You’ve been created in God’s image—a likeness representing aspects of His identity. You have: relational and creative capacities—abilities to gain knowledge, think, create and communicate; functional capacities—abilities to love, produce and do awesome things; and a moral capacity—ability to discern right and wrong, You, therefore, have been created with certain God-given endowments and have the capacity to bear amazing fruits in and through Him.
God truly wants to reveal His purposes and plans for you. He desires that you know His love and grow into the fullness of the measure of your nature in Him. This was the thrust of Paul’s message regarding coming “to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Paul recognized that Messiah—Christ in us through the Holy Spirit—is the true standard of measure.
Being a WHOLE person relating with a WHOLE God in a WHOLE way
We typically fall short of receiving the fullness of God’s love and grace and developing the fullness of the measure of our capacity in God because we fall short of allowing the endowments God has given us to grow within us. Truly, God sees a greater capacity in you than you think. He has predestined you “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). It takes engaging in relationship with God, participating with God, who is able to fill you and release within you greater measures of His likeness than you can imagine!
One of Paul’s greatest passions was to help people apprehend and possess a strengthening view of the multidimensional nature of God’s love so they could be blessed in it. He earnestly prayed that you would be “strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).
Note how he frames his prayer, acknowledging the relationship within the fullness of the Godhead; “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”
Within his understanding of God was a deep awareness and appreciation of the triune nature of God. Peter, too, had such a strengthening view of the nature of the Godhead. Note how he, likewise, framed his entire message in 1 Peter with the view of their respective roles; “To the pilgrims…elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…”
Paul and Peter both had a multidimensional view of God that was strengthened by their understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and ways God had related with mankind throughout the development of the Scriptures. Their framework or worldview was rooted in the core message of the Scriptures, expressed in Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (echad)! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Note first the importance of the word, echad. It means a plural unity or wholeness. It speaks prophetically of the unity of the whole triune nature of God (Father, Holy Spirit, Son). It likewise speaks of man’s response and approach to God in terms of an undivided allegiance and commitment to the relationship where the wholeness of one’s being, desires and inclinations—or life—is centered and consumed in devotion to the union—which is expressed through God’s covenant.
In addition, this centerpiece message reveals how one reaps the wholeness of the benefits and values of wholehearted active response and engagement with God and being united in bonded relationship with God! It speaks of loving and revering God with your whole inner being, your strength, passions and efforts as well as substance of your possessions. The result is life, peace and joy in covenant relationship with God; fulfilling His purposes for His glory and your benefit. It’s all centered in God’s love and grace!
You can see how the early disciples were impacted when the Holy Spirit became real and penetrated their beings. God’s word took on a new dimension! Their minds were refocused and their lives became transformed. They had known of God before, but the Holy Spirit added a whole new dimension of grace and empowerment that changed their perspective of God and relationship with God. You too can be impacted by such a multidimensional view of God.
Embracing the reality of a multidimensional view of God
Jesus manifested the very presence of God’s grace and truth; His love. He gave the world a taste of the Kingdom of God in the earth as it is in heaven. He represented the reality of the triune or WHOLE God.
He revealed the heart, knowledge and creative nature of the Father.
He released the revelatory nature and active ministry of the Holy Spirit.
He related God’s redemptive nature to mankind as Son of God and Son of Man.
In revealing the heart of God He brought to life the God who declares Himself to be merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy; who forgives all our iniquities, heals all diseases, redeems life from destruction and crowns His children with loving-kindness and tender mercies; and yes, executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed (Psalm 103). As Author of life and Creator He is always creating and inspiring the creation of new things. As Spirit of Truth, He reveals the often hidden and deep secrets of life (Deuteronomy 25:14 and Daniel 2:22). As Redeemer His purposes are always redemptive in nature.
Jesus came as Messiah and demonstrated the reality, presence and relational nature of God. He prayed for all mankind. He prayed for you, and still makes intercession that you be found by God and become WHOLE in God. What would that mean?
That you be found in Father’s will and nurtured by HIs love.
That you be immersed in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
That you be strengthened in intimate union with the Son.
What can limit such a strengthened view?
The reality of God as a relational God became lost to the western world after the 1st century church became dominated by Greco-Roman philosophies espousing thinking based on dualism. The Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, rationalized various theories to explain the complexities of life, nature and the spiritual world. They rationalized things like the material and spiritual as well as good and bad nature of man, and present world and future/eternal world.
While they contributed much in the ways of science and mathematics, Greco-Roman or Hellenistic philosophy has created a particular problem in discounting the relationship between God and man by separating mankind from God. This has been accomplished by: a). creating a wedge between God and man by rationalizing about a superior perfect spiritual God and inferior sinful material man; and b) creating forms and approaches to God that intellectualize and de-personalize man’s relationship with God. Humanity at large has been influenced by such philosophies.
Embracing the concept of wholeness sets living paradigms in motion
Paul came to understand that Messiah came to redeem mankind from sin and reveal the nature of God and how to walk in intimate relationship with God—through Messiah by the Holy Spirit. He taught and encouraged believers to embrace such a holistic framework to grow in Christ and come “to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Paul recognized Messiah—Christ in us through the Holy Spirit—as the fullness of God’s image expressed in man and our standard of measure, bringing God’s fullness and wholeness to mankind. Paul knew that through a relationship of trusting faith one could be strengthened in Christ by the Holy Spirit and grow into the fullness of their grace gifts—God’s endowments—to experience the new life of faith.
Many of us fall short of developing the fullness of the measure of God’s image because we fall short of allowing God’s nature to grow within us. In other words, we fall short of pressing into God enough to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the deeper truths and impart greater measures and endowments of His virtue, character and inner strength. We get busy and continue to do things our way, not yielding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit or words of wisdom coming from others. Truly, God sees a great capacity in you because He is able to work within you according to His amazing grace and awesome power!
How we grow in a relationship with God and our fruit-bearing is directly related to the level of our engagement with God and other believers actively engaged in relationship with God. The more we actively engage with God and receive the ministry of the Holy Spirit and other people of faith the more the fire of God is stoked and the life of God is stirred and stimulated within and around us. We all have such capacity for growth. That growth is enhanced as we come to experience the reality of God’s power.
Paul understood the dynamics of transformation. He understood the process of allowing God’s nature to dominate the fleshly nature by renewing the mind and progressively and intentionally turning from the ways of the carnal nature to God’s spiritual nature. He further understood that this process will bring us to the end of self, for he related to the human dynamic of wrestling with God; “I don’t understand my own behavior — I don’t do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate!” (Romans 7:15 JNT).
Paul, though, found strength in God. He experienced the reality of the One who “must increase” in us as we “decrease” (John 3:30). He experienced the grace and power of God’s word and Spirit working in Him. He found God’s likeness and capacity working within him. Though he endured many trials, he experienced a fulfillment and contentment in life that only God can impart. So can you!
Embracing the paradigm shift bringing transformation
Yes, God is in the healing and transformation business! Paul—and countless others over the centuries—came to experience and understand the nature of transformation and experience the new life. As Paul revealed, “to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Such life—or new life—and peace can be found in Messiah Jesus.
Such transformation, therefore, begins with a shift in perspectives; from knowing about God through intellectual rational reasoning to knowing God through real and dynamic relational engagement empowered by His Spirit. Truly, God is relational, and seeks to relate with His creation in such a way.
It’s also about shifting our focus from doing to being; from doing merely what we want to do and what the world impresses us to do to becoming who God created us to be. When we choose to allow God to take control and transform us He enlarges our capacity to receive the things of His Spirit and nature.
Truly, it is His Spirit that carries His capacity to reveal truth, wisdom and instruction to our heart. It is His Spirit that connects with our spirit in our inner soul to illuminate our vision, comfort our heart, and empower us to grow and truly walk in His love. God wants such a connection with Him! It’s a matter of acknowledging and desiring His works to work within us; then asking for it. “LORD, how manifold are Your works!” (Psalm 104:24).
The Holy Spirit will nurture your heart, cultivate spiritual vision and grow measures of His capacity in you to fashion you according to His likeness—His way. He knows how we are wired. He wants us to connect with His capacity—the gift of access to His awesome and amazing grace. It comes by faith. It’s His promise. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).
Truly, God designed you to relate and enjoin with Him in such manner. In Christ, you are a new creation with a new identity in God! It is a matter of coming front and center before God and participating in His process of allowing His Holy Spirit to dominate your thoughts to reveal and manifest Christ’s nature in and through you.
Coming out to be who God created you to be
As we’ve been discussing, since we were created in the image and likeness of God, we have been given special endowments—measures of God’s nature. One way God sees us is in relation to how that measure has been developed.
Our tendency is to focus on our physical strengths and weaknesses as well as satisfying our carnal desires; not the things that God—who is Spirit—focuses on. God would have you focus on developing the spiritual endowments He deposited in you as well as His character and virtues so you can bear His fruits outwardly. Truly, He sees us in a different light, and desires to cultivate His nature and capacities in us. Will we allow God the opportunity?
One Bible character who tried to hide below God’s radar was Gideon. He came from a family that he considered to be amongst the weakest, and he considered himself to be the lowly one of the house. As soon as the Angel of the LORD found and approached Gideon, He exclaimed, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
Gideon surely didn’t look like a mighty man of valor; quite the opposite. Gideon was a man of little hope. After he expressed his skepticism and doubt, however, the LORD responded with still more encouragement, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
Go in this might of yours? Who was the Angel kidding? God disregarded Gideon’s fear, doubt, despair and insecurity. He gave Gideon a bold assignment because He knew Gideon could go in His capacity; and in His favor. All he had to do was trust God and follow instructions. That’s all God asks us to do. That was the key lesson Paul learned directly from the mouth of the LORD. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
That’s our opportunity; to allow God to transform us so we can grow into the fullness of the measure of His capacity in us—so He may be glorified through us. It happens as we actively engage with Him through active, trusting faith; reaching higher and pressing further as we pursue His upward call.