How amazing will it be to be transformed from physical flesh into a glorified divine spirit? Paul also noted that Christians “are being transformed into the same image [of Jesus Christ] from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). He was describing the entire process, starting with the transformation of our character and culminating someday in the future with the transformation of our body to be like Christ’s. In Philippians 3:21 he wrote, “Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Again, in Romans 8:29 we read, “For whom He foreknew [those called in this age], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” The Greek word translated “conformed” is sy mmor phos and literally describes a metamorphosis into the very likeness of Jesus Christ’s g l or i f i e d d i v i n e e x i s t e n c e — t h e culmination of the process begun with our being conformed to His character in this life (Romans 12:2).
the fullness of Christ” (verse 13). We were not born to be mediocre or just a better version of ourselves; we were born to become as perfect as perfect can get—fully and completely like the glorified Jesus Christ! In the Old Testament King David understood the same truth, writing in Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Yes, if we repent of our sins and allow God’s Holy Spirit to work within us to develop righteous character, that enormous gap between us and God will be closed for all eternity. We were born to be reborn into His family and live forever as sons and daughters in the eternal God family—sharing God’s level of existence. We will see God as He is and live forever possessing divine power that is now beyond our ability to even comprehend! But one more question must yet be answered: What will we do for the rest of eternity after we enter God’s eternal family?
In Ephesians 4 Paul wrote that our ultimate goal is to become “a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of
38 GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOU: DISCOVERING WHY YOU WERE BORN