"Discipleship - Be Transformed to the Mind of Christ"
by Ps (Dr) Chuah Seong Peng
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-4
HLCE Mission Matthew 28:19-20
“To develop people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.”
Disciples of His Kingdom
We are committed to become followers/disciples of Jesus Christ who live: “A Christ-centred, Word-focused, Spirit-led and empowered life.”
What we learned in 2009 – The call to kingdom living
| Kingdom of God | Repent, for the kingdom of God is near” |
| Kingdom disciples | Come, follow me, I will make you fisher of men |
| Kingdom obedience (The Cross life) | Call to allegiance with Christ |
| Kingdom abundance (The Full life) | Call to invest our lives From the mundane to the monumental |
To live the godly life – the Christ-centred life. Jesus the Captain of our souls.
Sermons topics:
Transformation series on conformation to Christ’s image
- Transformation of Mind – Believe what Jesus believed.
- Transformation of Character – Live the way Jesus lived.
- Transformation of Relationship – Love as Jesus loved.
- Transformation of Habits – Train as Jesus trained.
- Transformation of Service – Minister as Jesus ministered.
- Transformation of Influence – Lead as Jesus led.
In discipleship, we are asked to be transformed in our mind to that of Christ. Romans 12:2
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
To be transformed in our mind is not just about transforming our thinking or even understanding. To be transformed in the mind to that of Christ is to learn to believe what Jesus believed. With such belief, there is a change in the attitude, disposition and behavior to that of Christ.
How does such transformation come about?
A call to change from the inside-out
Discipleship begins with the transformation of the mind. The mind is the seed where change begins. However, a change in mind set alone is not adequate for change in behavior. There is a need of a change that comes from the inside out. Dallas Willard (The Divine Conspiracy 1998, 351) in designing a curriculum for discipleship pointed out that while external conformity, profession of correct doctrine, faithfulness to the church and seeking of spirituality and experience are important, they are only of secondary important. They are only the means to an end but not the end itself. They offer avenue for transformation but they of themselves do not result in transformation of the person. Our primary focus in working on transformation is one that works from the inside out. When the ‘inside’ is transformed, the ‘out’ seen in the expressions of the four areas mentioned above will come naturally.
Dallas Willard in his book, ‘Renovation of the Heart’ elaborates further on this change from the inside-out. He says, ‘we live from the heart…how we live in the world is a result of what we have become in the depth of our being – in our spirit, will or heart (2002, 1). He defined spiritual formation as a process by which the human spirit or will is given a definitive ‘form’ or character of Christ. This process of spiritual formation is what discipleship is about. The call to transform our mind to the mind of Christ is a call to transform our heart to the heart of Christ.
How do we participate with the Spirit to transform our minds to the mind of Christ that brings about a change in behavior? Is it possible?
According to Peter, it is possible because of divine enablement from God. Peter is a good person to learn from for he is a disciple who has been transformed from the inside-out. For Peter the key to transformation of our mind in discipleship is the true knowledge of God.
Discipleship: The important of ‘Knowing’ God
An illustration: The story of the man rescued by God but die.
How much you believe and do what you are asked depend on how much you trust the person who asked you. How much you trust the person depend on how much you know the person.
Agree? So, how much you will obey God depend on how much you trust Him; how much you trust Him depends on how much you know Him.
So, how much do you know God? How can you know God? This is where discipleship begins. Let us look at,
2 Peter 1:3-4 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Discipleship: A call to the godly and full life in Christ
V4 …you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
As children of God, we are asked to live the godly and full life in Christ where we participate in his divine nature and overcome the corruptions of the world and evil desires.
We are called to live the extra-ordinary life seen in the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount. These “extraordinariness” of Christian living are:
Extraordinary character traits in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for thirst and righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted.
Extraordinary roles in the world (Mathew 5:13-14)
We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Extraordinary relationship with one another (Matthew 5:21-6:4)
We are to live with:
No anger – extraordinary love for people.
No lustful thoughts – extraordinary purity of thought.
No divorce – extraordinary marital covenant.
No need of oath – extraordinary trustworthiness.
No hatred for enemies – extraordinary love for enemies.
No reservation in giving – extraordinary generosity.
No announcing of good deeds – extraordinary service.
Extraordinary Daily Relationship with God (Matthew 6:5-7:27)
Practicing piety, prayer and fasting, devotion to God, dependence on God, daily walking with God bearing fruit and feeding on his words.
Transformation of the Mind from the Inside-Out - A Divine Enablement
It is possible because of divine enablement
Good news! Peter shared about the three things concerning divine enablement that makes it possible for us to be transformed to the mind of Christ from the inside out through our knowledge of God. These three things we need to know about God are:
- See what God has done
- Know what God has revealed
- Believe what God has promised
V3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
God’s divine power has given us everything necessary for the godly life as new creations
We are called not only to live the full life but also a godly life, a Christ-centred life. This full and godly life is possible because God has done everything necessary for it to be so. We need to learn to see this truth. To live this wonderful life is not something we need to grit our teeth or force ourselves to slough it out. There is a supernatural empowerment from God when we are made new creation in Christ to live in such good life. We are to joyfully and expectantly receive what has been given.
What God has done for us in Christ
The Bible tells us there are many things God has done for us in Christ to enable us to live the new life worthy of his Calling: Salvation is already ours – our justification, sanctification, glorification are all predestined and by grace. We are given every spiritual blessing according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1-2).
- We are delivered from our sins and forgiven of all the sins - past, present and future. We are free from the condemnation of sins and law.
- We are given victory over the enemy. We are given power over every form of temptations and sins in lives.
- God is already working around us and invited us to join Him in his work.
- We are created in Christ Jesus for good work he has prepared in advance for us.
- We are given eternal life. Our eternal rewards are awaiting us in heaven.
V3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
The divine power comes to us through God’s revelation of his goodness and glory through his Son.
An intimate “full knowledge” of Christ is the source of spiritual power and growth
We are to have the true knowledge about God concerning who he is and what his heart is like. This knowledge of God is revealed to us through his glory and goodness. God’s glory and goodness are expressed in the excellence of his being. This virtue of God can be seen in God as the Creator, the Judge, the Deliverer, the Father and so on. This knowledge of God is beyond our grasp. God has to reveal it to us himself. He has chosen to do so through his Son Jesus.
John 14:8-9 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
Intimate personal knowledge of God through his Son
In V2 Peter wrote that the blessing of grace and peace belong to the believers abundantly through their ‘knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord’. Jesus is put equal with God here. To know Jesus is to know God. God reveals himself to us through Christ. There is no other way to know him truly and fully. The glory of God is revealed to us in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
As J I Packer pointed out in his book, ‘Knowing God’, many may know about God but not really know God. It is the intimate knowing that makes the difference. This intimate knowing comes through God’s revelation of himself and his love for us through Jesus Christ. When we know God, we come to identify with Paul’ understanding of his love in
Romans 8:31-39 (paraphrase by Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy 1998, 367)
God is for us! Who is against us? Since he did not spare his own Son in reaching us, he obviously is ready to give us every good thing. Who will charge us with anything? God has cleared us of all charges. Who condemns us? Jesus died for us. Yes, and he passed through death intact, and now stands in the place from which God acts, looking after our interests. Of all the terrible and frightening things the human mind discovers, not one can take us out of his loving hands. We don’t just ‘manage’ or cope. We thrive on it all! Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus the Anointed, our Lord.
This true knowledge of God is crucial for discipleship
This knowledge of God concerning his goodness and glory is to be of true and full knowledge, not false or empty knowledge. To have true and full knowledge of God is to have an intimate personal knowledge of God revealed to us through Jesus Christ.
It is dangerous to have empty or false knowledge of God especially the former one. Empty knowledge is more dangerous as it is more subtle and may be hidden in pride. Empty knowledge is head knowledge that does not reach the heart. It is a knowledge that can ‘puff up’ leading to a legalistic and Phariseal attitude. It is useless and makes the persons ineffective in their life.
A true knowledge of God is important because it leads the person to a heart allegiance and surrender to God to do his will. It leads one to radical discipleship for one will see things from God’s heart and perspective; the person’s will is in alignment with God’s will and follow him whole heartedly.
The story of Job: An illustration of the important of this true knowledge of God’s goodness and greatness in challenging times.
When Job came to God with his 60 plus probing questions about why and how he should suffer, God came to reveal his glory and goodness with more questions instead of answering the questions Job posed to him. Job was left satisfied without a single answer to his probing questions! His suffering and his questions paled and dropped away in the light of God’s goodness and glory. That’s how amazing God’s goodness and greatness are!
Believe what God has promised
V4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
We are given precious and magnificent promises
Seeing what God has done and knowing what he has revealed concerning his goodness and glory in Jesus only give us understanding of how good and great God and Jesus are. However, there is nothing great about how good or great God and Jesus are unless that goodness and greatness have something to do with us. The good news is we are called to share in that goodness and glory because we are his children! He has given us great and precious promise so that we can participate in that divine nature – that goodness and greatness! That’s the call of discipleship!
We are chosen, included in His promise in discipleship!
Children inherit their nature from their parents. When we are made new creation through our new birth, God is our Father. We therefore inherit God’s divine nature, God’s DNA is in us. As children imitate their parents and obey them, they grow to become more and more like their parents in their outlook, nature and values. We who are God’s children will manifest his divine nature more and more as we put our trust in his words and live according to his words. This divine nature of God in us is seen in our transformation to the likeness of his Son. This is his glory! As we grow to become more and more like Jesus, we also have power and victory over sins and the enemy. This is his goodness!
It’s importance to come on board to Jesus’ school of Discipleship. It is a personal invitation from God for us to share in his goodness and greatness.
The invitation came with a promise. That promise came to us through Jesus Christ; Jesus himself is the guarantee of the promise of God to us. We can trust him to keep his promise because he has revealed God’s goodness and glory to us on the cross of Calvary!
Jesus went to the cross for us willingly in obedience of his Father because of the love of the Father for him. We can learn to do the same. Receive God’s love in Christ and trust him and do what He says. His promise came to us in his word today. We can believe in his words and do what it says.
Have faith in God’s promises for spiritual power and growth
Faith is a vital element of discipleship. We need the conviction in our hearts to believe what he has promised in his words is to do what he has commanded. The good news is that God not only shows us what he has done, who he is, he has also given us his precious and magnificent promises in his words so that through faith we may participate in his divine nature experiencing spiritual power and growth.
God’s precious promise comes to us through his word. The study and understanding of his word that leads to conviction of the truth resulting in our trust in him will help us to put our faith into action. When we believe in his word and act on it by faith, we grow spiritually to become more like Jesus and have victory over the enemy showing forth his glory and goodness.
Our Response: Come to the Christ’s school of discipleship
First step to discipleship: Consecrate yourselves
Make an active choice to be Christ’s disciples
Choose to be a disciple of Christ. Make that active choice and start living with the priorities set by God to follow Jesus. He will revealed himself to us more and we will come to know him more and be transformed to be like him as we learn to love him more by obeying his commands. Jesus taught in John 14:21,
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
The greatest evidence of God’s love in us and for us is when we obey his commands. This is because his love makes it possible for us to obey him.
Building our lives upon the Rock his Word for transformation from the inside out
The two houses – one builds upon sand, the other builds on the rock.
Let us choose the later and be transformed in our mind to the mind of Christ and live the life he has called.
To God be the glory!
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