"For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:" Romans 8:29, ASV.
Christ didn’t come to die in order to just buy us a ticket out of hell and into Heaven, although that is thankfully true. But He came to do much, much more.
But Christ came to fulfill a purpose that God had from the “foundations of the earth”, where He decreed that all that come to Christ by faith would therefore be conformed to his image.
The beginning of this of course is the cross of Jesus Christ. That’s where he “took away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). It is the beginning point of our salvation, but it’s not the ending point.
"For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;" Romans 5:10, ASV.
God had both a redemptive and regenerative purpose in sending his Son. You can’t have without the other but don’t confused one for the other. The first is a moment, sealed in time. The second is also a moment, but also at the same time a process. One occurred at the cross where the sinless Son of God became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor. 5:21).
But while the cross makes us fit for Heaven – the being reconciled to God – “becoming the righteousness of God in Him – is an ongoing process whereby He conforms us into the image of His Son.
The Greek word from which we translate “conform” is “summorphos”, which is where we derive the word “Morph”. The idea that the word conveys however is a “designed morph” more than just a haphazard one, like a Butterfly morphing from a caterpillar. It’ a natural morphing.
This isn’t a superficial morphing – external only. No, this is from the inside out. As Jesus told us in Mark 7:23, that man has a "heart" problem..."For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness:" Mark 7:21, 22, ASV.
Jesus didn't come to get bad men into Heaven. But to make man functional on God's terms of reference on earth on the way to Heaven.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t just about a change of destination, but a change of character. God isn’t interested in making us showroom mantel pieces that he can show off to the kosmos. He is committed, and to this end Christ died, that Christ may be the first born of many brethren, so that we may be "Like Him" (1John 3:2)
By His death we are reconciled - our sins completely washed away. Then by His resurrection from the dead He imparts his very Life to us to begin teaching our minds (Rom. 12:2), thus controlling our emotions, which in turn direct our will.
The result is a life which has no possible explaination except God Himself.
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