Spiritual Transformation

Without responding to God’s call and provision, spiritual transformation is stunted and we do not participate fully in the development and enjoyment of kingdom living. Our lives are formed, whether by default as driven by the tides of cultural environment, personal proclivities, or spiritual forces; and they are lived according to that forming. Speaking of Christian forming Gordon Mursell says, “The essence of this spirituality is . . . namely the relationship between the gracious God and the saved sinner.”[1] Our lives, when formed by cooperation with God are transformed lives—a reference that indicates the changed and higher nature of such a life. It is a life that increasingly conforms to the image and likeness of God.

There has been an insufficient focus on Christian spiritual transformation within the church for the preceding two hundred years.[2] Although there has been a beginning turnaround, history lamentably exposes an essential need for more people, and communities, to come into a full knowledge of God’s call to discipleship. It is a discipleship manifested in the kingdom life as recorded in both the history of the Bible and extra-biblical writings. Kingdom living is transformed living. We do not enter into this kingdom living without transformation. A transformed life expresses the kingdom life just as winged flight and bird song express a measure of the bird kingdom. This Christian kingdom life is expressed in numerous passages such as Matthew 5-7, Romans 14:17, 1 Corinthians 4:20, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:24, and Colossians 3:10-17.

Kingdom life is holiness and wholeness. It is a life that goes on from, and is above, accepting doctrine to living with God and expressing him. Kingdom life is the transformed life. As far as the transformed life is full and mature it is synonymous with the kingdom life. Where the transformed life falls short it falls short of expressing the kingdom life. If Jesus Christ is the kingdom life (Matthew 4:17; 18:20; John 14:6-7; 18:36; Acts 8:12), my basis here, then to live the kingdom life is to live Jesus (Galatians 2:20). Jesus is the Kingdom life, and by that this author means that the life of Jesus is the realm in which we are to live, and move, and have our being. Jesus claimed that he is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) in which we should live, in which we should live the kingdom life. Living in him (abiding in him) is living the kingdom life. It is to live the life Jesus would live if he were living the disciple’s life today.[3]

Practicing spiritual disciplines such as prayer, meditation, fasting, silence, celebration, and abstinence facilitates kingdom life. The kingdom life is lived in God, through God, by God, and in expression of God. It is a life that is increasingly salt and light, does not retaliate, and loves our enemies (Matthew 5:13-16, 38-48).  It is our life in which we come to God with the acceptance, dependence, and innocence of a child (Mark 10:14-15). The kingdom life expresses “the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23a).[4]

This kingdom life is that to which God has called us. The kingdom life expresses the beatitudes and the fruit of the Spirit. It is the transformed life matured and a life made more reflective of God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthian 3:18; Colossians 3:10). Moreover, God provides the means to such a life. He enables us to live this life in increasing spiritual maturity (Luke 8:14; 1 Corinthians 14:20; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 4:12; Hebrews 5:14-6:1). This call from God is for the kingdom life to which we are to respond.

We have the opportunity and privilege of responding to God’s calling and provision for spiritual transformation. Additionally, this response leads to the expected spiritual progression that should naturally follow after the new birth described in the Gospel of John. John 3:16 Unfortunately, this passage is popularly quoted for proof of salvation without much attention usually given to the changed nature of the new life that should proceed from the new-birth. This new life, in growing maturity, is the transformed life. It is the kingdom life to the degree it expresses God’s image and likeness.

Although more than two billion people in the world call themselves Christians,[5] what too many “lack is a disciplined life and a critical mind to resist the temptation to conform to what just anyone might think or do (Rom 12:1-3). Decisiveness is the mark of true discipleship.”[6] Too often, those of us concerned with living an example of Christianity are focused on law keeping as a means to that end. Many others are willing, in an almost antinomian (lawless) manner, to agree that such a life is desirable but without restrictive requirements. That is, they might contend, no requirements can be made of the disciple. This spiritual life, if it is possible, they argue, must be spontaneous and confessed as a reality despite possible evidence to the contrary.  Some further argue that the demands of such passages as Matthew 5-7 may only be interpreted for a future kingdom of God in the new heaven and earth.[7]

Nominal Christianity in the forms of undisciplined living and self-justified antinomian tendencies hinder the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). In this commission Jesus directed his followers to make disciples. This, of course, is preceded by conversion. Indeed, conversion is the prerequisite to discipleship. Jesus spoke of his authority to fulfill this disciple-making commission when he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18b).

This authority supports the disciple-making commission. We are to observe what Jesus taught his apostles. God calls and provides, and we must respond. This process, not reserved for a future time, results in spiritual transformation as the expression of kingdom life.

Four considerations are helpful to this pursuit: (1) An examination of the meaning of Christian spiritual transformation, (2) what God’s call is to his disciples for Christian spiritual transformation, (3) how God calls disciples to Christian spiritual transformation, and (4) how disciples cooperate with that call and avail themselves of God’s provision for Christian spiritual transformation and kingdom living. We will examine these in future posts.

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[1]Gordon Mursell, gen. ed., The Story of Christian Spirituality: Two Thousand Years from East to West (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press 2001), p.167.

[2]Eugene H. Peterson, Subversive Spirituality (Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Regent College Publishing, 1997), p. 3.

[3]Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God (New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1998), p. 283.

[4]Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible references come from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[5]Adherents.com “Major Religions of The World
Ranked by Number of Adherents,” Preston Hunter; available fromhttp://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html: Internet; accessed 29 February 2008.
[6]Simon Chan, Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study Of The Christian Life (Downer Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998), p. 69. 

[7]Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1984), vol. 8, Matthew-Mark-Luke, p. 127.