Romans 6:1-15 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 12:2-21 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Ephesians 4:15-25 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 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. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
System of values is nowadays reversed. It is not important who you are and what kind of person you are. What you have or what you can do is important, your abilities and achievements. We work to have more, a successful person is considered to be the ‘real person’. Efforts leading to a real transformation of the personality are thought to be a waste of time and energy.
Energy spent on education, to gain skills and proficiency is appreciated more. Many people, however, even some Christians, think that if you can gain property without education, then the education itself is not so important to have it. They think that education just to become educated is simply a waste of time.
Science and religion often even don’t count with the possibility to change yourself. Either it is considered to be impossible or there is too much work to be done about it. Person is determined genetically and socially; consequently, these determinations are considered to be strong enough to disable the change of them. From the religious point of view, for many people the only possibility how to change is by the ‘mysterious God’s grace’.
Therefore, abbreviated solutions are chosen, because the real transformation of a person is considered to be few possible or that much laborious. There are many recipes how to ‘change yourself’ everywhere, indeed; but by this they mean just the outer change of appearance or in the better case, at least a partial change of behavior. But these ‘changes’ are not at all or just very marginally connected with the personality.
On the other hand, believers often absurdly expect that a person will be changed by ‘one God’s touch’, by ‘one filling with the Holy Spirit’. Naturally, this will usually not happen and overall we can say that causing of these exaggerated and unfounded expectations will not make the situation better.
However, it is not acceptable to agree that a person cannot practically change himself. Otherwise, this would completely undermine whole the teaching of Bible, even salvation itself. So as for this, let’s look at the teaching of the Word of God.
Man is a unique creation of God, God created him to His likeness to live together with Him and with some intention and expectation as well. Since God is our creator, then what God considers important is vital for us. At first, who we are as God’s creations and what we should be like to please God. We should seek this and implement it. But we can’t think and live in two ways – differently in a church ‘spiritual’ life and differently in a ‘normal’ life. Apostle James, for example, warns us against this behavior (James 4:8).
Pastors and preachers often claim that God loves every person no matter what the person is like. If we are saved, that is enough, no need to change ourselves or learn more. But this is at least a highly misleading claim.
So, what does God care about? What should we be like?
Above all, sin and impiety matter. The first point is to be reconciled with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to be purified and justified. And what does God expect from a man after being justified by grace through the faith? According to some people, nothing more, since God loves people as they are. But Bible says something different. After that, God expects and demands that we live righteously and don’t sin (Romans 6 and other places).
And even here he doesn’t finish but expects that we will continue changing ourselves. But he doesn’t mean just ‘change of thinking’, such as: I was poor and now I want to be rich (which is usually the purpose of all those psychological-religious transformations mentioned above). That is just a superficial change, although when compared with greed, it may look like a profound transformation of a personality.
God strives for a much more profound transformation and growth of each person. We can read about these in many places in the Scriptures, for example in Ephesians 4:15-25, Romans 12:2-21. But the transformation is not a passive process. For instance, it is not true that if I stop lying, I’m not a liar anymore and become truthful (Romans 6:1-15). The mere “stopping” of activity does not suffice, but when we do something actively (i.e. speak truth), this will change us! God also participates in this transformation, as we can see in the fifth chapter of the epistle to Galatians, where God certifies the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of a man (Galatians 5:22). However, it is a mistake to think that the Holy Spirit will arrange it instead of us. It can’t be done without our participation. We still need to keep in mind that the goal is to be different people, not only to learn to look and behave differently.
One can be fundamentally transformed, but not by absorption of percepts of guides, but by the real transformation on the basis of God’s justification and impact. Further, neither by a passive expectation of the intervention ‘from above’, nor in our own strength. This does not lead to a real change and successful life. The correct way is to change ourselves and grow through our own activity, on the foundation of the transformation given by the justification and God’s activity.
