Identity vs. Image Part 2

The Choice of Eve—Which Adam Will You Follow?

The Letter No One Wants to Preach

There’s a letter in your Bible that most pastors avoid.

It’s short—only 25 verses. It’s tucked between 3 John and Revelation. It’s easy to skip over, easy to ignore, easy to pretend doesn’t apply to us.

But it’s the most urgent, most convicting, most prophetically relevant letter for the Church today—especially for the Church in the Great Basin Region.

It’s the Book of Jude.

And it was written for this exact moment.

Written by Jude—Jesus’ own half-brother, a man who didn’t believe in Jesus during His earthly ministry, who thought his brother was crazy, who rejected Him as Messiah—until he saw the resurrected Christ.

Then everything changed.

Jude went from skeptic to believer, from mocker to martyr, from unbeliever to apostle. He became part of the REMNANT—the faithful few who contend for the faith in the midst of overwhelming deception, compromise, and apostasy.

And his letter—written in the shadow of Jesus’ imminent return—reads like a blueprint for the remnant living in the Great Basin Region today.

Jude’s message is our instruction manual. This is our warning for today. This is our battle plan.

Because Jude saw what we’re seeing right now:

- False teachers infiltrating the Church

- Grace twisted into license for sin

- The faith once delivered to the saints being corrupted, diluted, perverted

- Believers falling asleep, becoming complacent, losing their first love

- The darkness rising up, attacking, opposing, and attempting to thwart the truth

And Jude wrote with urgency, passion, and holy fire—because the stakes are eternal.

-----

Jude 3-4: The Battle for the Faith

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3-4)

Let’s break this down, because every word matters.

“I found it NECESSARY”

Jude didn’t want to write this letter. He wanted to write about the joys of salvation, the blessings of grace, the glory of redemption.

But he couldn’t.

Why? Because the Church was under attack from within.

False teachers had crept in unnoticed. Wolves in sheep’s clothing. Deceivers disguised as shepherds. Men who claimed to preach grace but twisted it into an excuse for sin, who denied the Lordship of Jesus Christ while using His name.

Jude saw the danger. And he knew he had to warn the faithful.

This is the same urgency we feel today. This is why we write these blazing hot articles that will bring forth the darkness, that will cause opposition, that will make us targets.

Because it’s NECESSARY.

The house is on fire. The alarm must sound. The truth must be told—no matter the cost.

Jude’s Warning to the Remnant—Contending for the Faith in the Last Days

“Contend EARNESTLY for the faith”

This isn’t a suggestion. This isn’t optional. This isn’t for “super spiritual” Christians or professional theologians.

This is a command for every believer.

The word “contend” (epagonizomai) means to fight, struggle, agonize, battle with intense effort.

This is not passive Christianity. This is not sitting in a pew, nodding along, going through the motions.

This is war.

War for the truth. War for the Gospel. War for the faith once delivered to the saints.

And the enemy isn’t just “out there” in the world. The enemy has infiltrated the Church.

“The faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”

There is ONE faith. ONE Gospel. ONE truth.

Not many faiths. Not evolving truth. Not progressive revelation that contradicts what was already delivered.

The faith was delivered ONCE FOR ALL.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The Gospel doesn’t change. The truth doesn’t evolve. God’s Word doesn’t need to be updated, revised, or made culturally relevant.

It is settled. It is final. It is unchanging.

And our job is to contend for it—to fight for it, defend it, proclaim it, preserve it, pass it on to the next generation.

“Certain men have crept in unnoticed”

Here’s the terrifying part: the false teachers didn’t storm in with obvious lies.

They crept in. Slowly. Subtly. Unnoticed.

They used Christian language. They quoted Scripture. They had credentials, charisma, influence. They looked like shepherds.

But they were wolves.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

This is happening right now in the Great Basin Region—and across the American Church.

- Pastors who preach a gospel that never mentions SIN

- Teachers who promise prosperity, success, and blessing without repentance

- Leaders who twist grace into license, turning the freedom of Christ into an excuse for lawlessness

- Influencers who deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ while claiming to follow Him

They’ve crept in. And most people don’t even notice.

“Who turn the grace of our God into lewdness”

This is the signature mark of false teaching: perverting grace.

True grace is costly. It cost God His Son. It cost Jesus His life. It demands repentance, surrender, death to self, taking up your cross.

False grace is cheap. It costs nothing. It demands nothing. It allows you to continue in sin while claiming to be saved. It promises forgiveness without repentance, salvation without lordship, heaven without holiness.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

True grace kills sin. False grace coddles it.

True grace transforms you into the image of Christ. False grace leaves you in the image of the First Adam.

And the Great Basin Church—the American Church—is drowning in false grace.

“And deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ”

Here’s the ultimate test of false teaching: Does it affirm or deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

Notice Jude doesn’t say they deny Jesus. He says they deny Jesus as LORD.

They acknowledge Him as Savior. As Teacher. As Example. As Blessing-Dispenser.

But not as LORD.

Not as Master. Not as King. Not as the One who has absolute authority over every aspect of your life.

This is the core issue. This is the battle line. This is what separates true faith from false religion.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

You can call Him Lord with your lips while denying Him with your life.

You can sing worship songs while refusing to surrender.

You can attend church while building your own kingdom.

But you cannot be saved by a Jesus who is not LORD.

Jude 5-7: Historical Warnings of Judgment

Jude then reminds his readers—and us—of three historical examples of God’s judgment on those who began in faith but fell away, who knew the truth but rejected it, who experienced God’s power but rebelled.

1. Israel in the Wilderness (Jude 5)

“But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.”

Israel was saved. Delivered. Redeemed by blood. Led by God Himself.

But they didn’t believe.

They doubted God’s goodness. They grumbled against His provision. They longed to return to slavery. They built a golden calf while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments.

And God destroyed them in the wilderness.

An entire generation—except Joshua and Caleb—died without entering the Promised Land.

Why? Unbelief.

“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)

The warning for us: You can be “saved” out of Egypt and still perish in the wilderness. You can start the journey and never finish. You can know about God and never truly trust Him.

Will Jesus find FAITH on the earth when He returns? (Luke 18:8)

2. Fallen Angels (Jude 6)

“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”

Even angels—created beings who lived in the presence of God, who beheld His glory, who served Him in heaven—rebelled.

They didn’t keep their proper domain. They abandoned their position. They sought to exalt themselves, to be like God, to rule on their own terms.

And God cast them into chains of darkness, reserved for judgment.

The warning for us: Knowing God, experiencing His presence, even serving in ministry—none of this guarantees salvation if your heart is in rebellion.

Position doesn’t equal salvation. Proximity to God doesn’t equal relationship with God.

-----

3. Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 7)

“As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves over to sexual immorality, perversion, lawlessness, and rebellion.

And God rained down fire and sulfur, utterly destroying them.

Not as a temporary punishment. Not as a warning. As an example of eternal fire—the final judgment of hell.

The warning for us: God will not tolerate persistent, unrepentant rebellion. There is a line you can cross. There is a hardening that becomes final.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Jude 8-16: The Characteristics of False Teachers

Jude continues with a devastating description of false teachers—men who have crept into the Church, who look like believers, who sound like shepherds, but who are leading people to destruction.

Let me summarize the characteristics Jude lists:

- They defile the flesh (v. 8) — Sexual immorality, sensuality, indulgence

- They reject authority (v. 8) — No submission to God’s Word, no accountability

- They speak evil of dignitaries (v. 8) — Slandering spiritual authorities, mocking what they don’t understand

- They are like irrational animals (v. 10) — Driven by instinct, appetite, flesh

- They have gone the way of Cain (v. 11) — Works-based religion, self-righteousness, no blood sacrifice

- They have run greedily in the error of Balaam (v. 11) — Ministry for profit, using the Gospel to get rich

- They perished in the rebellion of Korah (v. 11) — Challenging God’s appointed leadership, rejecting His authority

- They are hidden reefs (v. 12) — Dangerous, deceptive, causing shipwreck

- They feed only themselves (v. 12) — Self-serving shepherds, using the sheep for their own gain

- They are clouds without water (v. 12) — Promising refreshment but delivering nothing

- They are late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots (v. 12) — Dead while claiming to be alive, bearing no fruit, destined for the fire

- They are raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame (v. 13) — Loud, chaotic, shameful

- They are wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever (v. 13) — Destined for eternal judgment

- They are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts (v. 16) — Never satisfied, always critical, driven by flesh

- They mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage (v. 16) — Eloquent speech, impressive words, but motivated by greed and self-promotion

Does this sound familiar?

Does this describe the celebrity pastors, the prosperity preachers, the mega-church CEOs, the Christian influencers who are building empires while calling it ministry?

Jude saw them coming. He warned us. And they’re here.

Jude 17-23: The Call to the Remnant

But Jude doesn’t just expose false teachers. He calls the REMNANT—the faithful few—to action.

“But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 17-21)

Here’s the remnant’s response:

Remember the apostles’ warnings — Don’t be surprised by deception; you were told it was coming

Build yourselves up in the faith — Study the Word, know the truth, be grounded in doctrine

Pray in the Holy Spirit — Depend on God’s power, not your own strength

Keep yourselves in the love of God — Stay connected to Christ, abide in Him, walk in obedience

Look for Christ’s return — Live with urgency, with hope, with the expectation of His imminent coming

This is the remnant’s posture. This is how we contend for the faith. This is how we endure to the end.

And then Jude gives one final charge:

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 22-23)

We have compassion on those who are confused, doubting, struggling.

But we pull others out of the fire with URGENCY—warning them, rebuking them, confronting them with truth.

Not with cruelty. Not with self-righteousness. But with holy fear, knowing that hell is real and judgment is coming.

This is what we’re doing in this article. This is why we write with fire. This is why we tell the raw, rough, real truth.

Because people are perishing. The house is on fire. And we must sound the alarm.

Jude 24-25: The Doxology of Hope

And Jude ends—not with fear, not with despair, but with glorious hope.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

This is our confidence. This is our hope. This is our assurance.

We don’t contend for the faith in our own strength. We don’t fight in our own power. We don’t stand in our own righteousness.

God keeps us. God presents us faultless. God brings us into His presence with exceeding joy.

Not because we’re worthy. Not because we earned it. Not because we performed well enough.

But because of His grace, His power, His faithfulness.

-----

The Remnant in the Great Basin Today

Jude represents the REMNANT—believers living in the last days, surrounded by false teaching, watching the Church fall asleep, waiting eagerly for Jesus’ return.

This is us.

This is the faithful few in the Great Basin Region.

We see the deception. We see the compromise. We see the mega-churches preaching another gospel, the celebrity pastors building empires, the political Christians trusting in power instead of the cross.

And we’re called—like Jude—to contend earnestly for the faith.

Not with violence. Not with anger. Not with self-righteousness.

But with TRUTH. With boldness. With holy fire. With urgency.

Because Jesus is coming soon.

And the question He will ask when He returns is this:

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Will Jesus find FAITH?

Not religion. Not programs. Not attendance. Not performance.

FAITH.

Faith in His Word alone. Faith in His finished work. Faith in His Lordship. Faith in His grace.

This is the OIL in the lamps of the five wise virgins.

The foolish virgins had lamps—they looked like believers. But they had no oil. No FAITH. No relationship. No real trust in Christ.

And when the Bridegroom came, they were shut out.

“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.” (Matthew 25:10)

The wise virgins had extra oil. They had FAITH. They were ready.

-----

From Part 1 to Part 2: The Transition

In Part 1, we established the truth: Your IDENTITY in Christ is unchangeable, eternal, secure—regardless of how your IMAGE looks.

We saw that IDENTITY is determined by God’s sovereign choice, not human performance. We learned that the apostles looked terrible—their IMAGE was crushed—but their IDENTITY remained secure.

Now, in Part 2, we’re going deeper.

Because understanding IDENTITY and IMAGE is not enough. You must choose which IMAGE you will be conformed into.

Will you be conformed into the IMAGE of the First Adam—SELF, pride, greed, lust, self-sufficiency, works-righteousness, Cain’s altar?

Or will you be conformed into the IMAGE of the Second Adam—CHRIST, humility, surrender, death to self, radical trust, Abel’s altar?

This is the choice of Eve. This is the choice every believer faces every single day.

And Jude’s letter is our blueprint for how to make that choice—how to contend for the faith, how to resist false teaching, how to walk in truth, how to endure to the end, how to be found faithful when Jesus returns.

So let’s dig in.

Let’s examine the choice before us with brutal honesty, with prophetic clarity, with the urgency of the last days.

Let’s expose the lies, confront the deception, call out the false teachers, and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Because the darkness will rise up and attack. The opposition will come. The cost will be high.

But the truth must be told.

And the remnant must be ready.

-----

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” — Jude 3

This is necessary.

This is urgent.

This is now.

Let’s contend.

We Are All Standing at the Tree

Right now, in this very moment, you are Eve.

You’re standing in the Garden, staring at the tree, listening to the serpent’s whisper, weighing your options.

You have a choice to make—the same choice Eve made, the same choice every human being has made since the Fall, the same choice that determines your eternal destiny and your present reality.

Will you trust what God says, or will you trust what you see?

Will you walk by FAITH in His IDENTITY and His IMAGE, or will you walk by sight, seeking your own knowledge, building your own image, trusting your own wisdom?

This is not ancient history. This is happening right now in your heart, in your church, in your community, in the Great Basin Region, in every corner of the world.

The serpent is still whispering. The tree is still standing. The choice is still the same.

And the consequences are just as catastrophic—or just as glorious—as they were in Eden.

Today we’re going to dig deep into the most uncomfortable, most convicting, most liberating truth in all of Scripture: You are being conformed into an IMAGE—but which one?

The IMAGE of the First Adam—greed, ego, lust, pride, self-sufficiency, self-promotion, self-protection?

Or the IMAGE of the Second Adam—humility, surrender, death to self, radical trust, complete dependence on the Father?

One IMAGE leads to woe, judgment, and eternal destruction.

The other IMAGE leads to blessing, transformation, and eternal life.

Let’s tell the raw, rough, real TRUTH—no matter how much it hurts. Because only the truth will set you free.

-----

Eve’s Choice—The Original Trap

The Serpent’s Lie: KNOWLEDGE Over FAITH

Let’s go back to Genesis 3 and see exactly what happened.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1)

Notice the strategy: Question God’s Word.

Satan doesn’t come with an obvious lie. He comes with a subtle question, planting doubt about what God actually said.

Eve responds by quoting God’s command—but she adds to it and diminishes it:

“And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.”’” (Genesis 3:2-3)

God never said “nor shall you touch it.” Eve added that. She’s already moving away from the pure Word of God into her own interpretation, her own understanding, her own wisdom.

And Satan pounces:

“Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:4-5)

Here’s the trap—the same trap that still ensnares millions today:

1. Deny the consequences of sin: “You will not surely die.”

2. Question God’s goodness: “God knows…” (implying God is holding out on you)

3. Offer self-deification: “You will be like God.”

4. Promise forbidden knowledge: “Knowing good and evil.”

This is the essence of the First Adam’s IMAGE: SELF as god, KNOWLEDGE as salvation, SIGHT as truth.

And Eve believed it.

-----

What Eve Chose: IMAGE Over IDENTITY

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” (Genesis 3:6)

Notice what drove her decision:

- “Saw” — She trusted her sight, not God’s Word

- “Good for food” — Physical gratification

- “Pleasant to the eyes” — Aesthetic appeal, external IMAGE

- “Desirable to make one wise” — The promise of KNOWLEDGE, SELF-wisdom

Eve chose IMAGE—what she could see, what looked good, what promised wisdom—over IDENTITY—who God said she was and what God said was true.

She chose SELF over FAITH.

She chose KNOWLEDGE over TRUST.

She chose the IMAGE of being “like God” over the IDENTITY of being created by God, loved by God, provided for by God.

And everything fell apart.

-----

The Consequences: When IMAGE Replaces IDENTITY

What happened next?

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” (Genesis 3:7)

They got exactly what Satan promised—their eyes were opened, they gained knowledge of good and evil.

But what did that knowledge produce?

- Shame — “They knew they were naked”

- Hiding — “They sewed fig leaves”

- Fear — “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid” (Genesis 3:10)

- Blame — “The woman… she gave me” / “The serpent deceived me” (Genesis 3:12-13)

- Separation from God — Expelled from Eden

This is what happens when you TRUST and SEEK IMAGE over IDENTITY:

You gain knowledge but lose wisdom.

You see more clearly but become more blind.

You pursue self-sufficiency and become enslaved.

You try to become like God and become like Satan.

-----

The Two Adams—Two IMAGES, Two Destinies

The First Adam: The IMAGE of SELF

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)

The First Adam represents the IMAGE of fallen humanity—what we become when we choose SELF over God:

The IMAGE of the First Adam is characterized by:

- Self-sufficiency — “I don’t need God’s provision”

- Self-righteousness — “I can earn my own standing”

- Self-promotion — “I will make a name for myself”

- Self-protection — “I will hide, blame, and defend”

- Self-ambition — “I will be like God”

- Self-confidence — “I trust my own wisdom”

- Self-preservation — “I will save my own life”

This is the IMAGE that every human being is born into:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

We are all born in Adam—born into the IMAGE of SELF, enslaved to sin, destined for death.

And here’s the terrifying truth: You cannot escape the First Adam by trying harder.

You cannot reform the flesh. You cannot improve SELF. You cannot polish the IMAGE of the First Adam and make it acceptable to God.

“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8)

The flesh—the IMAGE of the First Adam—is at WAR with the Spirit. It HATES God. It CANNOT submit to God. It CANNOT please God.

A dog barks. A cat meows. The flesh opposes the Spirit—by design, by nature, by essence.

And when a dog meows or a cat barks, Satan is at work.

-----

The Second Adam: The IMAGE of CHRIST

“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:47-49)

The Second Adam is Jesus Christ—the life-giving Spirit, the Lord from heaven, the perfect IMAGE of God.

The IMAGE of the Second Adam is characterized by:

- Complete dependence on the Father — “I can of Myself do nothing” (John 5:30)

- Perfect humility — “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death” (Philippians 2:8)

- Death to SELF — “Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42)

- Trust in God’s Word alone — “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4)

- Servant leadership — “I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27)

- Radical obedience — “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34)

- Sacrificial love — “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life” (John 15:13)

This is the IMAGE you are called to be conformed into.

Not by your effort. Not by your performance. Not by trying to be like Jesus.

But by being born again—by the Spirit, by grace, by the sovereign will of God.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You don’t improve the First Adam. You DIE to the First Adam and are RAISED in the Second Adam.

-----

The Journey—Crushing the IMAGE of SELF

You Must Be Born Again

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

Here’s the non-negotiable truth: You must be born again.

Not reformed. Not improved. Not educated. Not religious.

Born. Again.

This is not something you do. This is something God does to you.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

Born not of the will of man, but of God.

This is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit—regeneration, new birth, new creation, new DNA, new IDENTITY.

And when you are born again, the war begins.

-----

The War Within: SELF vs. SPIRIT

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” (Galatians 5:17)

When you are born again, you receive a new nature—the Spirit of God dwelling in you.

But the old nature—the flesh, the IMAGE of the First Adam—doesn’t disappear immediately.

And these two natures are at WAR. Flesh hates the TRUTH.

The flesh hates the Spirit. The Spirit opposes the flesh. They are contrary to one another—mutually exclusive, incompatible, hostile.

This is the JOURNEY that EVERY TRUE believer walks:

- The progressive death of SELF

- The progressive transformation into Christ’s IMAGE

- The crushing of ego, pride, self-sufficiency, and self-promotion

- The growth of humility, dependence, surrender, and trust

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Paul’s IDENTITY: crucified with Christ, no longer living, Christ living in him.

Paul’s IMAGE: still living in the flesh, walking by faith.

The IDENTITY is settled—Paul is dead, Christ is alive in him.

The IMAGE is being transformed—Paul daily dies to self and lives by faith.

This is the journey. This is the process. This is sanctification.

And it is brutal.

-----

The Crushing Process: God Destroys Your IMAGE to Reveal Your IDENTITY

Here’s what most Christians don’t understand: God will systematically destroy every false IMAGE you build.

Every self-made reputation. Every self-protective strategy. Every self-confident plan. Every self-sufficient idol.

God will crush it. Burn it. Expose it. Strip it away.

Why?

Because He loves you too much to let you trust in anything other than Him.

“For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)

The crushing of your earthly IMAGE is not punishment—it’s love.

It’s the Father removing everything you’re trusting in except Christ.

It’s the Holy Spirit conforming you to the IMAGE of the Son.

It’s God answering your prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

And the process looks like this:

- Your health fails → so you stop trusting in your strength and learn to trust in His

- Your finances collapse → so you stop trusting in your wealth and learn to trust in His provision

- Your reputation is destroyed → so you stop trusting in man’s approval and learn to trust in His
acceptance

- Your ministry crumbles → so you stop trusting in your performance and learn to trust in His
faithfulness

- Your relationships break → so you stop trusting in human love and learn to trust in His love

Every crushing, every failure, every humiliation is God stripping away the IMAGE of SELF and revealing the IDENTITY of Christ in you.

And it hurts. Deeply. Brutally. Relentlessly.

But it’s producing something glorious.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

-----

The Sermon on the Mount—BLESSINGS for Those Who Die to SELF

The Beatitudes: The Upside-Down Kingdom

Jesus stands on the mountain and delivers the most counterintuitive, countercultural, counter-everything sermon ever preached.

He describes what true blessing looks like in the Kingdom of God.

And it’s the exact opposite of what the world—and the flesh—thinks is blessing.

-----

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

BLESSING: Spiritual poverty—recognizing you have nothing to offer God, no merit, no righteousness, no claim.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: Self-confidence, self-sufficiency, “I’ve got this.”

THE TRUTH: Those who know they’re spiritually bankrupt receive the Kingdom. Those who think they’re rich remain poor.

-----

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

BLESSING: Mourning over sin, brokenness, the condition of the world, the offense against God’s holiness.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: “I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m a good person.”

THE TRUTH: Those who mourn receive comfort. Those who refuse to mourn remain uncomforted.

-----

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

BLESSING: Meekness—strength under control, humility, submission to God’s authority.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: Assertiveness, dominance, power, control.

THE TRUTH: The meek inherit the earth. The proud inherit nothing but judgment.

-----

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

BLESSING: Desperation for God’s righteousness, not your own.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: “I’m doing my best. I’m a good person. I deserve God’s blessing.”

THE TRUTH: Those who hunger for HIS righteousness are filled. Those who trust in their own righteousness remain empty.

-----

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

BLESSING: Showing mercy because you’ve received mercy.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: “I deserve justice. I’ve earned my standing. They deserve what they get.”

THE TRUTH: The merciful receive mercy. The unmerciful receive judgment.

-----

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

BLESSING: Single-minded devotion, undivided heart, total surrender to Christ alone.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: Divided loyalties—God plus politics, God plus wealth, God plus reputation, God plus SELF.

THE TRUTH: Only the pure in heart see God. The double-minded see nothing but their own confusion.

-----

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

BLESSING: Making peace between God and man, reconciling the world to Christ.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: Political activism, social justice, human-driven solutions.

THE TRUTH: Peacemakers are called sons of God. Those who trust in political power are called fools.

-----

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)

BLESSING: Persecution, suffering, rejection for the sake of Christ.

THE WORLD’S IMAGE: Popularity, success, comfort, acceptance, a seat at the table.

THE TRUTH: The persecuted receive the Kingdom. The comfortable receive temporary pleasure and eternal loss.

-----

The Pattern Is Clear

Every blessing Jesus describes requires the DEATH OF SELF.

- Poor in spirit = death to self-sufficiency

- Mourning = death to self-righteousness

- Meekness = death to self-promotion

- Hunger for righteousness = death to self-justification

- Merciful = death to self-protection

- Pure in heart = death to self-ambition

- Peacemakers = death to self-interest

- Persecuted = death to self-preservation

The BLESSINGS of the Kingdom come to those who are being conformed into the IMAGE of the Second Adam—Jesus Christ.

-----

The Olivet Discourse—WOES for Those Who Cling to SELF

Woe to You, Scribes and Pharisees

Now let’s flip the coin.

If the Beatitudes describe the BLESSINGS of those being conformed to Christ’s IMAGE, the Woes describe the JUDGMENT of those clinging to the IMAGE of SELF.

In Matthew 23, Jesus unleashes a scathing rebuke against the religious leaders—the most “successful,” respected, powerful people of His day.

And He pronounces WOE upon them—not blessing, but judgment.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matthew 23:13)

THE IMAGE: Gatekeepers of religion, controlling access to God through rules, rituals, and human authority.

THE REALITY: They’re blocking people from the Kingdom while remaining outside themselves.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: Mega-church pastors, religious celebrities, denominational leaders who preach a false gospel that never mentions sin, never calls for repentance, never demands surrender to Christ as LORD.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” (Matthew 23:14)

THE IMAGE: Pious, religious, praying long public prayers.

THE REALITY: Exploiting the vulnerable, using religion for profit, performing for people while oppressing the weak.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: Prosperity preachers demanding seed offerings from single mothers. Christian business leaders exploiting employees while claiming to be Kingdom-minded. Politicians wrapping themselves in the flag and the Bible while enriching themselves.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)

THE IMAGE: Evangelistic zeal, missionary fervor, growing the church.

THE REALITY: Making converts to a false religion, leading people deeper into deception, multiplying children of hell.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: The LDS church sending out missionaries to win converts to a false gospel. Churches focused on numbers, attendance, programs, and growth—while never preaching the true Gospel of repentance and faith in Christ alone.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’” (Matthew 23:16)

THE IMAGE: Religious experts, teachers, authorities on Scripture.

THE REALITY: Blind guides leading people astray, distorting God’s Word, teaching human traditions as divine truth.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: Pastors who preach politics from the pulpit instead of the Gospel. Christian influencers promoting self-help instead of self-denial. Theologians who deny the authority of Scripture while claiming to be biblical scholars.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” (Matthew 23:23)

THE IMAGE: Meticulous obedience to religious rules, tithing to the penny, outward righteousness.

THE REALITY: Missing the heart of God—justice, mercy, faith—while obsessing over external performance.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: Christians who focus on political activism, cultural wars, moral legislation—while ignoring justice for the poor, mercy for the broken, and faith in Christ alone. Churches that demand perfect attendance and financial giving but show no compassion for the hurting.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25)

THE IMAGE: Clean, polished, respectable, successful.

THE REALITY: Full of greed, lust, pride, self-indulgence.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: The wealthy Christian businessman who looks successful, donates to the church, sits on the board—while exploiting workers, hoarding wealth, and living for SELF. The pastor with a perfect public IMAGE who is privately addicted to pornography, money, or power.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27)

THE IMAGE: Beautiful, impressive, outwardly righteous.

THE REALITY: Dead. Full of corruption. Full of uncleanness.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: The American Church—huge buildings, big budgets, impressive programs, celebrity pastors, emotional worship experiences—but spiritually DEAD. No repentance. No surrender. No cross. No Gospel. Just religion, entertainment, and self-help wrapped in Christian language.

WOE to them.

-----

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.” (Matthew 23:29-31)

THE IMAGE: Honoring the prophets, celebrating spiritual heritage, claiming moral superiority.

THE REALITY: Rejecting the living Word of God, persecuting those who speak truth, proving they are children of murderers.

THE APPLICATION TODAY: Churches that honor the great revivalists of the past while rejecting anyone who calls them to repentance today. Christians who claim they would have followed Jesus if they lived in His day—while rejecting His Word, His Lordship, and His call to die to self right now.

WOE to them.

-----

The Final Verdict - IDENTITY REVEALED

“Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33)

Jesus’ final words to the religious leaders: You are children of the serpent. You cannot escape hell.

Why?

Because they clung to the IMAGE of SELF—self-righteousness, self-promotion, self-sufficiency—while rejecting the IDENTITY offered in Christ.

They looked righteous. They looked successful. They looked like spiritual leaders.

But they were dead. And headed for judgment.

-----

The Great Reversal—FIRST Will Be LAST, LAST Will Be FIRST

The Upside-Down Kingdom

“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30)

This is the pattern of the Kingdom—the great reversal, the upside-down economy of grace.

The FIRST—according to the world, according to the flesh, according to IMAGE:

- The rich
- The successful
- The powerful
- The influential
- The respected
- The admired
- The self-made
- The self-sufficient

The wealthy CEO. The celebrity pastor. The influential politician. The esteemed attorney. The successful developer. The powerful investor.

These are the FIRST in the world’s eyes.

But in the Kingdom?

“So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16)

-----

The LAST—according to the world, according to the flesh, according to IMAGE:

- The poor
- The weak
- The rejected
- The forgotten
- The despised
- The powerless
- The broken
- The dependent

The widow. The orphan. The refugee. The addict. The homeless. The outcast.

These are the LAST in the world’s eyes.

But in the Kingdom?

“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

These are the FIRST in God’s eyes.

-----

Why the Great Reversal?

Why does God exalt the weak and humble the strong?

Why does He choose the last and reject the first?

Because the FIRST trust in their own IMAGE. The LAST trust in His IDENTITY.

The rich CEO trusts in his wealth, his success, his reputation, his power. He doesn’t need God—he’s self-made, self-sufficient, self-confident.

The widow has nothing to trust in except God’s grace. She has no IMAGE to maintain, no reputation to protect, no SELF to promote.

And God chooses her.

“Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5)

The weak, the broken, the powerless—these are rich in FAITH.

The strong, the successful, the powerful—these are rich in SELF.

And SELF cannot inherit the Kingdom.

Because we were being conformed into the IMAGE of Christ.

And there is no greater blessing, no greater joy, no greater privilege than to bear the IMAGE of the Son of God.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

THE Grace Awakening

THE Grace Awakening Study Guide

Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?

Come Meet King Jesus

THE GRACE AWAKENING for Those Left Behind

The American Remnant - Left Behind Plan