“A Transformed Life” By Angie Paxton

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This transformation happens in one moment and is a process that takes a lifetime.

As one surrenders their life to God through what Jesus did at the Cross they are changed, they are transformed, & they are made new.

(YOU WERE ONCE) You were slaves, you were disobedience and rebellious towards God, You lived & conducted yourself according to your passions of your flesh. You were afar off. You lived in your addictions. You were not a people.

(NOW YOU ARE) Now you are made near, now you are a child of God, now you walk in newness of life, now you washed. & are cleansed, now you are obedient, now you are free…

(YOU WILL BE) 1 Corinthians 15:52 (AMP) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed].

That is a transformed life… You were – Passed…. Now you are – Present… You will be – Future…

Romans 6:17(AMP)

But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.

Romans 11:30

Just as you were once disobedient and rebellious toward God but now have obtained [His] mercy, through their disobedience,

1 Corinthians 6:11

And such some of you were [once]. But you were washed clean (purified by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), and you were consecrated (set apart, hallowed), and you were justified [pronounced righteous, by trusting] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God.

Ephesians 2:3

Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near.

Ephesians 5:8

For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].

Colossians 3:7

Among whom you also once walked, when you were living in and addicted to [such practices].

1 Peter 2:10

Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy.

This transformation is like a caterpillar and the metamorphosis that takes place from one form to another.

“Christians are to undergo a complete change, under the power of God, which will find expression in our character & conduct.”(Vines) 

Matthew Henry – And so great is the change the grace of God makes in the soul, that, as it follows, old things are passed away—old thoughts, old principles, and old practices, are passed away; and all these things must become new. Note, Regenerating grace creates a new world in the soul; all things are new. The renewed man acts from new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in new company.

This transformation is something we allow to be done in us, not something we do by our own power. We submit to The Holy Spirit as He changes us from the inside out. He performs the work and we walk out the results.  

You have been changed, you are being changed, & you will be changed…. You have been changed by the sacrifice of Jesus on The Cross. You are being changed as the Holy Spirit works in you. And one day you will be changed from this life to the next. 

Father we surrender to you today. Make us new. Change us and transform us to the person you want us to be. Help us to remember that it is the work of The Holy Spirit in us and as we surrender to Him our lives will reflect that change on the outside as we walk and as we talk.  It is your Grace that draws us to you and your compassion that moves in our lives. Thank you Lord that you don’t leave us the way you found us. 

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“WORKS?”

The bible says a lot about works, but as Eph 2:8-9 says we are not saved by works. So how should we look at works. Works is a natural outflow of a person who has been saved & sanctified. When we place our faith in what Jesus did at the cross, we naturally receive the help of the Holy Spirit to produce good works. 

He is conforming us into the image of Christ. He went around doing good. Most of us trust in self to produce our works. Even the world looks inward to produce good works. Positive thinking, being around positive people, reading positive things , that is what the worked thinks will produce good things in them. If we place our faith in what Jesus did at the cross we will produce good works unto all men. We will have right motives and we will not look to self. 

Why do we want to do good works? Most of the time it is for selfish reasons. We usually want something. There is not good motives behind what we do. God does look at our heart and our motive behind what we do.

No matter what type of person you try to be you can’t do it with self. You must totally rely on God. Looking unto Jesus the author & finisher of our Faith. Let the work of the Holy Spirit change you in the person God wants you to be. Let Him produce in you the good works that God wants you to do. Then those works will be profitable unto all men. 

Some scriptures about works:

Do as unto the Lord.

… you have done it unto the least of them, you did it unto me.(Matt. 25:34,40 NASB)

Commit your works unto the Lord, & your thoughts will be established. Prov. 16:3

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his works be pure & whether it be right. Prov. 20:11

In every work… with all his heart.. He prospered. II Chr 31:20-21

(work)… Faithfully II Chr. 34:2

With a pure heart, with all your heart, not to be seen, works will be tried by fire, unto the Lord, Faithfully, RIght works.

Pattern of good works. Titus 2:6

Zealous for good works. Titus 2:14

Heb 10:24; 6:10 – 2 Thess. 3:6-13; Luke 23:41; John 3:19; Rom. 3:20; Col. 3:9; James 1:25; 1 Jn. 3:18; Prov. 16:3; 20:11; 31:31; Jer. 48:7

DON’T BE: (THE OLD MAN) sluggish, lazy, weary, evil doer, wicked, trust not works, do to be seen, or noticed, don’t give great occasion to the enemies by your works.

DO BE: (THE NEW MAN) be zealous, put off old man, do in the name of Jesus, be a doer of the word, careful to maintain good works, be ready to do good works, stir up good works, faithful unto good works, commit your works to God, pure & right, Do not lose heart in doing good, do good unto all me, no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, working with your hands the good things, mind your own business, apply yourselves to good works.

We are to be like Jesus. Titus 2:14 says Jesus gave himself for us that He might redeem us for all iniquity AND purify unto himself a peculiar people ZEALOUS OF GOD UNTO GOOD WORKS. (amp) people who are eager & enthusiastic about living a life that is good & filled with beneficial deeds. 3:1…prepared & willing to do any upright & honorable work. Vs 8 …may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations & to doing good, for such things are [not only] excellent & right [in themselves], but are good & profitable FOR THE PEOPLE.

Long story short, we are to do good works. We can only do proper and good works as we place our faith in what Jesus did at the Cross and that guarantees us the help of the Holy Spirit to produce proper works. Don’t depend on yourself. Don’t try & try & try and produce things that are not profitable unto all men. 

DO AS UNTO THE LORD!!!

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