Restoration

We may attempt to restore an antique piece of furniture, or renew a car by putting another engine in it. As we grow older, we'd like to replace parts of our body with younger parts. but in most cases, we'll have to wait until we are glorified at Christ's coming.

God has promised to restore this old earth completely, to re-create the original Edenic beauty. He promises to restore us to the original image in which we were created--the image of God. Yet, even now, restoration, renewal, or re-creation can take place in our hearts and minds. In fact it must, if we are to attain everlasting life.

“Satan was exulting that he had succeeded in debasing the image of God in humanity. Then Jesus came to restore in man the image of his Maker. None but Christ can fashion anew the character that has been ruined by sin. He came to expel the demons that had controlled the will. He came to lift us up from the dust, to reshape the marred character after the pattern of His divine character, and to make it beautiful with His own glory.” Desire of Ages Page 37.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. David understood what must take place in his life before he could be restored into God's favor. True repentance and confession are absolutely necessary for pardon and renewal. If we allow a wall of sin to separate us from our Creator and Redeemer, He can't re-create our hearts. Repentance and faith are gifts from God. We must yield to the Holy Spirit's convictions and confess our sins. When we trust in our Creator's power to re-make our minds, and cooperate with Him in every possible way, we are exercising faith.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31. With a promise like this we should be encouraged to be diligent. There's a need for patient waiting, or for marching forward into our own Red Sea, or making an all-out effort to run the race set before us.

"I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 11:19. A complete renewal of thoughts, feelings and attitudes--this is what we long for when we begin to understand God's precious promises. We want and need the compassion of Jesus to be the controlling factor of our lives.

“The leaven hidden in the flour works invisibly to bring the whole mass under its leavening process; so the leaven of truth works secretly, silently, steadily, to transform the soul. The natural inclinations are softened and subdued. New thoughts, new feelings, new motives, are implanted. A new standard of character is set up--the life of Christ. The mind is changed; the faculties are roused to action in new lines. Man is not endowed with new faculties, but the faculties he has are sanctified. The conscience is awakened. We are endowed with traits of character that enable us to do service for God.” Christ’s Object Lessons Page 98.

In order for this to be a reality we will acknowledge our sins, our pet idols--all of them. We must search our hearts for hidden faults. Shall we be afraid of the results of letting the Spirit of God control us? We may suffer under the grinding wheel, but it's worth it all. In the end we'll declare, "Heaven is cheap enough."

"Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4. Christ's life is our pattern, and His grace is our strength. Hope and faith will encourage us to rely on our Lord for everything needful to finish the work He has begun in us.

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation (and conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24. We are born anew when we first accept Christ as a personal Saviour. As we walk the Christian pathway, a thoroughly new person begins to emerge, and the old corrupt nature loses its power over us. Yet, self won't die without a struggle. We may think it's dead until an overpowering temptation sneaks up on us. Does God plan for us to continue to live a life of constant sinning and repenting? Satan doesn't bother to harass people who aren't struggling against their carnal natures. But victory can be ours as we learn to focus our thoughts on Christ and His life more and more each day.

“The education to be secured by searching the Scriptures is an experimental knowledge of the plan of salvation. Such an education will restore the image of God in the soul. It will strengthen and fortify the mind against temptation, and fit the learner to become a co-worker with Christ in His mission of mercy to the world. It will make him a member of the heavenly family; and prepare him to share the inheritance of the saints in light.” Christ’s Object Lessons Page 42.

The more we understand the wisdom and love of our Creator and Redeemer, the easier it will be for Him to change us back into the image He created man in the beginning. "And have put on the new man; which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." Colossians 3:10. What more can we ask than to be given the character of Him who knows how we are made and for what purpose we were created? How else could we find true happiness and satisfaction?

Speaking of the future life, we quote the following: “There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.” Great Controversy Page 677. Thus, restoration and development in this life are just the beginning of what God has in store for us.

Copyright 2000, Kathryn D. Search