Change for the Better

Imperfections of Life

There are things our lives that we would like to change. We all have bad habits we would wish to break, choices we wish we had made differently, and other factors outside of our personal control which frustrate us. When one considers the reality of personal sin in light of the Bible’s teaching, this feeling of a need to change should grow exponentially. It is, of course, through Christ that any such change is possible, by being washed of His blood and conforming ourselves to the pattern of His life.

The Christian Caricature

To the Christian this idea is commonly well understood and accepted as a wondrous blessing of grace. However, to those from the world, this idea of change can be seen as unnerving or bothersome. In the world a perception of what a Christian “should” be like (a caricature) is created and this perception is often one-dimensional. The Christian “does this” and “does not do that” is the common thrust of this perception. While these ideas are basically true, it misses the spiritual aspect of growth and renewal because such concepts are foreign to the world. The downside of such a misconception is a belief that if one commits to Christ they must become one-dimensional as well.

While it is true that Christians are to have a common “mold” (the mold being Christ), this does not mean that all Christians are alike, nor should they be. This was never the intention of God for His creation, which He created to be “very good” (Gen. 31, NASU). A personality is very much a part of the human experience, and a commitment to Christ to live in like manner does not detract from one’s own sense of self.

Hero Examples

The heroes of the Bible present a good example. There are several different individuals who exhibited varied strengths and weaknesses, varied personalities, and even varied demonstrations of their faith in God. Samson’s self-assurance in his warrior strength can be compared with David’s tender demonstration of his heart in poetry. Solomon’s sound wisdom can be compared with Peter’s single-minded call to act. Among the Biblical writer’s themselves the very Word of God as He intended it was written perfectly, but without destroying the personality or choice of grammar of the author.

Better “Selfs”

God never intended for mankind to be uniform, but instead individuals. Why else would He have given us free will? Taking upon Christ and patterning your life upon Him is not a “replacement” for one’s own self per se, but instead the creation of a better self. A self with a heart cleansed of sin by Christ and free to live for Him in a way only you can.