WHOSE JOB IS IT TO TRANSFORM ME?

Shortly after discovering what a fool I was as an atheist and becoming a born again believer by faith in Jesus Christ, I found a Bible verse that impressed me so much, that I decided it was to be my "life verse."  It was Ezra 7:10, which says, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments."  The reason I chose this verse, was because I saw it a goal for my life. 

It was not only a good plan, but I thought it would insure that my life would be without hypocrisy.  I believed, and still do, that the order of the verse should be the model for every believer.  One begins his or her walk with the Lord, by desiring to know His will.  Once one knows what God wants for his or her life, he or she should determine to do His will.  It is only then that the believer has the right to teach God's will to others.

It did not take long for me to discover that even when I knew His will, my human nature still had a will of its own.  Like the Apostle Paul, this "insignificant Paul" struggled to be obedient.  He summed it up quite nicely in Romans 7:15-25!  Born again believers will never completely overcome sin in our lives, as long as we still live in this flesh.

Years passed, and I came across a verse that, at least for me, was a more accurate description of my relationship with God.  1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."  I no longer "determined anything."  I no longer fell for Satan's lie that teachers of the Bible had to be perfectly sinless. 

Ezra 7:10 had been a verse that, had I been successful in following it, would have led to pride!  It was Me determining to please God so that I could feel good about myself.  Here, in 1 John 3:2, we find a verse that is not speaking of our works, but speaks of our hope and faith!  It goes along with the teaching of Philippians 1:6, which says, "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  It is not my foolish, prideful determination that transforms me, but His promise that He will do it in me!

Thank God my being Christ-like is His job - it will be done right!