Psychologists say one of the primary causes of conflict in households involves disputes over what's generally called “division of labor.” If the bed goes unmade, if the dishes go unwashed, if the diaper goes unchanged, who is responsible for getting the job done? We’re all aware that many households have never had a calm, rational discussion about who is best equipped to do what.
Some Christians have taken the position that sanctification is solely God's job, and they say, "I can't do anything at all." (Romans 7:18)
“Whose
job is sanctification and spiritual growth anyway?” The Biblical answer is: Sanctification is a
joint project between God and us.
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians
2:12-13: Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in
my presence but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.
First,
please note, Paul says work out your own salvation, which means your role is
important. Then, please note, he
goes on to say, "For it is God who
is at work in you."
You're not doing this project on your own. Sanctification is empowered by God. In fact, it's impossible without Him.
Let me explain:
- Some things we can control. We can make phone calls, drive a car, run an errand. But ...
- some things we can do nothing about. Like the weather -- only God can change the weather.
In
John 3:8 Jesus says, "The wind blows where it chooses. You
hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (The word for ‘wind’
is the same as the word for ‘spirit’ both in Hebrew and in Greek.)
Like
the wind, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit found in the Word and the
Sacraments -- Holy Baptism and the
Lord’s Supper -- is powerful and mysterious. We can't control or manufacture it. It's not about us coming up with a
program with predictable results we control. On the other hand, we're not passive. Our job is be where the
Spirit works, to have the sails of our life filled, and in faith and by the
guidance of the Word to discern how the Spirit is leading us in our everyday
context (obedience).
Let me share four crucial truths the Bible teaches about sanctification.
2. Sanctification
is a process (disciplined, painstaking, God-honoring, joyful, etc.)
Think of a time when you took a long vacation with
kids. What's the first question they ask? "Are we there yet?"
We're an
instant gratification society.
Sanctification does not happen that way. Paul asks,
“Am I there yet?” Nope! Not yet. Not today. Not
tomorrow. But this one thing I do.
I don't give up. I keep after it.
In 1
Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul shares a different and helpful metaphor: Do you not know that
in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes
into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do
it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like
a man beating the air. No, I beat
my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.
In the pursuit of sanctification we will always be dealing with our sinful nature (flesh) and we will fail.
We can't be shackled to yesterday's regrets because
sanctification is a journey, not an event. Don’t be discouraged!
3. Sanctification
is empowered by God, not by man.
When talking about transformation, Paul has a
strong tendency to use a certain grammatical form. He uses an imperative, which is used when giving
somebody a command. For instance,
"Stop!" is an imperative.
There's another form called the passive voice. That is when something happens to you. You get hit by a truck. You get struck by an illness. That's passive.
When
talking about transformation, Paul often uses a passive imperative. Look
at Romans 12:2 ... Do not conform any longer to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God's will is …
It is an imperative, but he does not say,
"Transform yourself." Instead
he says, "Be transformed."
God is the one working!
Where are the winds of the Spirit blowing in your
life? Where and how is God at work
in you? What sin is He seeking to
free you from?
4. Sanctification
should be pursued for the sake of others … not just for our own fulfillment and
blessing.
The scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' day thought of
themselves as very holy, but they couldn't love anybody. They were too absorbed
with themselves. The New Testament never defines spirituality or sanctification
in individualistic terms. It's
defined in terms of community.
Matthew
5:16: In the same way, let your light shine before
men, that they may see your
good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven.
In
Philippians 2:14, Paul writes, Do everything without complaining or
arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without
fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in
the universe as you hold on to the word of life. In other words, as the community matures this is
what you'll find: no grumbling and
no arguing, just grateful hearts. Bitterness
and resentment will be replaced by a community of servanthood.
In
conclusion, I believe that the goal of sanctification, in a single word, is
love: a faith filled life lived in
love for God, and a faith filled life lived in love for our fellowman.
1 John 3:1-3: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
In fact, why not try spending a half hour a day reading the Bible, and another half hour in prayer. I’m very confident that God’s Spirit will guide you, bless you, develop your faith, draw you closer to the Trinity, and transform your life.
Again, blessings on your summer!
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