To Glorify God

The purpose and nature of a life worthy of the gospel is glorifying God by representing Jesus in truth. To represent Jesus in truth in this world, a Christian must live in Christ’s moral image in His work of redemption.

But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” – Luke 8:21 (ESV)

By Helping His People

So, a Christian must live as an adopted child of God who follows Jesus. Once included in the family of God, a Christian joins the family business.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 (ESV)

Know Him in Jesus

A Christian must conform to Christ’s image in order to represent Jesus in truth. Conforming to Jesus requires knowing Jesus in the special way that encourages and compels a Christian to strive to conform to Him.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)

Better and Better

No life worthy of the gospel ends with initially receiving Jesus as Savior, Lord, and God. It begins there, but it must grow into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. The good news is that in Christ it can.

…we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ – Ephesians 4:15 (ESV)

Through Setting Their Minds

God starts with making Jesus known in a special way. Christ communicates Himself directly to a Christian by the Holy Spirit by means of grace to make that Christian know Christ in a way he cannot know Him otherwise. By that special knowledge, a Christian spiritually sees Christ’s beauty and is willingly bound to Him. In seeking this knowledge a Christian must pay careful attention—watching and listening carefully—to what the Spirit shows and tells of Jesus in means of grace.

“Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” – Luke 8:18 (ESV)

On the Divine Beauty of Christ

To be transformed into the image of Christ’s glorious beauty, a Christian must seek that transformation by setting his mind on (beholding) that beauty. While God requires Christians to do the work of beholding Christ’s beauty, it is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit that transforms a Christian into Christ’s image from one degree of glory to another.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

In His Words

Jesus promises special knowledge of Himself to those who represent Him through holy obedience.

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” – John 14:21 (ESV)