2 Corinthians 5:17

How does a man who is easily offended become quite peaceable?
How does a man who is prone to speaking hurtful words become one who speaks gracious and uplifting words?
How does a man who once struggled with anger, pride, impatience, or selfishness become gentle, patient, and full of love?

First, he believes that he can change because Christ has made provision for his transformation. He must first believe that he is not condemned to remain the way he is. In Christ, he has become a new creation:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

The new birth gives him a new life, but he must yield himself to the work of the Holy Spirit. Transformation comes as his mind is renewed by the Word of God:

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” — Romans 12:2

So, the easily offended man begins to learn how to bear with others and forgive:

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…” — Colossians 3:13

The man who once spoke hurtful words learns to submit his tongue to the government of the Spirit:

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying…” — Ephesians 4:29

The angry man learns that God’s way is not to give free expression to his anger:

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” — James 1:19

And the man who once reacted according to his flesh learns to walk in the Spirit:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16

But believing he can change is only the beginning. He must submit himself to the dealings of God. He allows the Word to expose what is wrong in him, and rather than defend himself, he receives correction and yields to the Holy Spirit.

A man changes when he stops merely trying to appear better and begins to allow Christ to be formed in him:

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” — Galatians 4:19

This transformation happens little by little, through obedience, choosing the way of Christ even when the flesh wants its own way.

Ultimately, a man changes as he continually beholds Christ, receives His Word, and cooperates with the work of the Holy Spirit:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image…” — 2 Corinthians 3:18

The goal is not simply to become a “better person.” The goal is that Christ is formed in the man, until his words, reactions, relationships, and decisions begin to reveal the nature of the One who lives in him.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” — Philippians 2:13

A man begins to change when he believes God can change him, submits to God’s dealings, renews his mind with the Word, walks in the Spirit, and continually beholds Christ. The life of Christ in him will eventually become evident in the character he expresses.

The call of man has never changed. From the beginning, God’s intention has been conformity to His own image, the expression of the Eternal in a created vessel. This is not a secondary theme in scripture, it is the central thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” establishes both the origin and the destiny of man. What God conceived in His heart, no corruption in time has been able to erase.

Though the fall introduced distortion, it did not cancel divine intention. The adversary altered formation, but he could not touch the original creation as it existed in God’s heart. This is why redemption is not merely about forgiveness, it is about restoration to divine purpose. As Jesus Christ declared and demonstrated, the goal is the bringing forth of a new creation. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is not improvement of the old, but the unveiling of what God had always intended.

The apostolic emphasis aligns with this. In Romans 8:29, we see that those whom He foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Conformity is not optional, it is the very definition of salvation’s outcome. Colossians deepens this mystery, speaking of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” and unveiling “the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 1:27, 2:2). This is the curriculum of heaven, God forming Himself within man.

Drawing from the spiritual weight often seen in the teachings of Watchman Nee and T. Austin-Sparks, we understand that God’s work is inward before it is outward. The cross is not only an event to be believed, it is an operation that dismantles the old formation so that the life of Christ may find full expression. The Spirit labors not just for activity, but for formation.

This perspective also resonates with the apostolic burden carried by ministers of the new testament, where emphasis is laid on spiritual growth as a structured journey. There are layers to this formation, dealings, teachings, seasons, and divine arrangements all aimed at producing Christ within. It is not accidental growth, it is intentional formation.

In contrast, the present world system is rapidly producing what scripture calls “vessels of wrath” and a generation aligned with perdition. Formation is happening on both sides. Darkness is discipling its own, accelerating corruption, shaping desires, and normalizing rebellion. This urgency makes the call of God even more critical. The church must not merely gather, it must form. It must become a spiritual institution where men are trained, broken, instructed, and built into the image of Christ.

The agency of this transformation is grace. “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us…” (Titus 2:11-12). Grace is not passive, it instructs, disciplines, and empowers alignment with God. Yielding to grace is yielding to divine formation. It teaches us to deny ungodliness and to live in a way that reflects the nature of God.

Therefore, the call remains clear. In a time where false formations are multiplying, believers must uphold the banner of divine purpose. This requires intentional yielding, a willingness to be taught, corrected, and shaped by God. It requires embracing the full scope of God’s curriculum, from revelation to discipline, from doctrine to experience.

God is still after His image in man. What He conceived before time is what He is bringing to pass now. The question is whether we will submit to His process. For in the end, it is not activity that will stand, but formation. Not appearance, but conformity. Not mere belief, but the full expression of Christ in us.