One of the mantras I heard repeatedly among individuals in AA circles was that people rarely change.
The fact is, people rarely change themselves, if they are driven to improve themselves from sinning.
Fallen man cannot overcome himself and his shortcomings.
He is dead in his trespasses, and he needs life.
Yet once men and women see more of Jesus Christ, they find that the Spirit of the Lord is transforming them, from glory to glory.
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
People can change, and people do change, but not through their own efforts.
The fatalism in AA is disturbing.
If people cannot change, then why have any kind of program with steps designed to assist people to give up alcohol in the first place?!
People can change, when they stop living in dead Adam and identify with the living Christ:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
The issue is not about change, but about who does the changing.
Jesus is interested in changing us, that we may be more like Him, yet because of the Cross, we are already in Christ, and our transformation is not so much about becoming more like Him, but rather more of Jesus being revealed in us:
"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)
We are sons of God, and we will be like Jesus, for we will see Him as He is.
The next chapter, John writes:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Love is perfected among us as we identify more with Jesus, recognizing that we are in Christ, and no longer in ourselves:
"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)
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