Character Comes First
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being like Christ, living a holy and blameless life, and allowing God to work in our hearts to achieve this.
Theodore Epp emphasizes the importance of character over mere action in the Christian life, urging believers to focus on being like Christ rather than just working for Him. He explains that being molded into Christ's image requires yielding to the indwelling Christ and living a life that is blameless and above reproach. Epp highlights that believers possess a nature that is already blameless and should strive to align their daily practices with their position in Christ. He encourages believers to invite God to search their hearts and refine them, ensuring that they reflect His image. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a present commitment to holiness and blamelessness in the life of every believer.
Text
Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1: 13-21
There is much talk today about "working for Christ" but little about "being like Christ."
Being like Christ means more than just following Him as a good teacher or example; it refers to the believer's being molded into the image of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished only as the believer yields to the work of the indwelling Christ.
The term "without blame" in Ephesians 1:4 means "without blemish"; that is, "free from faultiness." The believer is to live above reproach.
This is the potential of every believer because he is in Christ, but it is true of the believer only as he appropriates the resources God has made available to him.
The believer possesses a nature that is blameless, and he is to live accordingly. Believers are to be holy and blameless "before him" (v. 4).
Notice that this verse is not referring to a future time, such as the believer's judgment, but to the present. The believer should allow God to work in his heart so that his practice might measure up to his position--holy and blameless.
As the refiner can see his image in the purified gold, so God works with a believer until He sees His image. Each believer's prayer should be, "Search me, 0 God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps. 139:23,24).
"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:8).
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Being Like Christ
- The Potential of Every Believer
- The Present Reality of Being Blameless
- The Process of Refining
- God works with the believer until He sees His image
- The believer's prayer should be to seek God's guidance and correction
Key Quotes
“Being like Christ means more than just following Him as a good teacher or example; it refers to the believer's being molded into the image of Jesus Christ.” — Theodore Epp
“The believer should allow God to work in his heart so that his practice might measure up to his position--holy and blameless.” — Theodore Epp
“Each believer's prayer should be, 'Search me, 0 God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting'.” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- We should seek God's guidance and correction through prayer to live a blameless life.
- We should allow God to work in our hearts to achieve the potential of being holy and blameless.
- We should prioritize being like Christ and living a life that measures up to our position in Him.