07/10/12 INFORMED REFORMED DEFORMED MALFORMED TRANSFORMED CONFORMED FORMED
Salvation is not the human accomplishment of either being INFORMED (educated to a higher standard), or REFORMED (another human attempt to lift oneself by his own bootstraps). These human endeavors lead to a life that is still DEFORMED and MALFORMED. Salvation is the Divine and miraculous change of being TRANSFORMED into a new creation by the life giving and cleansing power of the indwelling God, and also being CONFORMED to the image of God's Son. God FORMED us, even before we were born, and has made provision that Christ might be FORMED in us.
INFORMED BUT LOST...
1 Corinthians 1:17-21
(17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
(18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
(19) For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
(20) Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
(21) For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Corinthians 2:4-8, 14
(4) And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
(5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
(6) Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
(7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
(8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
(9) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
(10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
(14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
(18) Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
(19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
(20) And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
2 Timothy 3:7
(7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
James 3:14-18
(14) But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
(15) This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
(16) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
(17) But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
(18) And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
REFORMED BUT LOST
Job 14:4
(4) Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Isaiah 64:6
(6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Jeremiah 13:23-25
(23) Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
(24) Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
(25) This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
Romans 10:3-4
(3) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
(4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Philippians 3:9
(9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Titus 3:5
(5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
MALFORMED and DEFORMED...
Since Adam's disobedience to God, man no longer bears the image of God, but rather, the image of Adam (Ge. 5:3). All men have a corrupted and corruptible nature (the carnal nature, also called the sinful nature), as descendants of Adam. This nature, malformed from the time of conception, can only deform the corrupted nature further.
Psalms 51:5
(5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psalms 58:3
(3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Jeremiah 13:23
(23) Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Jeremiah 17:9
(9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
John 2:24-25
(24) But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
(25) And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
TRANSFORMED BY GOD...
The New Testament word which is translated "transformed" (in reference to believers being changed) is the same word used in reference to the Transfiguration of Jesus. The Greek word is basically, "metamorphosis." Jesus was transfigured (transformed physically), His face shone as brightly as the sun and His clothing was a white as the light. Likewise, when we become followers of Christ, we are changed from darkness to light, by the hand of God.
Romans 12:2
(2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Corinthians 3:18
(18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed (transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:17
(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ezekiel 11:19-20
(19) And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
(20) That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 18:30-32
(30) Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
(31) Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
(32) For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
(25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
(26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
(27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
CONFORMED TO IMAGE OF CHRIST...
Not only does God change us from creatures of darkness to creatures of light, from creatures of death to creatures of life and creatures of devilish domain to liberty in the Spirit,
Acts 26:18
(18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me
He conforms us, He shares with us His own form, He imparts to us His own form, nature of holiness.
Romans 8:29
(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
FORMED IN THE WOMB...
Isaiah 44:24
(24) Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
TILL CHRIST BE FORMED IN US...
Galatians 4:19
(19) My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
