Who is being transformed into the image of Christ? Not me
Wed, 01/03/2017 - 11:48 | Andrew Perriman
I’ve just got back from a missions conference at which the idea that believers in general and “missionaries” in particular are being—or should be—transformed into the “image of Christ” got a lot of airtime.
I can see what people are getting at. The assumption is that Jesus represents either an ideal way of being human or an ideal way of doing ministry. He’s Jesus, after all! Therefore, to grow towards spiritual maturity is to be conformed to his image.
It’s a central plank of evangelical piety. Tim Challies quotes Jerry Bridges: “Christlikeness is God’s goal for all who trust in Christ, and that should be our goal also.”
It is used with reference to character: Jesus sets the standard for holiness, love, justice, faithfulness, etc. But it was also suggested at the conference that Jesus perfectly embodies the APEST functions of Ephesians 4:11 in himself, therefore he constitutes the standard for the ministries of the church.
I think that the argument is misleading, however, as a matter of New Testament interpretation . . .
Read more at: http://www.postost.net/2017/03/who-being-transformed-image-christ-not-me?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
I can see what people are getting at. The assumption is that Jesus represents either an ideal way of being human or an ideal way of doing ministry. He’s Jesus, after all! Therefore, to grow towards spiritual maturity is to be conformed to his image.
It’s a central plank of evangelical piety. Tim Challies quotes Jerry Bridges: “Christlikeness is God’s goal for all who trust in Christ, and that should be our goal also.”
It is used with reference to character: Jesus sets the standard for holiness, love, justice, faithfulness, etc. But it was also suggested at the conference that Jesus perfectly embodies the APEST functions of Ephesians 4:11 in himself, therefore he constitutes the standard for the ministries of the church.
I think that the argument is misleading, however, as a matter of New Testament interpretation . . .
Read more at: http://www.postost.net/2017/03/who-being-transformed-image-christ-not-me?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
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