Do it Yourself

For me one of the most difficult things to grasp about the Christian life is the part we are to play. What is our responsibility? I know that Jesus did it all on the cross and I can add nothing to that; but I am also told that I am to “work out my salvation.” What does that mean? 

When we are born again, our salvation is secured; but a struggle continues, our nature is transformed but our natural life continues. It is only when God has transformed our nature and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins.

We sometimes believe that the fight is against sin. But the fight for us is not against sin but against the human nature. As to sin, we are not to fight, but only to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . .” (see Exodus 14:13).

 The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin— Jesus Christ conquered that in His redemption of us. The conflict is waged over turning our natural life into a spiritual life. This is never done easily, nor does God intend that it be so. It is accomplished only through a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense that He makes our character holy. He makes us holy in the sense that He has made us innocent before Him. And then we have to turn that innocence into holy character through the moral choices we make.

I marvel at the miracle God has accomplished at Angola changing the bloodiest prison in America to the largest church behind bars. But in one way, that transformation is easier than the one we face. Most free people face about 225 choices each day, for the incarcerated that number drops to about 25. Many of those choices are not “eternally significant” like what we’ll have for lunch or what pair of pants we’ll wear; but many are. Some of these eternally significant choices may seem minor: watch a TV program or call a friend, what program we watch, hold a hand or ignore a hurt. These choices remain ours after our transformation, and through them our character is formed.  We must attach the significance to each choice that it deserves.

Through a series of choices a pattern develops, a good or bad pattern. Once a choice is made, it becomes easier to make that choice the next time. Habits are formed and a character emerges. It is through this process that we develop as obvious children of God, living lives that will attract others to our savior or lives that will make turning to Him more difficult for those we meet.

What kind of character are we forming?

Be blessed.

Nick