Salvation And Transformation!

April 10, 2025

Salvation And Transformation!

There have been times when I have felt helpless to change something in me.  Sometimes it is an attitude towards another person.  Sometimes it is a behavior I can’t quite modify.  Sometimes it is a downward spiral of self-defeating thinking. 

I want things to be different, I want to change something, I want transformation.  But, I can’t seem to make the necessary adjustments to sustain the transformation for more than a little while.  The attitude is the same, the behavior is the same, the thinking process is the same. 

When our efforts at personal transformation fall short or completely fail, we can easily begin to make excuses.  “It’s just the way I am.”  “All the men in my family are this way.”  “I gave it my best effort and it made no difference.”

I wonder if most of us look for real transformation in the wrong places.  Or if we are honest, we don’t really want a deep and total transformation in the first place.

Most people want to be saved from the power of darkness in their life, want to be forgiven of their sin, and want to be restored in their relationship with the Lord God.  However, we are not quite as interested in being changed, transformed, renewed, or sanctified.  We want salvation but are somewhat resistant to transformation.

Let me use a couple of terms from the Bible.  We want the justification that changes our relationship with the Lord God, but never quite find the time to engage in the sanctification that leads to sustained and deep personal transformation.

The birth of the Chrisitan Church in Jerusalem in the first century describes the role of both our justification (salvation) and our sanctification (transformation).  The text from Acts 2 begins immediately after the Apostle Peter preaches a sermon to several thousand people.

In Acts 2:37-38 we hear; 37 “Now when they heard this (the Word of God in Peter’s sermon), they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’  Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Peter calls the new believers to be baptized.  Baptism is the symbol of our salvation made possible through the death of Jesus our Savior.  Baptism is also a symbol of the new life we have when we are forgiven by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit.

We experience salvation when we ask Jesus to forgive our sin and restore our relationship with God the Father.  We begin to experience true life-transformation at that same moment when we repent and receive the Holy Spirit. 

Our repentance is a choice to take a new direction in our life.  The Holy Spirit guides us in this new direction as well as provides the very things we need to experience a life-long transformation into the likeness of Christ.

Transformation is a choice we make.  It begins with a decision to change direction and is followed with a reliance upon the Holy Spirit to guide and provide for this new direction.  The early church understood there were a collection of disciplines or practices which would propel God’s people on this journey of life-transformation.

Immediately after those thousands of new believers in Jerusalem were baptized, we are told they engaged in several spiritual disciplines.  In Acts 2:42 we hear; “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

The spiritual disciplines that can move us along on our journey of personal transformation include the following; 1) learning from the Scripture, 2) spending time with other believers (i.e., small groups), 3) sharing in Holy Communion, and 4) engaging in frequent prayer.

In Acts 2:44-47 this list of spiritual disciplines is expanded; “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Additions to the prior list of spiritual disciplines include; 1) practicing generosity with our resources, 2) engaging in frequent worship with other believers, 3) doing life together in one another’s homes (i.e., small groups), 4) expressing gratitude to the Lord God, and 5) caring about all people in practical ways.

That list gets to be a rather long and overwhelming!  Life-long transformation requires the in-filling and work of the Holy Spirit in us and through us.  Life-long transformation also requires a focus on the disciplines the Spirit can use to bring about the sanctification for which we so deeply long.

I invite you to do a deep and probing reflection upon how you are doing with the transformation you (and Jesus!) desire in your life.  Spend some time during the next week with these questions. 

+Do I still want to be more like Jesus? 

+Am I still willing to give the effort to be more like Jesus? 

+Do I have the desire or energy to engage in some of the spiritual disciplines the Holy Spirit promises to use to bring about change in me?

+What is the one thing in my life today that the Holy Spirit and I can work on together to bring about the greatest impact for me, my family, my workplace, my school, and the Kingdom of God?

And then, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and provide for you as you both work together in your journey to be more like Jesus.  As you begin to see the changes, your heart and God’s heart will fill with delight in what the Spirit is doing in you, for you, and through you.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug