Niagara Falls Church of Christ

2011 Tennessee Ave.,  Niagara Falls, NY  14305

(716)285-6534 (716)285-6534 (for phone and fax)

James Lawrence, Herschel Walker - Elders

Eddie J. Cornelius, Minister Emeritus

In Matt. 28:19-20 we find these words: "19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This passage indicates a two step process. In step one people are taught enough of the gospel to make them disciples of Christ and bring them into compliance with the plan of salvation which includes the hearing of faith, repentance, confession, and culminates in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

Step two begins a process that is to last a life time. It is in this process of "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" that the Christian begins and continues ". . . to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom. 8:29). Paul also calls this a process of growth. In Eph. 4 we art taught to utilize the organization God has built into the church ":13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" this we do by "15 . . . speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"

Christians do themselves a great disservice when they fail to realize that this is the end of the Christian life. The Bible teaches us that when Christ returns we, that is, Christians will be given a body made in the image of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:49 says: "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." One would be wise to realize that only those who have been actively engaged in conforming to the image of Christ in this life will receive the body which has been prepared for the heavenly life.

Ephesians chapter three comprises a comprehensive  commentary on how this transformation of image is accomplished. Notice verse 10 in particular which says that Christians ". . . have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:" This transformation is always, always associated with taking on the knowledge of Jesus Christ or the gospel (1 Cor. 4:4-7).