Expected Changes Ps 55:19 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
The Bible says of the Lord that he changes not [Mal 3:6] and Solomon tells us that we are not to meddle with them who are given to change [Prov 24:21]. Psalms describes a man who swears to his own hurt and changes not [Ps 15:4]. But when you consider what happens to us in salvation, there are some things that are expected changes. You should expect:
Life changes – Ps 55:19 – in your life, there are going to be circumstances, events and reversals that are going to work against you and cost you – just when you think your life is going to work out well you suddenly experience a reversal – these contrasts to the blessings of God are designed to get you to fear God because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom – many men turn to God from sin and wickedness in their lives when something goes wrong.
Image changes – 2 Cor 3:18 – we were born in the image of Adam and when we were born again we were predestined to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ – from the day we are born again, the Holy Spirit is working in us to conform us to his image – as the process takes place over time, it becomes more and more evident to others that we are God’s children – our likeness changes from that of Adam to that of the Lord – without the Bible, preaching, praying, teaching and so forth, very little in your likeness is going to change – with good Bible reading, studying, preaching, and teaching and with obedience to the words of God your likeness is going to definitely and dramatically change – after all, we are new creatures in Christ.
Facial changes – Ecc 8:1 – when the Holy Spirit and wisdom enter into your heart they change your face – Moses’ face shone when he came down from the mountain after being with God the second time [Ex 34:29-30] – Stephen’s face became like the face of an angel we spoke before the council [Acts 6:15] – when Tommy Tillman presented his work in Thailand and Mongolia one of our fellows testified that you could see the boldness of his face change – his face had light.
Physical changes – 1 Cor 15:51-52; Phil 3:21; Job 14:14 – our bodies will change into glorified bodies at the rapture – and we need to thank God for this change – for the first time in our lives we will have sinless bodies – and they will be prefect in every capacity – and we will never die!!
Ordinance changes – Dan 3:28 – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego changed the king’s word and refused to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image – right now Bible believing Christians can and should abide by the laws of men [Rom 13] – however, we may have to stand against some of the laws in the future in the same way that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did – we may need to respond the way Peter and the other apostles did in Acts 5:29.
Cosmological changes – Ps 102:25-26 – one of these days the Lord is suddenly going to change the heavens like a man changes his clothes – the teaching that the galaxies, stars, suns and planets have been there for billions of years and that they are going to just keep evolving is a hoax – they will wax old like a garment [scientists can observe that kind of activity] – they are really going to get messed up in the Tribulation – and then the Lord who put them there [the work of thy hands] is going to change them just like that.
Conclusion: Though we are not to change our convictions, our standards, and our doctrine under pressure from others and from the world, and though we are not to change our testimony when called to our own defense and though we are not to be given to change like the rest of the world around us, there are expected changes in our lives, our images, our faces and, eventually, our bodies – furthermore, before the Lord returns, we may have to change our obedience to certain ordinances of man that are clearly contrary to the commands of God – in time, God will even change the universe and basically start all over again with a universe in which there is no more sin, suffering or death – praise the Lord!!!