When I was growing up, we didn’t have a broad range of sports in Southeast Iowa. We played football in the fall and basketball in the winter. The rest of the year was baseball.
We loved major league baseball players. Consciously and unconsciously we picked up the habits of our favorite players. Some of us twirled our bats like Willie Stargell. Others turned towards second base before pitching, like Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant. One of my friends pumped his back elbow when he was at the plate, just like the great Cincinnati Red, Joe Morgan.
Here’s what is interesting. When my friends and I imitated big leaguers we were demonstrating a basic theological principle. We become like what we worship. When fix our eyes on what we love, our hearts are warm and pliable. Consciously and unconsciously we begin to take on the shape of what we revere.
This is what Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:18a.
“. . . And we all . . . beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. . . .”
As we look lovingly at Christ, we become like Him.
So, here is what you do. Make the Lord Jesus Christ your hero. Gaze at him intensely. Savor his beauty and loveliness. Hear His Word preached, and soak your minds in Scripture. Warm your heart to the beauty of Jesus and you will be transformed into his image, from one degree of glory to another.
Thank you Chris. I needed that! I do need to look at Christ as my hero because He is the one that died for me.
Blessings
You should read Greg Beale’s We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry. His thesis is this: “what we revere, we resemble, either for ruin or restoration.” He does an amazing job, especially in his exegesis of Isaiah 6. I used it this week in my sermon on the parable of the sower (since Jesus quotes Isaiah 6). Psalm 115:4-8 makes the point well…if we worship deaf and mute idols we will become deaf and mute. Good stuff.
I think we could all do with reminding ourselves of this every day (maybe even quite a few times a day)
Amen. Nothing can satisfy the soul like complete abandonment to God. May we realize the call and motivation behind the message of the Cross. Bought at a price, no longer any right to self. (flesh, natural, pride)
Brian