Come to God as You Are and Be Transformed

by gold Adjo - 23:00:00

New creation, born again, come to God as you are

Come to God as you are. God loves you just as you are. These two statements are used time and time again to reach out to unbelievers with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is true that God loves you just as you are but does He want you to stay the same when you accept Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour?

God wants you to come to Him as you are

God doesn’t require that you put your life in order before you come to Him. If you could have straightened out your life by yourself, Jesus wouldn’t have come to die to redeem you.

Jesus hung out with sinners

Jesus came to save a dying world controlled by darkness, Satan. When Jesus came to earth, He hung out with sinners. He spent time with thieves, drunks, tax collectors and the list goes on. He taught them the word of God which transformed their lives from the inside out. God isn’t interested in behaviour modification but a recreation or rebirth of the human spirit. Jesus deals with the nature of sin (the seed of the devil planted in man because Adam disobeyed God) in man so that man is free to live the divine life God had originally purposed for man to live before time began.

Zacchaeus was a sinner

People hated Zacchaeus because he was a tax collector who perhaps swindled them. He was wealthy and may have acquired his wealth through dubious means through extortion through tax collection. However, Jesus saw beyond his present condition of sinfulness. Jesus saw what forgiveness and love would transform him into.

Jesus dines with Zacchaeus

Jesus called out to Zacchaeus to come down from the tree and proceeded to his house to dine with him. Jesus ministered the word and Zacchaeus listened to the sermon, he was changed. His heart was broken as he realised his sinfulness. He broke down and repented of his sin.

Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." Luke 19:8

An encounter with Jesus changed him totally and him transformed into a new man.

Come as you are and be changed

Zacchaeus didn’t remain the same after he encountered the word of God. He became a new man. His heart became right and he began to live right.

new creation, born again, an Encounter with Jesus, transformation

Saul (Paul) was a murderer

Saul was a devoted Pharisee who terrorised believers. He was there when Stephen was martyred. He imprisoned many Christians but on his way to Damascus, he met Jesus. This encounter changed and transformed him. He was changed from a persecutor of the church into a defender of the faith. He began to preach the gospel and won many people into Christ.

You can’t stay the same after you encounter Jesus, the word of God

The gospel transforms you and gives you a new identity. It changes you from the inside out. You can’t continue to live in sin after you’re born again. You’re totally transformed by the spirit of God. Hence, you can’t continue to live a life contrary to the word of God. Jesus saves you and deals with your nature of sin. He makes you a slave of righteousness.

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18, NKJV