The Way of Jesus, Pt. 3: Character Formation into Christlikeness
Victory Life Church, Central — Sunday, March 23, 2025
Introduction
Who are you becoming?
Mark 1:16–18 (ESV)16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Romans 8:29 (NLT)29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
The Goal of Formation
Spiritual formation is not something that is simply Christian, or even particularly religious in nature. Every human being is being formed into a particular kind of person. The question is not whether or not you are being formed. The question is who are being formed into? This is not something optional. Everything in our lives, our thoughts, emotions, inputs, learnings, experiences, habits, reactions, reflections, all of it is contributing to the person you are being formed into.
In the Way of Jesus, spiritual formation is for us to become the kind of person Jesus was and is, to become more like him in our character and personhood.
Galatians 2:20 (NLT)20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Luke 6:40 (NLT)40 Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
This is our goal: to be with Jesus in such a way that, over time, we become more like him.
It may be necessary here to differentiate between what we mean by “discipleship” and “spiritual formation.” Becoming and being Jesus’ disciple is a choice we make to follow him, learn from him, in order to become like him. We are responsible for this choice; we are responsible for choosing to follow him and keep learning from him, pursuing him in order to know him, structuring our life with discipline that brings us continually to him. This is not the exact same thing as spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is what the Holy Spirit does to us as we come to know Jesus more and more.
Following Jesus is our responsibility. Transformation is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility.
Being Jesus’ disciple is our responsibility, becoming more like Jesus is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
We are responsible for “beholding” Jesus, seeing him, knowing him, developing intimacy with him. As we are with him, beholding him, the Holy Spirit forms us and shapes us into the character of Christ.
How are we Formed
If the Holy Spirit is who shapes our character, how do we take responsibility for our part of the relationship? What is our role in the process of spiritual formation?
Learning, Practice, Suffering
Being a disciple meant walking alongside your Teacher in an attitude and posture of learning through observation, listening, study, obedience, and imitation.
Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV)28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Our character is formed the most through imitation.
Luke 6:46–49 (NLT)46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
1 Timothy 4:7–8 (NLT)7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
What you repeat is what you become. Sunday only will eventually cap out your formation.
Philippians 3:10 (NLT)10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,
When we suffer, it is imperative that we turn to Jesus, who set the example of suffering well and communing with the Father in the midst of pain.
Hebrews 5:8 (ESV)8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
By turning our attention to him in the midst of suffering, we behold the glory of the one who suffered, and this transforms us.
A call to Holiness:
1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We are becoming someone. We are either being formed by the “passions” of our fleshed, which are influenced by the world and the devil, or we will be formed into Christlikeness through communion with God. Becoming more like Christ will mean that we are becoming more holy “in all our conduct.”
Our holiness does not affect our right standing before God or our access to come into his presence; faith and humility affect that. Our holiness will most certainly affect our witness: people’s capacity to see Jesus in us. Our character is our primary witness.
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit
By communing with God by learning his word and time in his presence, we increase our capacity to tune into God’s voice. As that capacity matures in our lives, wisdom, godliness, and holiness become more intuitive to us by God’s Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Our character will not be shaped by effort and willpower alone. Spiritual disciplines can have some effect on our character on their own, but not much. The power of true and real transformation comes from the Spirit.
Our character is transformed through communion with God by His Spirit — prayer and scripture, but also through committed practice (obedience) and reflection, all guided/infused by the power of the Holy Spirit.