God’s Plan Requires Change

Friday, May 24, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.”

Romans 12:1–2

It is a normal part of human nature to resist change. We see it in families, in churches, in businesses, in politics—all across the board new ideas tend to be met with at least skepticism if not outright rejection. I read about a man who said his doctor had told him to cut red meat out of his diet, and as a result, he had stopped putting ketchup on his hamburgers! This resistance to change is not all bad, as not all change is good. Since the truth never changes, there are things that must not change. But there are some changes that are an integral part of God’s plan for our lives.

He did not save us for us to stay as we were. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If nothing is changing, if we are not becoming more and more like Jesus, something is wrong. God’s plan is for us to be transformed in His image. Only as we allow Him to change us will we become what He wills for us to be.

The problem often comes when we are reluctant to make a change that we know is necessary for godly living. We easily get attached to our sins and want to hold them fast. We find holiness to be confining, keeping us from pleasures we should not enjoy. Instead we must be willing participants in God’s lifelong program to change us to be like Him.

Today's Growth Principle: 

If there is anything we refuse to transform to be more like Jesus, we are living in rebellion.