Apostolic Power of God CHURCH International Ministries APGCI Bible college

By Apostle Jean Baptiste Paluku Mulovery

August 20/23

Being transformed

THE DEFINITION OF TRANSFORMATIONA. Not Merely a Perceptible Change Outwardly in BehaviorOur transformation in the life of God is not merely a perceptible change outwardly in behavior. After a person is saved, he might think that he was a mess as a non-Christian, but now that he is going to church and is also carrying a Bible, he should change his behavior. Many Christians change their behavior this way, and their relatives praise them, saying, “It is good to be a Christian. See, my child has changed since he believed in Jesus.” The fact is that inwardly he has not changed; he has changed only outwardly. If after you believe in the Lord Jesus there is a change only in your outward condition, then this change is merely an outward, perceived change in behavior. This is not to be saved in God’s life. I lived in China when I was young, and I observed many disciples of Confucius. Sometimes their improvement in behavior was quite remarkable. What is the difference between the behavioral improvement of Confucius’ disciples and the transformation of Jesus’ believers? When I was young, I heard some missionaries, who were not clear concerning the truth, say that the teachings of the Bible are exactly the same as the teachings of Confucius. They did not realize that what the teachings of Confucius produced, at most, was an improvement in behavior and not a transformation.B. Being a Metabolic Transformation Inwardly in EssenceTransformation is not merely a noticeable change outwardly in behavior; rather, it is a metabolic transformation inwardly in essence. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image…even as from the Lord Spirit.” In this verse, the word changed is not used. In the New Testament the word transformed is used twice. It occurs once in 2 Corinthians 3:18 and another time in Romans 12:2. This term denotes an inward, metabolic change and not an outward change.What is the difference between change and transformation? We may use the example of a person who has been ill and looks thin and pale. Because of this she puts cosmetics on her face to try to improve her appearance. After applying some powder and lipstick, she has some color and looks nice. This is not transformation but is altogether an outward change. It is just like a Chinese opera singer who may turn his face into a white face, a black face, or a red face. However, whether white, black, or red, it is not transformation; it is a performance. For a person to be transformed means that after he is sick, he nourishes himself properly; then after two months when people see him, they will say that he has good color and looks nice. That kind of healthy look is not something added outwardly. It is a manifestation of an inward physical metabolic transformation in essence.II. THE STEPS OF TRANSFORMATIONGod wants us to be transformed, but we cannot transform ourselves. There are steps in transformation. If we follow these steps, we will be transformed.

APGCI GLOBAL UNITED CHURCHES PRAYER CENTER INTERNATIONAL

Repentance

Apôtre Cado Kasereka in Kyaka 2 Bukere Refugees Camps Service of this Sunday March 18th/24

Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17, NKJV

Baptism of Jesus
John was calling people to repentance, and baptizing them, while explaining that he was not the Christ, but that One greater than him was coming. Matthew tells is that when Jesus came to John to be baptized, John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are you coming to me?” Jesus replied with the following words, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

What did Jesus mean by these words? Matthew Henry, in his commentary on this passage made the following comment:

Christ is now in a state of humiliation. Our Lord Jesus looked upon it as well becoming him to fulfil all righteousness, to own every Divine institution, and to show his readiness to comply with all God’s righteous precepts. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. Jesus, the Son of God, was also the Son of Man. As a man, it was necessary that He fulfill all of God’s righteous commands to men. Though He was the perfect man, yet He submitted Himself to God’s will and was baptized. Not one of God’s precepts would be left undone by the Lord Jesus Christ while He was in a state of humiliation.

What do we mean by a state of humiliation? We simply mean that God the Son, left Heaven’s glory to walk on this earth as a lowly man, suffering all of the discomforts of life that we experience here on this earth. He could, had He chosen, at any moment have returned to the glory of heaven, but instead He chose to walk on this earth and fulfill all that God had chosen for Him to fulfill. Why? Christ Jesus made this choice because He had a work to do.

Only Christ, in His perfect righteousness and holiness, could come to this earth as the God man, offer Himself up as a sacrifice, and pay the debt of sin for all those who would come to Him. Even here, early in His earthly ministry, Christ was following all of the proper steps so that He could purchase a people for Himself.

In acknowledgement of His perfect obedience, when Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and sat upon Jesus’ shoulder, and God spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

What an amazing God we serve. Not one of us deserves the great grace and mercy that God has bestowed upon us. Only through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, do we have that greatest of all gifts: eternal life.

APGCI BIBLECOLLEGE UNITED CHURCHES GLOBAL MISSIONARY

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One response to “Repentance”

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    APGCI BIBLECOLLEGE UNITED CHURCHES GLOBAL MISSIONARY

    Repent!17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Matthew 4:17, NKJV 14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15, NKJVRepent!In Matthew, Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” while in Mark, Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” To what is Jesus referring when He said that the kingdom of God–or heaven–is at hand?Consider that, for the Jews, everything was continuing as it had for centuries, yet Jesus’ words must certainly have caused a stir among the people. His words were meant to wake them from their complacency. “Stop,” He was saying, “Consider the Words of Scripture, for a change is about to take place!” He was coming to them from the very throne of God, upsetting their world, and calling them to turn from their sins, and believe the Words of the Gospel.It has now been almost 2000 years since Jesus spoke those words to the people–everyday, ordinary people, just like you and me! In all of those 2000 years, the kingdom of heaven has come through the ministry of Christ and the Holy Spirit being poured out upon the people as recorded in the book of Acts.How have we responded? Have we “made our decision for Christ,” and then lapsed back into a life-pattern similar to that of those who are unbelievers? That is not what Christ intended by these words! When we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our own, personal Savior–when we have turned from our sins and looked to Him–our lives are to be different! Nothing will ever be the same again.Suddenly, we have a God-given purpose to share our faith with those around us. We are to live for Christ in such a way, that the difference is notable! We are no longer our own, but as servants of the most high God, we have been bought with a price–the blood of the Lord Jesus.Let us then, obey the words of Christ. Let us turn from our apathy and complacency, and let us resolve, by the help of God to live our lives completely for Him. Let us not waste another day or even hour, but let us resolve to cast all of our lives upon Christ. He is our Master; it is Him we are to serve every single day that He grants to us on this earth.Let us turn our hearts in prayer to Him, asking Him to lead and guide us in the way we should go. There is no higher calling on this earth than that of service to our King, the Lord Jesus Christ.Go to Christ; He will save you, and keep you from now and throughout all eternity! That is the message of the Gospel!

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