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 Seek Christ Likeness (April 10, 2024) 

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15) (A Psalm of David)

As Christians who seek daily to yield control of our lives to the providence and power of God, we have been reborn spiritually and, as new creations in Jesus Christ, are undergoing a gradual transformation into the beautiful likeness of our LORD. Once lost in sin and dead spiritually, we had no righteousness of our own, but, saved by the grace of God, our faith in Christ has been credited to us as righteousness. Our sins have been forgiven, forgotten, and forfeited through the cleansing of the blood that Jesus shed for humanity on the cross. In New Testament times, our salvation has been secured and our eternal heavenly home sealed by the Holy Spirit who lives within our hearts and is engaged in the lifelong process called sanctification whereby we are gradually changed into the godly character of Christ. One glorious day we’ll meet our Savior and live forever with Him in glorified, immortal bodies that are imperishable just like His.

David--the shepherd boy who was ordained by God to be king of Israel and upon whose throne in Jerusalem His earthly descendant Jesus Christ will one day rule and reign--was an adulterer and murderer. But this sinful man had a repentant, trusting heart and was regarded by God as “a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.”  (Acts 13:22) A man of faith and recipient of God’s grace, David depended upon divine strength for victory in life’s battles, both military and personal. This mighty warrior surrendered his heart to God’s transformative power. On this side of the cross, we too are works in progress that are gradually being changed into the likeness of our LORD. As believers today, we have a spiritual resource that David and other Old Testament believers, did not have, at least not permanently; we have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to remake us into the image-bearers of Jesus that God intends for us to be!

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)



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