The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to transform us into the Image of Jesus Christ. It is His ministry to sanctify our soul. Only He is able to save us from the power of sin.
Transformation is a change of life form; it is a change from death into life. It describes the amazing way in which a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Our soul goes through a transformation like a butterfly .The worm in the cocoon dies and breaks out of the shell a butterfly. Before it use to crawl, but now it lives in a different realm-it can fly.
Our soul like the worm also goes through a process of dying, which is painful (denying self), but once it is over our soul becomes renewed in the life of God.
The transformation process involves a dying out to our original identity as a descendant of the first Adam, and the receiving of a new identity in the second man (Jesus).
We lose our natural life (soul) and in its place we receive eternal life. We no longer live by our natural life force or self propulsion, but we live by the Spirit, the life flow of the uncreated eternal life of God.
The word of God becomes a cross to us, on which we die. Everything that we inherited in the first Adam dies. We literally lose our life, everything that we use to live for becomes non-existent-(it is called losing our life in this world)-our natural life becomes no longer important. We overcome the world and everything in it; it no longer pulls us but loses its attraction. All the desires of our heart change.
The word of God becomes a new source of life, containing a new seed identity, our awareness of this identity begins to grow and replace everything that we have died out to.
Things in our heart that do not originate in the Spirit of God die, and the things in our heart that originate in the Spirit of God grow. Our spiritual growth depends upon our awareness of His Spirit and our focus or connection to Him.
2 Corinthians 3:15 But even (until) unto this day (what has happened today), when (at which time,) Moses (outward law) is read (occurring now, to read-to hear the word), the veil (to hinder the knowledge of a thing, covering) is upon their heart.
Unless the Spirit of God opens up our understanding, unless He reveals Himself to us, we cannot understand His word, and we remain in a state of spiritual death.
16Nevertheless (but, on the contrary) when (of time) it shall turn (focus of heart) to the Lord, the veil (cover, the spirit of darkness upon the soul) shall be taken away (occurring now, to lift up and take away).
But whenever a person turns to the Lord- to turn about, to walk a different path, to walk with the Lord, the veil is taken away
The Father has to draw us to Jesus, until we desire to know Him more than anything else, and turn to Him with all our heart. When our primary desire is to know Him, then God removes the veil that separates us from intimacy with Him.
17Now the Lord (master, owner) is that Spirit: and where (of place) the Spirit of the Lord is, there (the place where) is liberty (freedom, liberty from slavery or restraint).
It is in our awareness of the presence of the Lord, that we experience the freedom of the eternal life of His Spirit that is emitted-(to send or give out) – from His Presence.
18But we all, with open (to unveil) face (spiritual eye) beholding as in a glass (continuous action, to see reflected, released-sent out through his word or presence) the glory (what he essentially is and does) of the Lord, are changed (occurring now, 1-denoting change of place or condition 2-to form, to change into another form, to transform, it is a change of life form-from a natural form of life into a spiritual form of life)(transform- to change somebody completely, undergo total change, to convert from one form of energy to another) into the same image (not a mere likeness, more than a resemblance, a representation derived from the prototype) from glory (essence-“identifying nature-the quality or nature of something that identifies it or makes it what it is” of God) to glory (what Jesus is), even as (according as, just as, even as) by (of separation from the old, of origin- of the place whence something comes forth) the Spirit of the Lord.
As the Spirit of God opens up our spiritual eyes, His Spirit is transmitted- (to send something, pass something on, cause something to spread, from one person, to another) to us. As God reveals Himself to us, we partake of His Spirit, we experience His nature and life. As we are aware of His Spirit, we absorb the life force or energy of His Spirit. When our soul is in contact with His Spirit, His life moves and motivates it. As long as we maintain this focus or contact, we are enabled to walk or live according to it.
4: 1Therefore (1-through, the ground or reason by which something is done 2-this thing) seeing we have (continuous action, possess) this ministry (service, ministering, of those who execute the commands of the Lord), as we have received mercy (specific point past, to help one afflicted or seeking aid, to obtain mercy-removing that which causes misery), we faint (to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted, lose courage, to faint or despond in view of trial or difficulty)not (full negation);
In times of dying out we are receiving mercy, and are tempted to faint, but we must look to the reward, look to the Comforter. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit who imparts the life of the Spirit to us, which strengthens and energizes us.
2But (used to add a further piece of information that supports a previous statement) have renounced (specific point in time, to give up, renounce, refuse, deny, disown with a strong feeling of dislike) the hidden things (concealed, secret) of dishonesty (deceit in the heart, the confusion of one who is ashamed,)
4:2 HCSB INTERLINEAR- Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things,
We have to receive mercy by renouncing through the Spirit the hidden things of dishonesty, the things we are ashamed of or they will block the flow of the Spirit to us. The Spirit of God convicts us of deceitful desires in our heart from our old identity.
As we covenant with God to have them removed, we suffer-we die to them until their intensity is reduced to inactivity. During this time of dying to the flesh, the life force of these deceitful desires in our soul is being purged out of us. The energy or force or power of sin in our soul is losing its hold upon us-it is a losing of our life-or soul in death, that our soul might be restored or renewed.
not walking (continuous action, all activities) in (intimate union) craftiness (self will-to reach an end), nor handling the word of God deceitfully(“to ensnare;” “to corrupt,” by mingling the truths of the Word of God with false ideas and so handling it “deceitfully,”); but by manifestation (an act of showing or demonstrating something) of the truth (the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter”) commending(“to set one person or thing with another by way of presenting )ourselves to every man’s conscience (the sense of what is right and wrong that governs somebody’s thoughts and actions,)in the sight (in the presence of, before) of God.
HCSB INTERLINEAR- not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.
We have to allow our heart to be exposed to the Spirit of God’s word, and have everything brought out into the light, or else we will handle the word deceitfully. The word of God will not be able to circumcise our heart. We will hold the truth in unrighteousness. We will suppress the truth, keep it from being known. We will restrain the truth, to hold it back from working, to limit it or restrict it. The deceit in our heart must be exposed and removed, or it will stop the word of God from transforming our lives.
When we allow the word of God to transform our heart, then we become a living epistle read and known by all people.
It is through transformation that we become a new creation, a new kind of life form. This transformation starts in our spirit; our spirit receives the eternal life of God. The life of God conceived in our spirit, then must gain access to our soul, as our soul comes into submission to it.
The salvation of the soul is deliverance from the actual power of sin. The life (soul) of our body is the blood. Our human blood is not pure. Our soul which is our self awareness is directly related to a fallen body. The soul is the life force that drives the body. It comprises our natural power of emotion, thought and determination experienced through the body. The soul is attuned to what the body hears, sees, tastes, smells and feels. In the transformation of the soul these senses become in tune to our spirit in union with God’s Spirit. It is as our soul is in tune with our spirit that the life of God in our spirit ministers health to our natural body. It cleanses our natural blood. A lot of illnesses are related to the diseased condition of the human soul.
Jesus’ blood is pure- it is as His blood is applied to our heart, that we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. Jesus’ soul was poured out as a sin offering, His blood was shed to remit our sin. As the shedding of His blood is applied to our heart we are set free from the unrighteousness or deceit in it.
Transformation is a change of life form. The Spirit of God convicts of sin in our soul-life, He convinces us of the foolishness of it, He works in us a total willingness to be free from it. Then we must covenant with Him by coming into full agreement with Him .We do this by confessing it and becoming willing to forsake it, asking Him to remove it.
As our soul breaks connection to it, the life force of sin in the soul is removed and replaced with the eternal life of Jesus. This is a process we go through, from grace to grace, from faith to faith, strength to strength, glory to glory. The unrighteousness in the soul is replaced with the righteousness of the Spirit of God.
It is like receiving a blood transfusion, the blood that we have lost is replaced with Jesus’ blood (His pure soul life). The power of sin that has a stronghold upon the soul is drained out of us and replaced with the power of the Spirit.
Once the power of sin-(the impressions of thoughts-a spirit other than the Lord’s), loses its hold upon our mind and emotions-(the intensity reduced to inactivity), it is replaced by the Holy Spirit taking up full residence in its place-it is called the renewing of the mind.
There is a suffering involved in dying to the power of sin, it is called suffering in the flesh and ceasing from sin. It is called denying our self and taking up our cross. It is called losing our life in this world.
This suffering has different degrees depending upon the hold sin has upon our life. The stronger the life of God is in our spirit, the less of a struggle. It is repentance that in the wisdom of God we will never regret.
Once our mind has been renewed in an area, it is easy to maintain, but can still be lost-if we touch the unclean thing giving it access to our heart. The more of the struggle in getting free, the easier our acceptance of our personal powerless over it. It is through the power of the Spirit of God, that we are set free from sin. Sin is more powerful than the unaided human will.
The applying of the blood-or the life of the Spirit requires our submission. It is the unconditional and continuous surrender of our soul’s willpower, desires and thought energy to God while maintaining a steadfast focus upon the Lord.
This submission is the life of discipleship where we say yes to the Spirit’s leading.
The power of sin is in our soul-life. The power of sin to dominate and manifest through us must be drained out-until there is no power left. As we willingly endure the emotional and mental costs associated with resisting sin, its power to dominate and manifest through us is drained out.
In our transformation there is a literal transfusion of life forces. Receiving the life of the Spirit into our soul is what enables us to live the Spirit filled life. It is the re-infusing of our soul with new life out of crucified emptying, which restores our soul. We enter into a restfulness that is inherent in the power of His divine energy within us. Our souls are able to increasingly experience His pure indwelling. Our minds are able to clearly think His thoughts. Our emotions are able to feel and fully express His emotions. We are enabled to experience the fullness of His love.
Our spirit is like a generator which when activated helps the converting of the Spirits energy into a renewed soul life, once our soul is delivered it is reinforced with divine power.
We experience sudden soul-transforming breakthroughs in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, but it mostly comes by way of gradual increase. We gain actual lasting impartations of the finial salvation of our soul awaiting us.
We need to be aware that the fruits of soul salvation come to us between seasons of increased soul emptying.
There are seasons when we are dying out to things, which are very trying, but we also experience seasons where we experience continual refreshing.
Soul salvation is a process of cycles-seasons of dying and seasons of increased life replacing what has been pruned out of us.
The fruit of each cycle is lasting and permanent as long as we preserve it by abiding in the Lord. Our souls become more strengthened, stabilized and settled.
We go from level to level in our participation in the divine nature.
Romans 12: 1I beseech (occurring now, to call upon to do, to instruct, teach)you therefore (then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so), brethren (relational term-eternal life in their spirit), by(through- the ground or reason by which something is done) the mercies ( the moving of the spirit in love causing one to act, bowels(emotions of the Spirit) in which compassion resides, a heart of compassion, emotions, longings, manifestations of mercy-kindness, the compassion which one shows for the suffering of others) of God, that ye present (specific point in time, to yield, to place near-to stand before His presence, to provide, to place a person or thing at one’s disposal, to bring to, bring near, metaph- to bring into one’s fellowship or intimacy) your bodies (the living body) a living (to live , pass life, in the manner of the living and acting) sacrifice (primarily denotes “the act of offering;” then, objectively, “that which is offered”), holy (separated, devoted to God), acceptable (well pleasing, passes the test) unto God, which is your reasonable (the reasonableness of the word, pertaining to “the reasoning faculty, the worship which is rendered by the reason or soul ) service ( any service or ministration: the service of God, divine service or mode of worship).
2And be not conformed (command continuous, to conform one’s self (one’s mind and character) to another’s pattern, (fashion one’s self according to) to this world (time period, the course of this present age): but be ye transformed (command continuous, to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure) by the renewing (root- to cause to grow up, to make new, new strength and vigor is given , to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state)(a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better, restore to freshness, a renovation which makes a person different, the adjustment of spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life) of your mind (the mind, comprising the faculties of perceiving and understanding, judging, determining), that ye may prove (denotes purpose, to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not) to approve) what is that good , and acceptable (well pleasing, passing the test), and perfect ( brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, goal reached, the beginning of a new order of things, the complete revelation of God’s will and ways), will (the results He determines) of God.