safely conclude that the new birth comes from God’s Word also. Accordingly, theses verses tell us our new birth is the product of the Spirit and the Word of God. The Spirit uses the Gospel (God’s Word) to bring about regeneration in the soul and spirit of the repentant/believing person. Being born again is the impartation of a new and divine nature-life; a new creation; the production of a new thing deep within (2 Cor. 5:17). It is a New Birth from above, from God—the new life-giving Source! Now instead of being lost, separated from God, and in the death of our sins, we are saved, alive to God, and free of the guilt and responsibility for our sins.

This is exactly what Paul outlines in Romans 10:9-10, writing, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We cannot simply believe anything about Jesus, we must believe that the Son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our justification before The Father. It is crucial that we understand that it is faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us (Rom. 1:14-17).

Christ’s suffering at Calvary was God providing payment for our sins. That's what Calvary was about—justice was served, and sin was paid for in full. Now sinners can be saved—born again to enter a relationship with God. It is the Spirit who regenerates us and gives us new life when we trust Christ. We cannot save ourselves no matter how good, sincere, or diligent we are. Being born again means we become a part of a new family; God is our Father who shares with us His very own divine nature. All of this is realized the moment we humble ourselves before God acknowledging our sins while trusting Christ and His payment for them. We must accept this payment personally. Beloved, we must exercise faith in the Person and Work of Christ to experience the spiritual birth. What about you? Have you been born again?

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^[1] David K. Lowery, “2 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 562.

^[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 640.