When we repent and become Christians—even when someone becomes a pastor—the sinful nature does not instantly disappear. Yet God works in all things for our good. That sinful nature is gradually eroded through a process. When a person repents, the sinful nature is not gone, but through a lifelong journey of continually choosing not to follow the desires of sin, that nature is slowly worn away until it finally dies out.
Here lies the complexity of being human: we must struggle against our sinful nature until we are transformed from a human nature into a divine nature, and this is the true spiritual achievement—but it must be accompanied by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That is why we must pray often and spend time sitting quietly at the Lord’s feet. Remember, the sinful nature is like a snake that seems dead—lying still—but at any moment, it can rise and strike again.
Take pride, for example. God will allow situations to test whether we are truly humble—perhaps through humiliation, or, conversely, through praise, wealth, or honor. Before we had position or status, we may have seemed humble simply because “the snake” hadn’t awakened. But once we gain honour, even a minor offense can provoke anger.
Therefore, we must deny ourselves daily. God allows various circumstances to kill the sinful nature within us. In every situation, our free will is put to the test. When we are offended and angry, we can choose to say, “No one forbids me to remain silent. I choose to stay silent.” But even in our silence, irritation may still linger in our hearts. That is when we must once again sit quietly at the Lord’s feet—for it is there that He trains us. There, our free will is exercised and directed toward obedience.
Yet often we are unaware. When someone hurts us, we think in our hearts, “Who does he think he is?” This state is the complexity of human character, temperament, and disposition—all of which continually demand self-crucifixion.
Jesus, the Son of God, revealed the image of the invisible God. God is indeed unseen, but Jesus made Him visible. And after Jesus ascended to heaven, we are now called to display the life of Jesus—the image of the invisible God. We must put on the attributes of God. Since God is our Father, we as His children must become perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.
This should be a joy to all who long to live holy lives and attain spiritual excellence. Here we begin to enter the spiritual race that is mandatory, as written in Hebrews 12. We run this race to become children of God who bring delight to His heart. Everything else—having a house, a car, a degree, a spouse, or children—is optional. But becoming like Jesus is mandatory.
Just as the Israelites journeyed from Egypt to Canaan, so must we travel—from a worldly life to becoming children of God who dwell in the Father’s house. Along this journey, we must transform. We must manifest God’s thoughts and feelings, so that our lives are no longer about ourselves but about Christ, who is the image of the invisible God.
If the history of our lives were written, what should be seen is not our footprints, but God’s footprints in our lives. For as the apostle Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
Only then do we understand what it means to possess the glory of God—not self-glory, not merely doing good or avoiding evil, but doing what aligns with the thoughts and feelings of God. That is the fruit of a life that pleases the Lord.
From this day forward, let us do what the Father desires for us to do. Use your free will rightly. But remember: without realizing it, the influence of the world can steer us toward desires, interests, instincts, and tastes that oppose God’s will.
Therefore, spend much time in prayer and stillness at the Lord’s feet, so that He may impart His Spirit and passion into us. The apostle Paul wrote about Moses, who came down from Mount Sinai with a face that radiated the glory of God. How much more glorious should we be—the people of the New Covenant! Just as the earth and planets have no light of their own but reflect the light of the sun, so Moses reflected God’s light. The question now is: Do we reflect God’s light through our actions and choices we make?