No one might care to know that much about what I think (or my understanding of) Justification and Sanctification but I just want to blog about it for the time being while it's fresh on my mind. Thanksgiving took me to my sister's in Chicago which took me to her church, Wheaton College Church. Doug Moo taught an excellent SS class in which I experienced an ephiphany.
First of all, no doubt about it, we all feel or think or believe differently about Justification and Sanctification, and that's ok. But as long as I realize (for my own personal sanity, or IMHO) that what's important is BOTH AND (in Theatre we might say, "Yes, and..." if you know true Improv), NOT either-or. A lot of people forget Sanctification or throw it out the window. They might ignore it, they might embrace it, and forget Justification. But I'm not trying to sound Calvinistic Presbyterian, here, I just want to understand the Bible. I think the Bible clearly outlines BOTH. This is not a choice, an either-or. You know those ANNOYING voices now that tell you on the phone, "I'm sorry, I did not understand you." I think I've heard one that says, "I'm sorry, that was not one of the options." Well, justification OR sanctification, to Mr. Moo, is not an option.
OK, whew, we're onto a good start. Just how can you focus too much on one and not the other? Well, by all means, a Pauline disciple would probably note the pure "just shall live by faith" etc., justification through Christ's imputed Righteousness (or, ok if you don't like that, we are justified, have been justified, were once justified, whichever, by Christ's work on the cross, etc.) ok, still with me?
Whereas James (and it turns out other Pauline passages) talks a lot about WORKS, DOERS, that sort of fun thing.
Sanctification can either be a PROCESS to some (to me it is) or it's either a one time, "WOW, holy moly, you've already been, ding, check, you are sanctified, you already were once upon a time when you accepted Christ." If you believe that way, that's fine, I just want to throw it out there for you. Personally I enjoy analogies, as in, "Shadowlands" when Joy teaches Jack about processes and the like. Marriage (a picture of our relationship to Christ) is a process, she is trying to tell him. Life is. So there.
Once upon a time, I grew up in a Christian household, call it conservative (some say sheltered or overprotected), but it was a Pastor's family, grandchild of missionaries (on both sides). I fell in love with Church! I know, sounds odd, but I did, at a young age. I was so active and involved, that I was in love with my church family and grew to love going as often as possible (usually only 2 maybe 3 times a week), and looked forward to Sundays (our Sabbath). I think somewhere along the line (I knew better in my head, but my heart didn't understand) I started a really great Christian life, working out my salvation, with lots of fear and plenty of trembling. In high school my world collapsed, leaving one church, then going through a painful church split, then in collage, I fell into depression. I don't enjoy talking about it, because I don't want to "go back into Egypt" and get back the feeling of darkness and oppression, and I want to protect people and other personal issues) who/which don't need to be mentioned who may have been involved. Counseling helped but I'm not blaming anyone or anything other than "the fear of man." I worked so hard at my faith and becoming the Proverbs 31 woman, that I had myself on this high pedastal and really thought I had it all, I had the training, the head knowledge, I knew all I was supposed to do, and yet, why was I so unhappy? Ok, work on contentedness, I thought.
The problem is, I was sooo focused on sanctification that I may have forgotten the most important part (again, I KNEW it but it just didn't register - for years, sadly). So I became a 100%, bona fide people pleaser, pushover, eager to please, compliant person. Anything that would make YOU happy, I'd do it.
HELLO! Red flag!! I should be making Jesus happy but I think I was just hurting Him more by making idols out of my life, my school, my church, my work/business/career/jobs,
G
R
A
C
E.
I have drawn closer to God than ever before. At first I thought I was already close to God (gasp, gulp!) - I was praying, doing everything right, going to church, trying counselors, trying to make everyone else around me happy, yet still an emotional basket case. So then, what did I do? I fell head first into a deep dark slimy pit. Sure, maybe someone pushed me or pulled me into theirs, but I also jumped headfirst into one too. WRONG. Totally NOT the right way to "do" anything.
Face it. I thought I was pretty righteous. I would pray against pride and self-righteousness, but really what is righteousness all about?
RIGHT RELATEDNESS. Yeah, hello. having a RIGHT relationship with the One Righteous Person who already made it possible. My judge and my Savior in the Same Person! My Father, Redeemer, Lord and Master, who is teaching me all about Leading and Serving. The One of Great Paradoxes that make my head spin with disbelief (Lord, help my unbelief). His mercy covers all!!!
Who would NOT want to accept the Grace offered?!!
Only a blind man. "An unspiritual man doesn't understand spiritual things." - That's what breaks my heart: when those I love and care about don't see His faithfulness, complain because they weren't blessed with enough gifts, when the biggest greatest gift of all is staring us in the face: G R A C E. Because now I've seen it, first hand. See, my testimony isn't that great, it was all happy, warm and fuzzy in the beginning, I've always known Jesus. But to really see and feel, know and touch, remember and try to understand, grasping Grace, is a totally different thing!
Bringin' it back. Focus - ah yes, J&S. OK, now that I know I'm justified, and now that I know I will be clay (all part of the process) until I die, how could I forget either of them? Well, that's just it. Some of us think, "Well, we don't need/want a rulebook; those Christians don't seem to be having much fun, so if I say I believe then I'm justified and I can live comfortably without having to change anything." Or, sadly, we compartmentalize so much that Christ has no way of taking up a sincere residence in our homes, our hearts, our lives. Then we'd see fruit, then we'd know we are gifted with His fruits, and we'd live like a joyful adopted child, not a wretched orphan! Why do we still act spoiled or blind? Because Satan knows EXACTLY where to attack, hit, hurt, wound all our vulnerabilities. It's so much easier living with just focusing on one of them. It's easy to live justified, not having to concern ourselves with sanctification. But that is a contradiction! Paul says very boldly, Well then, should we go and sin all the more?
A resounding NO, he shouts back.
Ok then. It's easy to work and do all we can to save ourselves, and forget about the other. We'll get to heaven faster if we work ourselves to the dust. Well, sorry folks, but that is the other side of the coin- another contradiction, that I was living. I probably will still fight it, I know I will fight against the fear of man, and I know I don't have it all figured out, and I still struggle with praying "enough." hint: if you ever feel like you've prayed enough, pray some more. It'll do ya good, I promise. If you feel like you already went to church or tried talking to the Pastor, go again. If you feel like church is full of hypocrites, well guess what, the world is too, and we're all in need of grace...
We're all in need of the Cross. There is more to life than this. Heaven is not a long 24hr church service, it's going to be so unfathomably cool that none of us can grasp just how awesome it really is going to be. To finally be 100% sanctified will be awesome, I know that much! Not to have to worry all the time about anything!! (I know, see, now, I don't need to (I shouldn't), but I still do). We're all recovering Pharisees, just our own version of religion (even people that say they're non-religious, has their own belief system and tolerance has become a form of religion).
I just want to shout,
IF YOU KNEW MY SAVIOR YOU'D WANT SOME TOO!
:-)
"Be ashamed to die until you have scored a victory for mankind." Dr. TP Kalogris
No comments:
Post a Comment