Aren't We Supposed To Be Conforming?

Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed in the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

God tells us here that we are to be conformed (to be similar or identical to) to the image of Christ. To do this we must be reading the Word of God and be in the House of God to hear the teaching and preaching of God's Word. But that is only part of it. We must OBEY the Word of God. We can read God's Word and know what God is telling us to do to conform to the image of His Son but that simply isn't enough. We must DO and OBEY what He tells us to do in His Word.

If you are a child of God then you have the desire to conform to the image of His Son. The problem is that some people are fine with just being saved from eternity in the Lake of Fire. They don't WANT to conform to the image of Christ. They know that to conform to His image means persecution and ridicule. II Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." To live for Christ is not popular. It does rub against the grain of the world. But that should not stop us from wanting to be conformed to the image of Christ. We all have the God-given desire to live for Christ...but the flesh will fight that desire and put a WANT in our heart to do opposite.

To not be conformed to the image of Christ is to live out of God's will. God also commands that we be filled with the Spirit of God. Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;". This does not give us a choice but a command. To be filled with the Spirit it is impossible to NOT be conformed to the image of Christ. The two go hand in hand.

God's Word also says "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them" Psalm 119:165. A person that wants to conform to Christ's image will also love the Word of God and in turn will not be offended when God shows them something in their life that needs to change. I know that when God began showing me things as a new-born babe in Christ that I wanted to be like Christ so much that I was willing to let go of anything He wanted me to let go of. I haven't always had that attitude however. There were times that God showed me things in my life that I put up a fight with Him over. But I eventually gave in and let them go so I could be like Him. That is the attitude we should all have. It doesn't matter what it is. There are some things that are a given that we need to get out of our lives...our ungodly language, drinking alcohol, smoking, places we go that do not glorify Christ, etc. But there are yet others that God deals with us on an individual and personal basis. But to not obey God in those areas that God shows us personally is to disobey God. To be conformed to the image of Christ we MUST obey what God shows us and tells us to do.

James 4:17 "Therefor to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." If God has shown you something in the past that you needed to change in your life and you haven't done it then you are living in a sinful state. Is that not what God is telling us in that verse? Listen...I know this is hard. But it is the truth. God expects us to obey Him. To not obey in the areas He shows us means we will not grow in our Christian walk with Him until we do obey in those things He has shown us. It will stunt our spiritual growth. Although it is hard at times to obey the Lord...we have got to do it!! To do so will bless your life and allow you to be used in a great way in your walk with Him and will help you to be conformed to His image. This process is a never-ending process. It will not stop till we get our glorified bodies and are to have bodies like unto His. I can't wait till that day either!! But till then I will just keep reading, praying and letting God have His way in my life. Won't you do the same?