Christians Thinking (& Talking) like Atheists

Christians Thinking (& Talking) like Atheists 

Living in a post-modern society brings some very interesting challenges to many American Christians while also quickly becoming an issue in other countries. Inadvertently and often unnoticeable, too many Christians have taken up the thinking, habits, and communication verbiage of those who do not believe in any god or religious teachings. 

As Christians, we are called to speak as the "oracles of God", to "acknowledge Him in all things," "to glorify Christ alone", and to "witness the Light to a dying world."  However, in modern culture, it has become more important to praise men rather than God, praise talent, effort, and accomplishments, more than uplifting our appreciation for these things by giving God all the glory. 

In the chart below are some examples that you and I hear every day. They testify to the lack of respect for Almighty God. Since it is from the heart that the mouth speaks, these examples testify to the lack of relationship with the One who holds the Universe in His hands. They testify to the lack of fellowship with the Spirit & a Spirit-filled heart because the Spirit ONLY glorifies Christ. (Romans 1:4; 2 Corinthians 3:3)

2 Corinthians 13:14 (Philippians 2:1 also)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

1 Peter 4:14

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Hebrews 13:21

quip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This chart is made up of some exemplary statements that you have heard, both in the world and in the church. Unfortunately, it also displays how much the culture of the world has crept into our thinking and the way we communicate with the world and with other Christians. It grieves the Spirit when glory is not given to Christ (John 16:8,14).  If we are full of the Spirit, then we will glorify Christ alone.

1 Corinthians 1:31

 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 10:17

But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

Event	What an Atheist Might Say	What a Professed Believer HAS said	What a Spirit-filled Disciple Might Say
Saying Good-Bye	Bye, Have Fun!	Bye, Have Fun!	May God keep you and direct your path.
Performance of a child	You were awesome! Great job! I am sooooo PROUD of you.	You were awesome! Great job! ! I am sooooo PROUD of you.	God be praised for your talent and performance.
Performance of athletes	Wow! You all held it together and came through as outstanding winners!	Wow! You all held it together and came through as outstanding winners!	God has blessed you with the ability to outperform all others. This is only one way that God has blessed you. Give Him praise and honor for all things that He so generously has given you.
Visiting a Religious Event	Man, you people sure can sing!	Excellent singing! Great worship service. Friendly congregation. Excellent speaker. I really enjoyed myself.	Christ has blessed me this day by working through you to encourage me.
Near Accident	OH! You were soooo LUCKY. You need to purchase a lottery ticket with that luck!	OH! You were soooo LUCKY. You need to purchase a lottery ticket with that luck!	I praise God for sparing you from such a dangerous accident.
Service Project	Hey, that was great what you did today. I appreciate all your help and dedication.	Hey, that was great what you did today. I appreciate all your help and dedication.	It is wonderful that you have taken on the heart of a servant.  Your actions exemplify your dedication to God.
Award Ceremony	Congratulations on your award and excellent accomplishment.	Congratulations on your award and excellent accomplishment.	The Spirit of Christ has honored you with strength to accomplish this award. It is valuable only if you use it to bring honor to the Him.
Conclusion of an “organizational” meeting	We are looking for new members. We have some very dedicated member and some great programs we think you will enjoy.	We would like for you to become a part of our vibrant church. We are dedicated to serving our community. We have some great teachers and programs that we think you and your family will enjoy. We are friendly and willing to make you welcome.	Because of the grace of God, we have a vibrant fellowship of Spirit-led Christians who desire that you and your family come to know the joy of serving God here through the power of His Spirit.

Hopefully, we have not left our first love and turned our hearts into witnesses for the human endeavor instead of testifying at every opportunity for the glory of Him who makes all things new. When we speak like the world and have a heart filled with carnal praise for human endeavors, the results will be devoid of the power of God. 

God inhabits in the praises of His people! (Ps 22:3)  

His power reigns in praise from His church. Our work is often futile and fruitless because we leave Him out of our everyday speech, planning, priorities, and business. 

 Psalms 47:1

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

Our praises become meaningless when they are only sung during 1 hour a week in the assembly of believers. Our witness is tainted and our lights are hidden under bushels. 

Psalms 35:18

I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many nations. 

Psalms 66:8

Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

Psalms 67:3, 5

Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

Psalms 108:3

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.


1 Peter 2:9 

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Giving honor to man, talent, giftedness, fortune, luck, and human accomplishments is what the world does. This is not what a Disciple of the Most High God is commanded to do. God hates pride, but we continually insist on building up each other's pride and even our children's pride by praising their accomplishments without any reference to the God who made it all possible. Building up a person's pride sets them on a path away from their Creator. Why would we do such a thing? We do it because it has become a part of our culture and we have been overtaken by that culture. 

Romans 11:36

36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Acts 12:21-23 (Remember Herod's pride? God struck Him dead!)

21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

Galatians 6:14

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

How many songs do we sing that speak of glorying only the Lord? Yet, we have not trained our hearts and minds to speak daily in a way that will help others learn. From our speech, others should learn who to trust, learn who is King, learn who is the giver of all good things, learn who to humble themselves to, and learn who is Lord, King, and Savior. 

In the same way, our children should find their identity in Him. They should see themselves not merely as musicians, dancers, athletes, or academics. They should see themselves as children of the King, blessed by God's grace in all things, in whom Christ dwells and from whom they draw all their talent, strength, and even their very breath. They should learn to give Him glory through their gentle, humble words & love for others. 





HERE are some examples of how our spiritual fathers gave glory to Christ in their accomplishments, situations, and for their talents:

1 Timothy 1:12 

And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,

NOTICE: Paul did not say, I feel lucky for being in ministry!

2 Corinthians 7:6

Nevertheless, God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

NOTICE: Paul did not say, "Thank you Titus for comforting us"

Romans 1:8 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

NOTICE: Paul did not say, "You guys are awesome!"

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

NOTICE: Paul did not say, "We were victorious!"

Ephesians 5:20

giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

NOTICE: There are sooooooo many examples in the New Testament of how a Spirit-filled disciple expresses praise & thanksgiving for the glory of Christ. It is impracticable to reprint them all here. But as we read through scripture, may we become more sensitive to how we are directed to always give glory to the ONE for whom all things were made. May the eyes of our hearts be opened to the praise and thanksgiving of God in Christ.

May the Spirit of God manifest Himself in our thoughts,  in our words, and in our sacrifice of praise among those who live in a darkened world. May we stop speaking like atheists & heathens and start speaking like people who have a deep abiding relationship with the Lord. 

Some Further Resources:

• The Holy Spirit Glorifying Christ
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(1) Holy Spirit --Surrendering to His Will

The indwelling power of God through His Spirit is probably one of the most misunderstood and often, even denied, concepts in Christianity. Over the years I have found it valuable to create a parable to help in explaining the work of the Spirit in our lives. 

We will refer to this graphic below over the course of this lesson. I pray that God permits us the wisdom to see the glory in His plan, involving His will that each human heart will learn to yield to the transforming power of His Spirit. 

Let's start by illustrating the agreement between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I like to think of God as the Great Architect of creation, the universe and the plan of salvation. 

Matthew 25:34

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Revelation 13:8 

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Hebrews 11:10

"for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

In the same vein, let's think of Christ as the Master Craftsman, following the architectural plans set forth by the Father. As a builder, carpenter, He built His church and purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28).  

Matthew 16:18

"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."

Finally, it is easy to perceive the Holy Spirit as being similar to an interior designer, decorator of our hearts and minds. If He is allowed to exert His power in a willing heart, He will transform it into the image of Christ. He can re-purpose a cluttered and messy sin-filled heart. He can re-purpose worldly priorities for the purpose of God. He operates continuously on our hearts. He performs a spiritual circumcision by cutting away fleshly desires making one's heart extremely sensitive to the will of the Father. 

Philippians 3:3

for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

The Holy Spirit brings joy, peace, and praise for Christ to the hearts of men. It is by His power that our lives shine in hope. In scripture, the Holy Spirit always gives glory to Christ for each and every spiritual blessing (See Lesson on Spiritual Blessings). If we are truly full of God's Spirit then our hearts overflow with praise, honor and glory for Christ alone. (See Lesson on Glory to Him Alone)

True followers of Christ speak differently than the world (See Lesson on Christians who Talk like Atheists). Their purpose and motivation for everyday living are prioritized by God's plan for mankind.  

Ephesians 3:16

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

Romans 8:29

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Colossians 3:10

and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

It is the Holy Spirit that produces the metamorphosis Paul talks about in Romans 12: 2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Why do we need to be RENEWED? Just like balloons, we LEAK! Staying in step with the Spirit through the Word is how we continue to renew ourselves. 

Galatians 5:25

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.


Living in tune with the Spirit is what Paul implored fellow Christians to do (Ephesians 2:2 & 4:1.) We cannot accomplish the work of God through our own wisdom, talents, or decisions. We deny God's power when we think "we" have accomplished spiritual things. God warns us of having religion but denying the Power that He has provided for us to accomplish His Plan on this earth. 

2 Timothy 3:5

holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

Let us start from the very beginning to see what God's Word reveals about the Spirit and His transforming power. Christ used the analogy of old and new wineskins. To modernize this analogy we are going to use balloons filled with helium.  

All men have sinned and thus our initial state before God looks like a completely empty balloon (#1). We are stuck in the muck and mire of worldly cares, blinded without hope. We have no perception of real truth and life's purpose. What we perceive, in this state of blindness, is that man has the ability to direct his own path. The wisdom of man is mere foolishness to God. Fleshly minds are futile with darkened hearts because those in sin are unable to perceive spiritual things. 

How foolish it is when Christians allow the nonspiritual to lead them in their life's decisions. 

Romans 1:21

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

But God, being merciful, does not wish that anyone should perish and has sent His Son into the world to redeem those who desire His presence in their lives. 

A Christian's mission is to share the light, to raise awareness of a better way and a loving Savior. As one hears the good news of the gospel, their spiritual headlights are raised upward, above the worldly realm. The Spirit works on the heart to convince men of their sins. If they are able to set their eyes upon Jesus and to acknowledge Him as Lord, then God gives them a way of "rising above".  Through the waters of baptism, the mud is washed from their souls and their eyes (Mark 8:23), just as the blind man could now see, so the redeemed soul is awakened. 

The Spirit begins His work by convicting us of our sin and what is righteousness. 

John 16:8

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

The Holy Spirit, then, is given to each of us who has died to self, been raised up to walk a new life, and take Christ's Lordship and purpose into our hearts (#2). As newborn babes, we are set on a new journey through the power of God's Spirit. 

Acts 2:38

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Just as helium desires to ascend towards the heavens, so God's Spirit in us desires to take us closer and closer to the Father (#3). Our spiritual climb is a response to the call of God because our blind eyes have been opened to His glorious purpose. 

1 Thessalonians 2:12 

so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Ephesians 1:18

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

2 Timothy 1:9 

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

Just as a balloon must submit to the pressure of the helium in order to be filled, to change shape, so our hearts must submit to the power of the Spirit in order to be molded into Christ's image (#4). As we grow in knowledge and understanding we rise above worldliness. Our perspective and purpose become clearer. We are able to commit more and more to the Kingdom and less and less to old temptations. 

ONE WORD that can define a Disciple's life: SUBMIT

We submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We submit to a burial and death in the waters of baptism. We submit to a new life in Christ being continuously transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. 

Being filled with the Spirit separates us from our old desires. It certainly gives us more wisdom and insight than those who are still stuck in the "mud." This knowledge and wisdom must not make us prideful or arrogant. We must humbly submit to become more like a servant, just as Christ submitted.

The process of putting on and putting off is referred to as the Sanctification Process, a process that is life-long. A simple definition of Sanctification is "the perfecting of the saints" through the power of the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

1 Peter 1:2

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

Without this process, we will not see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Our spiritual journey is not without hindrances, however (#5). All along the way, we will find times when we do not grow and when we are frustrated by our journey. It is important that we examine our lives to see what the Lord has, at this point in time, called on us to put off or to put on. 

2 Corinthians 13:5

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

The spiritual life is one of constantly putting off and putting on. Obstacles that were not apparent to the newborn Christian may become apparent to the maturing Christian. It is important to stay sensitive to these revelations. If we ignore them, we can scar over our hearts and exclude the Spirit's work. 

God does not call us to "put off" unless He asks us to "put on." If we only "put off" we become like the man who swept the house clean only to be filled with 7 more evil spirits (Matthew 12:45). 

Romans 13:12

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:14

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Ephesians 4:24

and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Colossians 2:11

in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Colossians 3:9-10

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—

Colossians 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;

Make no mistake, God does direct us by placing in our hearts His will. He guides us through His Spirit with what each individual needs to deal with at the time. Since each of us will find different challenges and sins in our lives, we have a Spirit that helps us determine what needs to be put off and put on. To ignore what God puts on our hearts is to grieve the Spirit. 

2 Corinthians 8:16

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus.

2 Thessalonians 2:17

5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:25-32

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Have you ever tried to blow up a balloon that just would not give in to the pressure you applied? Sadly, there are those who do resist the Spirit and any type of spiritual metamorphosis (#6). Hard-hearted folks are content and ridged. They are the same as they were 30 years ago. They have not made any upward climb. They have hard shells and resist any transformation or circumcision of the heart. As a result, they are often judgmental and ungracious. They have a very limited view of God's plan for man. In their minds, rituals have become more important than a growing, dynamic relationship with Christ. In truth, they may not even believe in having a personal relationship with Christ! 

Christ yearns to fill our hearts and minds. He is at the door of the church knocking, asking to come into our hearts. He is our bridge groom and betrothed. We are God's sons. You can't get more personal than that!

Romans 5:5

and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us.

2 Corinthians 1:22

who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 4:6

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Ephesians 3:17

that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Revelation 3:1 & 20

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

The opposite of being hard-hearted is one who is submissive to the transformational operation of the Spirit (#7). The circumcision of the heart is a painful operation! When the Spirit desires to cut something out of our selfish, prideful, and fleshly hearts, it usually results in us falling on our knees. Spiritual growth is not a natural process. It is a supernatural process. Mankind cannot make themselves become more loving, kinder, or more peaceful just by "trying harder." It is the power of the Spirit working on a willing heart that allows one to grow, morph, and rise above. 

Just like a balloon that adds more cubic feet of helium presses upward, a maturing Christian who puts on the fruit of the Spirit gains upward momentum. Paul understood this momentum (Philippians 3:14). He was intent on leaving worldly things behind and moving closer to his reward. 

Christians who gain a higher perspective see more clearly the big picture of Christ's plan for the world. They see beyond building carpet colors and recognize the universal urgency of sharing God's plan to all types of folks; the lonely, the lame, the lepers, the illegals, the stranger, the poor, the afflicted, the divorced, the drug addict, or the HIV positive. Their view of the global Kingdom is made evident by their gracious, loving, kind acceptance of those whom Christ came to heal. 

If we think that the Devil is pleased by our transformation, we would be ignorant of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). He prowls about like a roaring lion, SEEKING whom he might devour. He places obstacles in our way to ensnare us. The most obvious snare in America is our temptation over fame and fortune.

1 Timothy 6:9

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

Have you ever seen a balloon caught in a tree or on a telephone line (#8). It isn't going anywhere. It often strains and wiggles around to no avail. Our love of luxury, comfort, and safety too often captures our hearts while at the same time causes us to fret and fray. Trapped by consumerism, "keeping up with the Jones", and misplaced trust in our own wealth or talents has led too many to become entangled by Satan. 

2 Timothy 2:26

and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Make no mistake, when our priorities, focus in life, and pursuits look like the world's, we are doing the will of the Devil. We will find it frustrating, like a balloon caught in a tree, like a dog chasing its tail. But unless we release ourselves from the grip of these temptations, through the power of the Spirit, we will eventually, like the balloon, lose the battle. 

Similar to those in the grip of Satan, there are those who are blown about, to and fro, on every new fad or doctrine (#9). These have itching ears or want to chase a "hobby horse." They are not interested in sharing the gospel with a dying world. They want to be involved in all the newest crazes that sweep through the church. 

A wavering Christian is one who does not stand up for their confession in times of trials. They are weak and easily moved by demonic forces in the world. 

Ephesians 4:14

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

James 1:6

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

James 3:15

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, demonic.

The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a rebellious, unrepentant, worldly, and unyielding heart. If we continue to harden our hearts, the Spirit will leave us to our own destruction. Just like a balloon that refuses to submit to the pressure of the helium, it may burst to leave it impossible to ever be filled again (#10). Once we have rejected the Spirit, scarred over our hearts to the point of rejecting Him, it is possible that we may never be able to be filled with His power again. 

Jude 1:19

These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.

Hebrews 6:4-6

4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, [a]since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

This is a very serious warning. God did not expect us to gain perfection on our own. Only through His Son and the power of His Spirit can we grow. God calls us to grow. Growth means change, submission, yielding to His Spirit. Change means growing pains. The Christian is called to suffer for the cause of Christ. 

Ephesians 4:15

 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

Colossians 2:19

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

Hebrews 12:3

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

1 Peter 2:2

like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

2 Peter 3:18

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

1 Peter 4:14

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

There was a man who walked so closely with the Lord, had more in common with God than with the world, who dedicated himself to being a friend of God that GOD TOOK HIM (#11). 

If we are faithful until the end and do not grow weary, do not grow cold, do not harden our hearts to the will of God,  we will also be taken by God to our final reward (Revelation 2:3). 

In the meantime, don't misunderstand, if we fellowship with Christ during our earthly life, we gain ALL the spiritual blessings that Christ has to offer. We participate in the Heavenly realm while still living on this earth. (See Lesson on Spiritual Blessings in Christ) We participate in the abundant life with Christ as our Savior. This is the message we present to the world!

STUDY the accompanying Scriptures to better understand each condition of the human heart.