Changed Into His Likeness

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. – 1 John 3:2-3

I am purified by focusing my hope on Jesus Christ. I cannot purify myself. He does it, when I focus my attention on Him. For as He is [now], so are we in this world – It is finished: He has done it! (1 John 4:17).

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. – Eph. 1:18-23; 2:5-7

This is where I am and who I am in Christ! He is the head, and I am part of His body, seated in the heavens at the right hand of God.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 from the Lord, the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:15-18

I am transformed into His image as I turn to the Lord (away from the Law and trying to keep it) and by beholding the glory of the Lord. As I focus my gaze on Him, I am transformed in ever-increasing levels (from glory to glory).

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-3

I can run the race with endurance, by laying aside (stop being conscious of) my sin, fixing my eyes on Jesus and considering Him. For He is the writer and the completer of my faith (not me!) It’s not my endurance that gets me through, but His. It’s not my righteousness that makes me walk blamelessly, but His. It’s not my perfect behavior that makes me pure, but His! Thank you, Jesus! This righteousness is imputed to me by the powerful finished work of His blood shed on the cross.