"Changed Into The Likeness Of Our Father" As long as Christians remain meek, humble and loving, the world usually has no problem with them.  However, when Christians confront others about their sin, suddenly, the world lashes back angrily.  This comes as no surprise.  Jesus told His disciples: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15: 18-19).  Why does fallen man have such a problem with acknowledging sin?  People spend their whole lives trying to form a good opinion about themselves.  Over and over people drown out the voice of their conscience that convicts them of wrong-doing until their conscience is eventually seared.  Just when they finally believe that they’re OK and have it all together, here comes a Christian telling them that all of their self-improvement efforts are not enough to merit God’s approval or eternal life.  The Bible declares that “we are all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).  Some protest that they have no sins to forgive, but again, the Word of God states: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8,10). Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.  The common man and the obvious sinners, such as prostitutes and tax collecters, heard Him gladly.  The Pharisees and the religious elite hated Jesus and wanted to kill Him.  They spent their whole religious careers obtaining the respect and honor of men.  Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and religious posturing and openly rebuked them for their hard-heartedness. He went so far as to tell them: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him” (John 8: 44).  Jesus, Who is Truth, revealed the motives and intents of their hearts. Jesus explained the spiritual state of every man before salvation through Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit: “He who believes in Him (Jesus)  is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3: 18-20).  We are already condemned and headed for destruction when we are born.  Our father is the devil, and we love our sin more that we love God.  This is our heritage from Adam and Eve.  God’s Holy Spirit strives with the hearts of men, convicting them of sin, righteousness and the judgement to come.  We have two choices: we can harden our hearts to His call and seal our damnation in hell, or we can yield and repent, and embrace the mercy and holiness of God.  When we forsake our sins, we are on the path to everlasting life.  We also change our fathers: from the devil who was our father to God who becomes our new Father.  As we grow in our Christian faith, we take on our Father’s character and we are formed into the image of Christ: God’s goal for each of us.  Do you want to change fathers today?  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and call on His name!!  He will gladly receive you.