Building Blocks of the Christian Life (Part 1)
Last week we dealt with the first two building blocks of the Christian life. We established the fact that it is possible to enjoy a successful and fulfilled Christian life if some crucial blocks are laid appropriately and in the right sequence.
Unfortunately, many believers are too random in their pursuit of God. Their spiritual life and walk with God is a chaotic mixture of random truths and doctrines, with no structure and sequence that can give rigidity and support. Every physical structure that is standing today is doing so because blocks were carefully laid upon each other.
As it is with physical structures, so is it with spiritual life (the Bible actually likens us believers to living stones or blocks in 1 Peter 2:5). The first two blocks, as described in part 1 are “Confrontation” and “Conviction”. In this post, we will deal with the final two:
Conversion
This is the third building block and the most crucial of the four. The reason for the confrontation and conviction is to bring a person to this point where the Holy Spirit can perform the miracle of conversion. A confrontation will be unnecessary, and a conviction will be wasted if this conversion step does not follow up quickly.
This aspect is a miracle the Holy Spirit performs in response to the desperate cry of a convicted soul. It is a spiritual occurrence through which the Holy Spirit changes a person’s nature. It is the practical outworking of the accomplished work of Christ at the Cross. The old sinful nature is put to death, and the new nature of Christ is imparted into a person’s spirit, and it is at this point a person can say, “old things are passed away and all things are become new”(2 Corinthians 5:17), and “I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Sadly, many so-called Christians and even Pastors in Church were never really converted. They cannot point to a day when they experienced a change of nature. What they are is what they have always been. The old life did not end for the new life to begin. They simply took a decision to become “better” and serve God more. They never had this experience of being delivered from the power of sin. This is a tragedy.
Dear reader, have you actually been converted? Can you boldly say that you have been delivered from the old man, Mr Flesh, the sinful nature? When did it happen? What were the definite changes you saw in your life that confirmed that a conversion had happened? Did your friends, family, or classmates notice anything different about you? Can your previous boyfriend, girlfriend, or casual friends testify that something changed about you?
Don’t assume on this matter. If you are not sure, I counsel you to go through the process over again. Call on God to convict you afresh and bring you through a deep and genuine conversion.
Conformity
This is the final block, and it is continuous and progressive. This is the process of growing into the image of Christ. This is the process of being moulded to become like Jesus, which is God’s eternal purpose (Romans 8:29).
What God wants is for all of us to “conform” to the image of Christ. This means we are to look like Him, resemble Him, behave like Him, walk and talk like Him, love like Him, obey like Him, sacrifice like Him, etc. In essence, we are to become little Christs. This is what the disciples of Jesus attained to (Acts 4:13, Acts 11:26).
Every man is born a sinner. For illustration purposes: Imagine that Jesus Christ is a Lion (actually, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah according to Revelations 5:5), and that the nature of sin is the nature of a pig. Everyone is born a pig, but God desires that we eventually become lions. So God performs the miracle of transforming the pig into a lion (conversion). God performs a complete change of nature. But the pig doesn’t automatically become a full-grown lion. It becomes a cub, having all the characteristic features of a lion, but yet immature.
When the conversion has happened, the next step is to bring this cub to join a pride of lions and abide with them. Here, he learns how to eat like a lion, walk like a lion, hunt like a lion, and rule the jungle like a lion. He learns a lot simply by observation. He sees the full-grown lions and emulates them. The emulation is easy because he carries the same nature. He has the same claws and canines even though his are much smaller. It would be impossible for him to emulate the lifestyle of a lion while still a pig.
The process of conformity – being placed under grown lions as a cub to learn their lifestyle and grow and become like them– is called Discipleship. The major “Lion” we must grow to resemble is Jesus Christ, but He appoints other lions who are more mature than we are to watch over our growth. These human agents are called “disciplers”.
Dear reader, are you actively involved in this matter of conformity? Have you stagnated in your spiritual growth simply because you have not submitted to discipleship? Do you think you can handle it all on your own simply because of your intelligence? Discipleship is non-negotiable for all who God will use. No one who became a vessel in God’s hand escaped discipleship. What makes you think you will be an exception? Please bow your head to God now and ask Him to lead you to those who can disciple you into maturity and make you fit for the divine purpose for which you were born.
PS: send us an email at abbasdwellingplace@gmail.com if you are interested in discipleship. We will be glad to guide you.
Buruba Richmond
God continue to bless you for feeding our spirits.