We live in a goal-oriented society. Goals are set to give us a sense of direction, as well as a sense of accomplishment when our goals are met. This applies even more to Christians. Our ultimate goal is to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ! It is only by becoming like Him that we can realise in experience what it is to be Man in his original state – a creature specially made in the image of God. Among the many wonderful things that Christ has done for us, one of them was to define anew in His own life what the original image of God in man should be. We, who are descendants of the first Adam and who bear his corrupted image, must therefore have the image of God restored in us through the sinless second Adam. This has to be the ultimate goal for every Christian. And there is no better bliss for us than that of fulfilling what we were originally designed for. Do you know that all creation is now eagerly awaiting the blessed day when God will be glorified in us, the only creatures He had made for the primary purpose of bearing and exhibiting His glorious image (Romans 8:18,19)?

But how is this goal to be achieved? The first part of the answer is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18 – "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." The last part of the verse tells us that it is the Holy Spirit who changes us into the Lord’s image. Our part is to submit ourselves to Him to change us from within. This can only be done as we maintain a close daily fellowship with God in prayer. It is a known principle of life that the more time you spend with someone, the more you become like him. After Moses had spent 40 days and 40 nights with God upon Mt Sinai, his face shone and people were afraid to come near to him (Exodus 34:28-30)! Let this thought motivate us now to spend time with the Lord and to let the Holy Spirit do His excellent work of changing us from glory to glory.

However, the Holy Spirit does not work in a vacuum. He needs raw material to build God’s image into our lives. What is this raw material? The earlier part of the verse tells us that it is only as we behold the glory of the Lord as in a glass that the Holy Spirit can change us. The preceding context shows that this refers to the reading of the Old Testament by the Jews, and how this does not benefit them because of the veil that is upon their hearts (vv.14,15). Then in contrast to these Jews, the Apostle Paul says that we who have the Spirit of God can behold the glory of the Lord as we read the Holy Scriptures (vv.17,18).

Therefore we need to keep on reading and studying the Bible. The Word of God is the divinely ordained means to make us more like Christ. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Paul tells us that through the doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness that you receive as you read God’s Word, you will be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Thus the more you read the Word of God, the more material you provide the Holy Spirit to build the image of Christ in you.

A third important means that God has provided to help us achieve our goal of becoming like Christ is through the teaching ministry of the Church and of the Lord’s servants. This is given in Galatians 4:19 – "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." Here Paul says that his hard labour for God’s people was aimed at achieving the goal of Christ-likeness in them. The same truth is found in Colossians 1:28,29 – "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."