It is common as the new year approaches that people evaluate their lives and look for ways to make their life and themselves better. They set goals for the new year. It is equally true that most of these goals get dropped within a month or two.

When we look at our lives, we tend to look at our physical body (overweight, out of shape, and/or unhealthy), our finances (how can we get a better job, make more money, or manage personal finances better), and our social life (making time for friends and family or making new friends). There may be other things we look at as well. Unfortunately, most of us don’t take the time to evaluate our relationship with God. Are we regularly praying? Are we studying the Bible? Are we sharing Jesus with others? Are we discipling or being discipled? Are we showing love as Jesus loved? Are we forgiving as Jesus forgave? Do those around us know we are Christians? If they do, do our words and actions draw them to Jesus or push them away?

If we are born-again Christians, people should see a difference in our lives. We should think differently, speak differently, and act differently. The Bible talks about us putting on the new self and not walking as the Gentiles walk.

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:17-24) {emphasis mine}

Does your life look like the life of unbelievers? If so, you need to evaluate your life. Have you really repented and trusted Jesus as Savior? Have you trusted Jesus, but gotten distracted by the world and need to put on Jesus? Are you following Jesus, but you’ve forgotten your first love?

Although there is nothing you can do to earn forgiveness and a relationship with God, there should be evidence of the relationship with God.

At our church, we used to have an associate pastor. He and his wife couldn’t have children, so they adopted three kids (who were biological siblings). After a short while, you could see the kids picking up their parents’ way of speaking, mannerisms, and way of doing things. They became so like their parents, you would never believe they were adopted. They were just like their parents. This was especially true of their oldest son, who became just like his father.

When we are adopted into the family of God, we should see this same transformation. We should start viewing the world the same way God does. We should start imitating God. Our speech should be like His. Our actions should be like His. We should change.

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:9-17) {emphasis mine}

We gain “true knowledge” by studying the Bible. This helps us to know God better and to know what He wants from us. It helps us to imitate Him.

Because we were “chosen of God,” we should put on Christ:

• Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
• Bear with one another.
• Forgive each other as the Lord forgave you.
• Put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
• Be thankful.
• Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. (including reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible)
• With all wisdom, teach and admonish one another.
• Sing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
• Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
• Give thanks through Jesus to God the Father.

This is putting on Jesus and becoming a new creation. These are changes we should see in our lives. Some of them are things we can actively do to grow in Jesus, i.e. studying the Bible, giving thanks to God, praying, but others are a heart change that comes from faith in Jesus and a growing closeness to Him. The more time we spend with God in prayer, study, worship, and thanks, the more like Him we will become. Instead of having to work hard to act lovingly towards those who are not being loving, we start to see them as God sees them and feel compassion and love towards them. As we spend time with faithful Christians (at church or any other place), we will all grow more Christ-like.

Jesus reconciled us to Himself, made us a new creature, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) {emphasis mine}

Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty of our sins and to reconcile us to God. Because we are reconciled and know the joy and peace of a right relationship with God, we should desire to share this blessing with others. We should tell everyone we know about the joy of salvation and how they can be reconciled to God. We are God’s ambassadors. Although God does miraculously appear to some people, i.e. Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus, most of the time, people need another person to tell them about Jesus. We may be the only access to God that they have.

We can’t save someone, but God uses us to share the Good News of Jesus as part of His process of reconciling people to us. Be a good ambassador for Christ by living a Christ-like life and openly sharing the Gospel.

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11) {emphasis mine}

If you live a life wholly devoted to God, you will experience some losses in this world, but you will know joy and peace in a way that is hard to comprehend. You will gain far more in eternity than you lost in this world.

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14) {emphasis mine}

Don’t coast along wherever the culture leads, but press towards the prize of Jesus Christ.

May God mold you and make you into His image. May you submit to His leading and become the man or woman that God designed you to be. May you honor God with your thoughts, words, and actions. May you faithfully follow God even when times get tough and compromise would be easier. May you understand the joy that comes from a life lived for God’s glory.

Trust Jesus

All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.