Transformed, not Conformed:Transformed, not Conformed:“The Goal”“The Goal”

Northside Mission Church – 5-August-2012Northside Mission Church – 5-August-2012

Philippians 2:12-16 KJVPhilippians 2:12-16 KJV (personalized) (personalized) We work out own salvation with fear and trembling;We work out own salvation with fear and trembling;For it is God who works in us both to will For it is God who works in us both to will And to do for His good pleasure.And to do for His good pleasure.We do all things without grumbling and arguing,We do all things without grumbling and arguing,That we may become blameless and innocent, That we may become blameless and innocent, Children of God without fault in the midst Children of God without fault in the midst Of a crooked and perverse generation, among whomOf a crooked and perverse generation, among whomWe shine as lights in the world, holding forth the We shine as lights in the world, holding forth the

Word of life. Word of life.

Our ProclamationOur Proclamation

Romans 12:1-2 NKJVRomans 12:1-2 NKJVI beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of

God, that you present your bodies a living God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And reasonable service. And do not be conformeddo not be conformed to to this world, but this world, but be transformed be transformed by the by the renewing of renewing of your mindyour mind, that you may prove what is that good , that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Transformed, not ConformedTransformed, not Conformed

The Apostle Paul in PrisonThe Apostle Paul in Prison

Philippians 3:7-15Philippians 3:7-15But what things were gain to me, these I have counted But what things were gain to me, these I have counted

loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lordmy Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all , for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which righteousness, which isis from the law, but that which from the law, but that which isis through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; from God by faith; that I may know Himthat I may know Him and the and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.dead.

Paul - what motivates him?Paul - what motivates him?

Philippians 3:7-15 Philippians 3:7-15 (cont’d.)(cont’d.)Not that I have already attainedNot that I have already attained, or , or am already am already

perfectedperfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of ; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have I do not count myself to have apprehendedapprehended; but one thing ; but one thing I do,I do, forgetting those forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,those things which are ahead, I press toward the I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mindmature, have this mind; and if in anything you ; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

Paul - what’s his purpose?Paul - what’s his purpose?

Are you Are you “saved by a “saved by a Stranger?”Stranger?”

Philippians 3:10-11Philippians 3:10-11That I may know Him That I may know Him and the power of His and the power of His

resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

““Savoir” Savoir” – knowing facts about someone– knowing facts about someone““Connaitre” Connaitre” – knowing someone personally– knowing someone personally

““Savoir” or “Connaitre”Savoir” or “Connaitre”

John 17:3John 17:3And And this is eternal lifethis is eternal life, that , that they may know Youthey may know You, , the the

only true Godonly true God, and , and Jesus Christ Jesus Christ whom You have sentwhom You have sent

John 14:6John 14:6Jesus said to him, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the lifeI am the way, the truth, and the life. .

No one comes to the Father except through Me”No one comes to the Father except through Me”

Ephesians 2:14aEphesians 2:14aFor For He (Jesus) Himself is our peaceHe (Jesus) Himself is our peace

““Savoir” or “Connaitre”Savoir” or “Connaitre”

““Eternal life, Truth and PeaceEternal life, Truth and Peace are not just abstract are not just abstract ideas or concepts, ideas or concepts, but a Personbut a Person!” – Dr. Derek Prince!” – Dr. Derek Prince

Proverbs 4:18Proverbs 4:18But the But the path of the just path of the just is like the shining sun, that is like the shining sun, that shines ever brightershines ever brighter unto the perfect unto the perfect dayday

““The true spiritual lifeThe true spiritual life is not a static condition. It is is not a static condition. It is like like a pathway that leads to greater lighta pathway that leads to greater light.” .”

““Life’s greatest tragedy is to lose the presence of Life’s greatest tragedy is to lose the presence of God and God and not even knowing that we’ve lost itnot even knowing that we’ve lost it.” – .” – quote from a South African Christian magazinequote from a South African Christian magazine

““Savoir” or “Connaitre”Savoir” or “Connaitre”

Genesis 5:23-24 NLTGenesis 5:23-24 NLTEnoch lived 365 years, Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with walking in close fellowship with GodGod. Then one day he disappeared, because God took . Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. him.

Genesis 6:9b NLTGenesis 6:9b NLTNoah was a righteous man, the only blameless person Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and living on earth at the time, and he walked in close he walked in close fellowship with Godfellowship with God. .

““Enoch and Noah are patterns for us. Because they Enoch and Noah are patterns for us. Because they walked in close fellowship with God, He saved them walked in close fellowship with God, He saved them from the Flood”from the Flood”

““Walking with God”Walking with God”

Consider Abraham, “the Father of all who believe”. Consider Abraham, “the Father of all who believe”. He was also a He was also a man who walked with God man who walked with God (see (see Genesis 17:1Genesis 17:1))

Q. As a Christian, am I also “saved by a Stranger”? Q. As a Christian, am I also “saved by a Stranger”? How can I know Jesus as a Person?How can I know Jesus as a Person?

A. By having an A. By having an ongoing fellowship with Himongoing fellowship with Him

““God is challenging us not to become more religious. God is challenging us not to become more religious. God is asking us to walk with Him day by day” God is asking us to walk with Him day by day”

““Walking with God”Walking with God”

1 John 2:3-41 John 2:3-4Now by this Now by this we know that we know Himwe know that we know Him, , if we keep if we keep His commandmentsHis commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” . He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him.the truth is not in Him.

1. “We know that we know God if we keep His 1. “We know that we know God if we keep His commandments” commandments”

The marks of “Knowing God”The marks of “Knowing God”

1 John 3:61 John 3:6Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Himhas neither seen Him nor known Him..

““Sins” Sins” – a verb tense that means “regularly practices – a verb tense that means “regularly practices sin” and “sinning without concern”sin” and “sinning without concern”

2. “We know that we know God if we do not wilfully 2. “We know that we know God if we do not wilfully and regularly practice sin” and regularly practice sin”

The marks of “Knowing God”The marks of “Knowing God”

1 John 4:7-81 John 4:7-8Beloved, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of Godlet us love one another, for love is of God; ; and and everyone who loves is born of God and knows everyone who loves is born of God and knows GodGod. . He who does not love does not know GodHe who does not love does not know God, for , for God is love. God is love.

3. “We know that we know God if we love Him and 3. “We know that we know God if we love Him and love one another sincerely and whole-heartedly” love one another sincerely and whole-heartedly”

The marks of “Knowing God”The marks of “Knowing God”

Philippians 3:10aPhilippians 3:10aThat I may know Him and the power of His That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferingsthe fellowship of His sufferings

Colossians 1:24 Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for youI now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in , and fill up in my flesh what is lacking my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christin the afflictions of Christ, , for the sake of His body, which is the church for the sake of His body, which is the church

1. “Christ suffers with His Church” 1. “Christ suffers with His Church” 2. “The sacrificial suffering of His servants to build up 2. “The sacrificial suffering of His servants to build up His Church”His Church”

The sufferings of ChristThe sufferings of Christ

Ephesians 2:8-9Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace you have been saved through faithFor by grace you have been saved through faith, , and that not of yourselves; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Godit is the gift of God, , not not of works, lest anyone should boastof works, lest anyone should boast. .

Verse 10 Verse 10 For we are His workmanship, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus created in Christ Jesus for good worksfor good works, which God prepared beforehand , which God prepared beforehand that that we should walk in themwe should walk in them. .

Not by Works, but by GraceNot by Works, but by Grace

““The Lord our God may The Lord our God may have our relationship. have our relationship. But what He most desires But what He most desires our fellowship!”our fellowship!”

Q. What about us? What is Q. What about us? What is our desire? What is our our desire? What is our goal?goal?