We heard in the previous article how In Romans 12:1-2 we are told that we can be transformed. But a great question now is simply this: How? Let’s unpack Rom 12:1-2 so that we see how we should respond. And we’ll see that there are, in effect, ‘steps’ we should apply in our life:

1. Realise God’s Mercy

“In view of God’s mercy”

In the verses immediately prior Paul sings a song of praise at the end of 11 chapters in which he considers the amazing wonder of His plan of salvation, rescuing us from sin and judgment to be brought into glorious new eternal life. And the place where we need to start is to realise all He has done for us and stand in awe of His mercy.

A young toddler will be given presents at their first birthday. The present may be very valuable, but invariably the toddler plays with the paper and misses the value of the present! The crinkle of the paper has more interest than the toy because they miss the value of the gift. Similarly, we can put up with anger, anxiety, uncontrolled thought life, and so much more because we don’t grasp the mercy of God and the freedom He calls us into.

2. Give Him your life

“offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”

We tend to hold on to sin, don’t we? While we may want to change, there is enjoyment and quick ‘reward’ when we lash out in anger, big-up our pride, or let lust dwell within. We forget that ‘sin, once it has taken hold, brings death (Jas 1:15). In order to see His transformation, we must be willing to lay our lives on His altar, to give up the little we temporarily gain for the riches He has to give. What reward He has for us! No longer slaves to fear, anxiety, lust, anger! No shame or regret! Power to say ‘no’ and turn from the thing that trapped us for so long. But we’ve got to let Him examine us and point it out (Ps 139), and then lay it on the altar.

3. Actively stop

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world”

In laying on the altar, we need to not ‘get up’ from the altar again! We are told that we are to “Submit yourself, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7). There is a conscious decision to stop and stand against sin. But, you might say ‘I’ve tried to do that so many times, and it’s not worked’. But here’s the thing: you were never intended to do it on your power! We don’t have the power to stand – He does! It’s His armour we have been given (Eph 6:10-18), it’s His resurrection power that’s at work (Eph 1:19-20). So, we are to prayerfully seek His strength for the day and in the moment.

4. See His transformation

“but be transformed by the renewing of your minds”

Initially it will seem impossible. We try to stand, but there is occasional failure. We feel God should simply ‘zap’ us by His power and we will be free. And so we give up. But we’ve failed to understand God’s process of transformation! The tense of “conform” and “transformed” in Roms 12:2 is present-continuous – it’s continuing to stand against temptation, and as we do so (occasional failures included), so He transforms our minds. It’s God ‘reprogramming’ us so that our new ‘natural’ response to sinful calls is to turn away rather than run towards. It’s present-continuous because it takes time. But God is able and does His work of new life in us. So, don’t give in, but rather run after God’s work in your life!

5. Live in newness of life

“then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is”

The outcome is glorious! It’s a transformation from ’instinctively’ doing what is against God’s will to ’instinctively’ doing what God would desire. We already have that desire to do what He wants if we are His because at salvation He “writes His laws on our hearts” (Heb 10:16). But now we see the wonder of just being able to naturally do what He wants. Will there be failures? Yes – the Devil loves to test those areas of God’s victory to discourage us. But (1 John 1:9) God is faithful to forgive and cleanse, and sets us back on His way.

Conclusion

The question really is this: Have I let any of the barriers to transformation stop me experiencing this daily in my life. The devil is the discourager. But we are to be people of courage in God (2 Cor 5:6), walking into the wonder of His transformation work in our live

In the garage of the house we live in I have an old church pew. It’s one of the side pews – not too long, ideal for re-purposing for use in a house. The problem? It came out in parts, with some missing. And since it came out of the church over 10 years ago now, it’s still in parts! As a result, its not entered its new life as a seat in the house, it’s not achieving its true purpose, and it’s merely gathering dust.

The Bible tells us that all believers are saved with a purpose in mind. Eph 1:4 tells us “He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” In Christ this is complete – as Eph 1 goes on to say, we have been redeemed, justified, adopted and will be glorified. Our eternal fixed ‘position’ is of a holy child of God. But, Eph 1 carries on to tell us that our ‘experience’ now is one that needs the power of God at work in us – the “power [that] is like the working of His mighty strength … when He raised Him from the dead” (Eph 1:19-20). Why? Because He made us to be Holy (1 Pet 1:16), to “put off your former way of life” (Eph 4:22), to live in the wonderful newness of life He gives and no longer die (Rom 8:13). We are new creatures (2 Cor 5:17), and we are to live His new life!

But how do I live in this new life? That old pew. I want it to be made new. So, I could go into the garage where it lies broken and scold it for not changing into a new pew. I could lecture it on ‘getting it’s act together’ and tell it to [quite literally] ‘pull yourself together’(!). But I would be foolish to do so, wouldn’t I? It’s not living – it’s made of old wood. It has no power to do anything. It needs a maker to remake it.

In Rom 12:2 we learn that it’s the same for us. As believers our purpose is to be Transformed. Like that pew, it’s a tragedy if we are not – we were made for a wonderful new life, not a life of regrets or uselessness. But we read there that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds”. Now, look at this carefully. Who does the renewing? It’s not ‘be transformed by you renewing your own minds’. Rather it’s the work of God in you! That’s why in Eph 1:19-20 we are told that we need the same resurrection power that was at work in Jesus to be at work in us. Our transformation is resurrection work – God in us. Romans 12:1 makes it clear that our role is to surrender our lives to Him: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.” We are to let go of the things we passionately hold on to, to recognise where we are not being transformed, to seek His work in us whatever the cost. His Spirit will then, as we “conform no longer to the pattern of this world”, do His work to transform us so that our immediate responses become those which are in line with His will.

Of course, the question is – am I seeking His transformation? Am I letting Him examine me and identify the areas that I’ve not surrendered to Him? Do I really think that He is able to change me? This week I was talking to someone at the coffee cart. They had come to know Jesus as a young person, but there were tears because their life was little different than it would have been if they had not come to know Jesus. There was a trail of regret, of hurt, feelings of a life wasted. It was wonderful to share that Jesus wants to transform, to renew the mind, to set us free. Like Jesus asked the paralysed man, the question that really had to be asked was “Do you want to be made well?” (Jn 5:6)

By Paul Montgomery

Good works matter. Visit a county like Thailand where Buddhism is strong or watch a TV programme about the exciting 30-day trek to Santiago de Compostela or read Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” and it is clear that many people invest a lot of time and effort in trying to be better and do ‘good works’ (going on a pilgrimage for some people can be as much about the journey as reaching the destination as well as the camaraderie it can be an exercise in self-improvement/self-discovery).

But what is the right view of faith and works? Everyone has faith. If someone says “I have no faith”, that is a position of faith even if they can’t see it or don’t want to admit it. So where do good works fit into all this? Surely Christians are meant to be good people aren’t they?

This is the Apostle James’ point in his letter. Some people were coming out with pious words but failing to show compassion to their brother or sister in need in the new testament church. James’ point is that faith and deeds are not mutually exclusive; they go together – one is the natural outworking of the other. In James’ efforts to correct the heart attitude of congregants in the church with his emphasis on good works, some have mistakenly used such verses to justify their position about salvation by works.

But only faith matters!! We are saved by faith alone in the Cross of Christ but saving faith is never alone. The wise thief on the Cross is often presented as an example of salvation by faith. He didn’t have much time to do good deeds and certainly not enough time to undergo baptism. Yet we know the wise thief was saved because of the words of the Lord Jesus to him from the Cross – see Luke 23:43. But the thief’s saving faith expressed itself in his profession of faith. In Matthew 7, Jesus taught about every good tree bearing good fruit. Apples appear on an apple tree because it is an apple tree. The apples don’t make the tree an apple tree. Likewise, non-Christians ought to recognise Christians by the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23).

If you are not yet a Christian, why not abandon efforts to justify yourself before God in your own efforts; trust alone instead in what Christ has DONE for you on the Cross. If you are a Christian who takes pride in how much you do in the church, be careful! Ask for God’s help to keep trusting in Christ’s death alone for your salvation so you can serve him with renewed joy. If you are a Christian who is feeling low and finding church life a struggle at the moment, pray to your Father in heaven, asking Him to work in you so that you are once again able to serve him freely and wholeheartedly.

I wonder whether you’ve ever been asked why Good Friday is called ‘Good’? It’s usually asked by children who have worked out that Easter is not all about Chocolate! But maybe they also realise that, if it’s actually about Christ, the events of that first Good Friday were gruesome! In fact, even the press ponder this point – the “I” Newspaper once wrote: “On the face of it, the sobering subject matter of the observance jar with Good Friday’s distinctly upbeat name” (I Weekend, 2/4/2021).

Interestingly, many commentators and newspapers who try to explain Good Friday get it wrong. Newsweek recently said “The term Good Friday … is not taken to mean the day in question was good, positive or pleasant in any way. English dictionaries state how ‘good’ in this context refers ‘in the sense: holy, observed as a holy day” (Newsweek, 15/4/22)

So, why is Good Friday ‘Good’?

It’s Good because God’s promises are fulfilled

God is faithful in all His promises (Ps 119:89-90). And so, “at the appointed time, God sent his Son … to redeem those under the law” (Gal 4:4). God’s love for us meant that He planned from eternity to save His people. And nothing could stop His promises. He was good in His faithfulness – His Son was given for us.

It’s Good because Jesus’ mission was completed

As Jesus turned to travel into Jerusalem, He struggled, in His humanity, with all that would come to pass. He cried out “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified … Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!” (Jn 12:23,27). Jesus knew the cross was why He had come. He willingly faced all it meant, because you and I would be saved. Jesus ‘fixed his face’ towards the cross because of His love for us.

It’s Good because our punishment was placed upon Him

Isaiah 53 reminds us that Jesus did not merely die on the cross, but on that cross He took upon Himself all our sin, and bore the punishment that I justly deserve. “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering … He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities” (Is 53:4-5). As we gaze on Jesus dying for us, we gaze upon the penalty borne for us. There is no more penalty to be paid, there is no more fear of punishment to dread.

It’s Good because our sin is washed away

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Is 1:18). He not only bore the punishment, but He washed me, my sins were taken away “as far as the east is from the west”. There is therefore no possible accusation, there is no condemnation. And we are “new creatures, the old gone, the new come” because of His blood shed for us.

It’s Good because we are accepted into His presence

Dramatically this was demonstrated right there at Calvary. The thief who cursed Jesus to start with, saw, believed, and sought Jesus at his end. And despite the fact that this thief, recognising himself as deserving of his punishment, could do nothing to seek to change, Jesus could say to him “today you will be with me in paradise”. How? Because taking our punishment, paying the price, washing away our sin, my sin is placed on Him, and He credits us with His own Righteousness.

But, of course, those who don’t know Jesus as their Saviour can’t see it’s goodness because they can’t know it for themselves. That’s why they ask “Why is Good Friday Good?”. But for those who have come to know Jesus as Saviour, Good Friday is a day for rejoicing, for it was on that Friday that our punishment was taken, our sin was atoned, so that we may be forgiven, redeemed and set free. Good Friday is very good for all who know Jesus as their Saviour!

Do you remember that time, probably when you were very young, when your mother seemed to say constantly to you “Say thank-you!”. It was probably when you were given a treat, or a present, and you had grabbed it and turned away excitedly with it, so taken up with what you have been given that you have forgotten the love and kindness of the one who gave it. At that time “say thank-you” was a valid rebuke. But what if thankfulness was the defining part of who we are?

Thankfulness, gratitude, is a prominent Bible theme. It’s part of who we should become in Jesus: 1 Thess 5:16-18 says “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” These are wonderful words! What a change in our personality and approach to life must happen in Jesus to genuinely be joyful always, giving thanks in all circumstances! But (and this is the key thing to grasp) there is transformation available in Jesus that should bring about such a dramatic change!

The root of the change comes from knowing God.

Ps 136:1 says “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever”. Before we know Him, difficult times, fearful times, are a product of fate and powers beyond us. But knowing Him, knowing that He loved me so much to give His own Son for me, and His love cannot change because He is unchanging, and cannot be taken from us … that changes how we view our circumstances. We don’t rejoice because of our circumstances, we rejoice because He loves us, He is with us, and He will be with us whatever the circumstance. Knowing Him changes everything. So, join with Paul in saying “I want to know You”

And, in Christ, we also see that God is at work.

In 2 Cor 2:14 Paul talks about God “always lead[ing] us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spread[ing] everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him”. He sees that in every circumstance, even persecution and imprisonment, God is working, bringing glory to God through us. Because Paul’s eyes are so fixed on God’s work, elsewhere we hear him and Silas sing songs of praise from prison, even though they have been flogged. So, ask God to give you Kingdom vision which transforms how we view every circumstance.

And, our eyes are opened to see His daily goodness.

James 1:17 reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above”. Each day we have is a gift from God. Family and friends are His gift. Food and clothing is the result of His provision and mercy. I once knew a man who had recently come to know the Lord. He was brilliant to meet because each day this wealthy, prosperous man who had been used to grabbing for Himself now saw with new eyes! Everything he saw He suddenly realised came from God, and He was literally ‘bouncing’ with joy in God’s goodness! So ask God to open your eyes to His daily goodness.

But, above all, we are thankful because we have Him.

In Psalm 28 David is in deep distress. He cries out to God for help. But then a song of praise resounds: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song”. He is joyful through tears, because He has God even when all else fails.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Ps 107:1

I’ve never been that good (or enthusiastic) about participating in Sport. It’s mostly my fault, but I partially blame what happened when I was young. I grew up with chronic Asthma … I was on bottled Oxygen from time to time. In those days the treatment for Asthma was quite different from now. Rather than encourage sport to strengthen the muscles and expand lung capacity, the accepted treatment was to discourage sport in case it brought on an Asthma attack. And so I grew up more often sitting on the sidelines watching sport than participating. And when I did participate, my lack of muscle development in my legs, as well as around my lungs, meant I was pretty much always destined to perform badly.

I don’t tell you this to extract sympathy – it is what it is, and God used lessons learnt in many significant ways. But what I have learned, the hard way, is that ‘training’ – the intentional giving of oneself to developing ability – is necessary for most things in life, be it physical, intellectual, emotional … or spiritual.

Paul says (1 Tim 4:8) “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” He is not deriding or denying physical training, noting that it does have ‘some value’. But there is something that is infinitely more valuable, and lasting, which we should dedicate ourselves to. And so in the preceding verse he commands: “Train yourself for godliness”.

Now, training is hard. It is intentional – to achieve a goal. It is demanding – causing us to exert effort, to stretch ourselves beyond what we can currently achieve. And it takes time – results are achieved as we repeatedly press towards the desired goal. And it’s the same for Spiritual Training. There are various ways in which we receive Spiritual Training – we see two in Hebrews 12. One is our struggle against sin, to obey God. Related to that is God’s discipline when we do stumble or fail (Heb 12:4-13). And there are other forms of Spiritual Training. For example, one is serving – stepping out in faith for Him, and so growing in Him as we serve.

But the key form of Spiritual Training is spending time intentionally in His word … so we can become more like Him. … This requires time, commitment, and discipline. But the rewards are immense.

But the key form of Spiritual Training is spending time intentionally in His word, learning more about Him (Heb 12:1-2) so we can become more like Him, or learning more of what He calls us into. If we are to grow in Godliness, we need to grow in our knowledge of Him (2 Pet 1:3,5-8). This requires time, commitment, and discipline. But the rewards are immense.

God puts us in a local church, like Cambray, so we can help and encourage one another (Col 3:16, Eph 4:11-16). We do so by being involved in a Small Group or Bible Study Group, so we grow together in community, supporting one another, encouraging each other in our growth in Him. In Cambray we also see opportunity for focused training in key areas as important, which is why we run our Spring Training Courses. This Spring we are running three courses, and there will be more in the year ahead. Don’t think of them as ‘extras for the keen’, but ‘essentials for us all’ (cf Rom 15:4). They are a means by which we can learn together, encourage one another and grow in Him, so that we can bring Him glory in our lives. So, look out for the Spring Training Courses, sign up here: https://cambray.churchsuite.com/events/6ozub2ux and let’s grow together in Jesus!

One practice that many families continue to have is the ‘growth chart’ inscribed on one of the walls at home. The ceremony is simple – at a particular time in the year all the children in the house are stood against a wall, heels into the skirting board. A mark is then placed on the wall at the top of their head to show how tall they are. On moving away from the wall they can look for the previous mark to see how much they have grown. It’s amazing how much you can grow some years, and how little other years – until the point where you get to your adult height. But, of course, we continue to grow, even if not in stature – in knowledge, in understanding, in wisdom, in maturity, and so much more. Its when growth slows down or stops that we know all is not well.

Growing Spiritually

And Spiritual Growth is the same. When we become Christians we are like Spiritual ‘babies’ – new creatures, now very much alive in Jesus (2 Cor 5:17), utterly saved, fully redeemed, eternally His. And His Spirit in us (John 14:16-17) starts a process of transformation (Roms 12:2) in which we become more and more ‘godly’ – that is, more and more like Jesus. This Christ-likeness is to be seen in our thinking, behaviour, responses, in every part of our lives. We are to “grow into Jesus who is the head” (Eph 4:15). This is the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit’s work (Gal 5:19-23).

Growth Problem?

If there is no growth, there is a big problem. Jesus (Matt 7:17-19) said that we know a tree by it’s fruit, and a healthy tree will grow good fruit – in other words, the Spirit of God within must produce the life of God within. Failure to grow is both contrary to the presence of His Spirit, and a sign of our own active resistance to Him (Gal 5:25-26). Just as a parent would be massively worried by lack of growth in their child, so failure to grow spiritually should be a big concern to us. It was with distress that the writer to the Hebrews noticed that they needed “milk, not solid food” (Heb 5:11-6:3). David was so concerned about this, so passionate about ensuring He was walking with God and growing in Him that, in Psalm 139, he invites God to examine him deep within, to “see if there be any wicked way in me”. And, it’s therefore also appropriate that, like a child, we do a ‘growth chart test’ … we ask God to examine us, and examine ourselves, to see if we are growing in Christ (2 Cor 13:5).

Growth Opportunity

Wonderfully 2 Pet 1:3-8, in describing Spiritual Growth, emphasises that in Christ “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness”. If we find that we have not grown much, we are not condemned by failure! In fact, He has already given us all we need to grow in godliness. The passage goes on to tell us that this growth comes “through our knowledge of Him” – knowing God better by hearing from Him, learning of Him in His Word, and letting Him apply His word into our lives by His Spirit (see also 2 Tim 3:16-17).

We’re going to start 2023 in our morning sermon series by looking at what it means see continuous Spiritual Growth. Accompanying our sermon series, on our website (https://www.cambray.org/resources/spiritual-growth/) is an expanding set of resources to help in our Spiritual Growth. Maybe, at the start of New Year, this is a good time to do a ‘Growth Test’, to see if you are growing spiritually. Maybe God is prompting you to take seriously your own Spiritual Growth. Wouldn’t it be amazing if, for person upon person within Cambray, 2023 was a time of significant and dramatic growth in the Lord!

When we go on holiday, start at work or go on a journey one of the key things we have to ask and organise is “What do we need to bring with us?”. We know that we can’t just head out – we need money (or at least some way to access it), we need a coat (most of the year), we need appropriate shoes, we possibly need a bag. And if we have young children, we need a whole load more!

This need of extras is so in-grained that we can struggle when we hear the Bible’s call to Jesus as our everything. The whole Bible points to Jesus, and Jesus only. He is what we need; He is our only Saviour; He is our Redeemer; He is wisdom; He is the answer in our difficulties; He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. It’s Jesus only, nothing more.

But we’re so programmed to want something more. When we have problems as parents we look for the ‘10 things you need to know as parents’, or in anxiety we want the ‘6 steps to deal with anxiety’. In our life we search for the ‘5 points for self-improvement’, and we’re constantly told on Facebook / Instagram / in the media that this is what we need. The result is that we can react badly when someone tells us that ‘Jesus is the answer’ … we want something more, we want a programme, some steps, something to do. But in searching for the more so we miss the answer we really need.

The great and wonderful theme of all of the Bible is Jesus. In not having Jesus, we have nothing. But in having Jesus, you have everything.

You see, Christianity is so different. The great and wonderful theme of all of the Bible is Jesus. In not having Jesus, we have nothing. But in having Jesus, you have everything.

In Hebrews 10:12-14 we read that it is Jesus [alone] who makes us perfect forever. In 1 Corinthians 1:30 we read that Jesus becomes “to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” Look at those words again: [all] “wisdom” – to make right choices and walk well, [all] “righteousness” – cleansing, purity, freedom from guilt, [all] “sanctification” – transformation of mind and heart, actions and words, and [all] “redemption” – belonging, worth, purpose and eternal destiny … all of that is found in Jesus (see also Col 2:3). In Ephesians 1:3 we read that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Jesus” – He is the source of any and all spiritual blessing we can know.

And its about Jesus in every part of life too. He is the one who is the pattern for our character and responses (Gal 5:16-26). He is the one who know the best path and is my guide (Ps 23). He is the one who is the one I emulate in work and the home (Titus 2:9-14). He is the leader we learn to lead from, He is the parent in whom we see perfect parenting, He is the great disciple-maker from whom we learn how to disciple others. He is the one who was “acquainted with suffering” from who we learn how to cope in trouble and difficulty, He is our stronghold, our refuge in times of trouble, He is the unchanging one in a world of turmoil. In whatever part of life we look, the answer we need is Jesus.

Christianity is very simple – it is about knowing and finding all I need in Jesus.

Christianity is very simple – it is about knowing and finding all I need in Jesus. “For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21); “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8); “I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 2:2). And so Paul says “One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal which is the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13)

What is it to grow in maturity as a Christian? It is to “grow into Christ, who is the head” (Eph 4:15-16). Mature Christian living isn’t understanding systems, isn’t pursuing different solutions, isn’t proposing many steps to Holy living. It’s discovering daily how Jesus is the answer in each and every situation I face; it’s becoming more like Jesus in every response I choose; it’s finding my rest and peace in Jesus. It’s finding that when I love Him above all else, then no matter what I lose I will always have my true and lasting treasure. Jesus plus nothing equals everything!

My journey to University was pretty uneventful – I attended the University that was literally just across the road from my school. And, because my Father lectured there, I had been there with him many times before.

But it was also a huge moment. It was the time when I was free from home, free to make my choices, free to find out about life, free to do my own thing. It was a time when I could have made massive mistakes, a time which I could have looked back at with huge regrets, a time when I could have started down life pathways which could have been a disaster. But, in God’s grace, it was a time of great memories, wonderful friendships, growing faith, and seeing the extraordinary work of God, all of which positively shaped the rest of my life.

Having been ‘on the other side’ (as a University Lecturer and Director of Studies) as well as a student (twice), and a Dad of students, I guess I have a unique position to advise on how to prepare for student life. So what is my advice?

I’m going to take you to Daniel. He was taken to a place far from home to study (Dan 1:3), he was one of the academically able, specially selected to go (Dan 1:4), he was undertaking 3 years of study (Dan 1:5), and he was in a place where he would have his identity in God utterly challenged by where he was (Dan 1:7). But Daniel brought God glory and his life impacted many for the Lord because:

Daniel brought God glory and his life impacted many for the Lord

1. He resolved to live for God (Dan 1:8)

Even though he was far from those who knew him, Daniel knew that God was with him. He loved God above everything else and so wanted to live for Him, even if that meant being different from those around him. Christians in Sport have a saying: “Audience of 1”. Their life is about living for God’s glory, not for their own. For Daniel too, his life was about living for God, being pleasing to Him. You will have many choices to make. Choosing to live for God without compromise is vital.

2. He used the opportunities he had to stand for God (Dan 1:8)

Student life gives time – time as you study with others in the same course, time as you live with other students, time in leisure and time which you can set aside for God (both church and CU). God tells us that He has already purposed the things He has for us to do for Him (Eph 2:10) in every area of life, and He has opportunities ready for you to walk into and use for Him.

3. He trusted God when things looked difficult (Dan 1:11-14)

Sometimes as we stand for God we will have to face difficulties. God is not unaware of these difficulties and is sovereign over them – He leads us into them so that we can learn more of Him and what it means to trust Him. University is an amazing time when we start to see God at work even when things seem difficult, to walk in His ways even when everyone else seems to be doing something else.

4. He worked so that his results would honour God (Dan 1:17-20)

You are at University to get qualifications. Your commitment to live and work for God includes trusting Him for and applying yourself in your studies. It is in your time at University that you learn how to give time to God, to your friends and to your study. It is there where you start to see how He enables you in your study as you make time sacrificially to serve Him (v17).

University life is a time of preparation for life beyond University. All of those things we see in Daniel’s three years preparation are things that are central for the whole of our life. In your University years you can set the direction for the years to come – a life lived for God.

We all have an identity. I don’t mean your passport. I mean how you view yourself and how you portray yourself to others. From the moment we are born we learn identity. ‘Hello cutie’, a mother might say to her baby, ‘Aren’t you just gorgeous’. As we grow we’ll hear ‘you’re so clever’, ‘you are so smart’, and so much more. Sadly, as we really grow we start to realise we’re not necessarily the cleverest, the best, the prettiest nor even that cute any more! And as we contest life with our parents we start to feel we aren’t perhaps as precious as they said.

And so we can seek to find an identity: How do I want to portray myself? How do I want to feel about myself? What are the good attributes I want to make sure others see, and what are the weaknesses I need to hide?

But as we strive to ‘find me’, the reality is we are living out a part-truth we have created based on what we want from others. Doing so, we become prisoners to the acceptance/rejection of what we have created, easily hurt when failures are revealed, terribly damaged when we don’t achieve value in the eyes of others, dissatisfied with the identity we have chosen, constantly seeking what we need to be.

As I strive to ‘find me’, the reality is I am living out a part-truth I have created based on what we want from others. Doing so I become a prisoner to the acceptance or rejection of what I have created.

Much of the brokenness that we experience comes from the fact that we allow ourselves to be defined by other broken and damaged people and values. In doing so we not only shape ourselves by brokenness, but also by people and values that change rapidly. We are left feeling empty because what shapes us has no firm foundation, is ever changing, and affirms the very things that undermine who we should be. We are left without foundation, direction or value.

It’s into this that God calls. When we become a Christian the old life is driven away, “all things have become new“ (2 Cor 5:17). Gal 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. This life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.“ Part and parcel of coming to Jesus is the destruction of the need to live for the old self, the old failed identity I created. Instead, we are called out of that world by our Heavenly Father. Now we no longer need to live in a world where we will fail to find full approval from others. We have a Father who loves us with full approval not because of who we are or try to be but because of Jesus. And so we are called to “no longer live in this body“ (the old life and the old identity) “ but rather live in the never-disappointing reality of His eternal love (Romans 8:31-39).

God provides a far far better identity for us. I am loved, but not because I am cute, but because of Jesus (1 John 4:10). I belong, not because I have reached an approval standard of others, but because Jesus welcomes me as His own (1 John 3:1). I am precious, not because of the value of what I can do or achieve, but because He calls me precious (Rom 5:7-9). And so much more. In every area, my loving Father provides firm, unchanging foundations upon which He gives a new unshakeable identity in Jesus.

God provides a far far better identity for us. I am loved, but not because I am cute, but because of Jesus (1 John 4:10). I belong, not because I have reached an approval standard of others, but because Jesus welcomes me as His own (1 John 3:1). I am precious, not because of the value of what I can do or achieve, but because He calls me precious (Rom 5:7-9).

The problem is that we can hold on to the things that we used to judge ourselves by, we can refuse to let go of our old identity and continue to listen to all the voices of adulation and failure that go with it. But were never created to be worshipped. We were created to worship our maker. Only by turning from our self-made identity and to our new identity in Jesus (i.e. ‘repentance’) can we find the rest we need. That’s why your true identity really matters.

There is one church service I particularly recall, for all the wrong reasons. The sermon was on Song of Songs 4, in which the ‘Lover’ is admiring his ‘Beloved’. The passage makes pretty graphic reference to her physical appearance, and to his physical desire for her. Now, we do know that Song of Songs is also a picture of Jesus’ love for His church … the same parallel we see in Ephesians 5:22-33. But there is more: we are also meant to hear God’s teaching on physical desire within marriage. Yet in that sermon the preacher was clearly embarrassed by the physical references and obviously skipped over the references and teaching on sexual intimacy. It was as though God had never created such a thing as sex, and certainly didn’t allow any talk of sex within church!

God designed marriage so that a man and a woman might come together exclusively to one another for life and that a key part of this is physical intimacy. And God called all of this “very good”

Yet the truth is that God designed marriage so that a man and a woman might come together exclusively to one another for life and that a key part of this is physical intimacy. And God called all of this “very good“ (Gen 1:27-31, 2:24-25). In fact, the Bible gives us at least four purposes for sexual intimacy:

1. It is intended for intimacy (Gen 2:24-25)

The character of our married relationship is to be “naked with no shame” – a picture of no barriers, nothing coming in between, total unity of heart, mind, soul and body. They are to become “one flesh“, so united that the two become one (in Christ this is in effect three becoming one, man and woman joined by His Spirit). And so, physically, in becoming “one flesh” the act of sexual union is the joyful and liberating physical expression of oneness, the intimacy God wants to work in every Christian married couple.

2. It is intended for pleasure (Prov 5:18-19)

The idea of physical intimacy as something one endures is far from God’s design. The wisdom of God expressed in Proverbs tells “my son“ to “rejoice in the wife of your youth“, telling him to find pleasure in her appearance, satisfaction in their intimacy, and to be captivated by her love. And, of course, what is said to the man in the married relationship applies equally to the woman too. Sex is not merely a reproductive process, nor merely a way we ‘feel loved’, but a place of pleasure.

Sex is not merely a reproductive process, nor merely a way we ‘feel loved’, but a place of pleasure.

3. It is intended for procreation (Gen 1:28)

The reality is that we are to “be fruitful and multiply“, as God in His providence enables. Sometimes church teaching from scripture has seemed to emphasise this aspect of physical intimacy only. But that is not biblical teaching – God holds all of four purposes mentioned here together perfectly.

4. It is intended for protection (1 Cor 7:2-5)

It is rarely mentioned in church circles that marriage does not switch off desires for those beyond our marriage partner. That is part of our fallen nature, a part which we must “put to death” (Col 3:5) along with all other sinful desire. But, for those who are married, God helps us within our marriage: God calls us to life-long physical satisfaction with our marriage partner so that we do not need to look elsewhere.

The world seeks to divorce these purposes. It elevates pleasure, de-emphasising or ignoring the other three. Sadly, prudish church teaching has done something similar, elevating procreation and de-emphasising or ignoring the other three purposes.

But God has provided physical intimacy for our good as we rejoice in this gift within our marriages, allowing it to fulfil all four purposes. And as we do so, we bring Him glory as we demonstrate that Godly marriage is indeed “very good“.