Watchman Nee once told a story (which I have here embellished/edited a bit, but the idea is his). Perhaps I have related it before, if so, I apologize... I think it is an excellent way to begin what I have to say.
Once, there was a waterbottle. For whatever reason, it decided that above all things, it wanted to be a waterbottle. Therefore, it begged God, "please make me a waterbottle." It attended 'think like a waterbottle' seminars. It read books about being a waterbottle. It worked to adopt all the 'waterbottle habits.' It strove earnestly in prayer: "God, I don't feel a change. I don't feel You working in me to make me a waterbottle as I long. I know You want me to be a waterbottle. O Lord I am so confused. Why aren't you helping me become a waterbottle?" The answer is of course clear. It already is a waterbottle. The poor little waterbottle :-) isn't feeling any change because there is none needed - he already is what he longs to be.
Cannot the same be said of us?
What do you long to be?
Lord, make me patient. Give me self control. Help me long for You.
You are. I have. You do.
No, I'm not advocating the (strange) doctrine of perfectability (the idea that Christians never sin, and/or may achieve a state of perfect holiness during this life). What I am saying is that we are already perfect.
Huh?????
Yep, read it again - we are already perfect. Is this Biblical? Strange perhaps but true, yes. How so?
1) We are holy. (1 Cor 3:17, Col 3:12, Heb 3:1, 1 Pet 2:5,9, Rev 22:11)
2) Christ lives within us, and He is holy (Rom 6, 8:11, Gal 2:20, Phil 1:21, Col 3:3-4).
When God redeemed us, He substituted Christ in our place. May we not miss the power of this (as God has been teaching me lately). He substituted Christ to take our sin. He also substituted Christ to give us His righteousness. We have the perfect righteousness of Christ. Watchman Nee: "In all [God's] dealings with us He works by taking us out of the way and substituting Christ in our place. The Son of God died instead of us for our forgiveness: He lives instead of us for our deliverance" and sanctification. Blessed, blessed truth! We need not work to make ourselves holy, loving, kind, thoughtful, patient, giving... we already are all that in perfection and completely! Don't get me wrong-we don't always (often don't if you're me) live like who we are, but our fundamental nature has changed. We are indeed new creations. Christ Jesus Himself dwells within us, and it is no longer us living but Him!!!
How is it then that sin still enters our experience? Read Romans 7: although our 'flesh' is dead, yet still it is active. Yet we no longer sin - the sin within us sins. We are holy!!! We cannot sin. The sin within us sins - and now our sin begs the question: then why will you not just let me sin? You're holy, now enjoy the proverbial best of both worlds - let me sin for you, you get the benefits while your holiness is untouched. Alluring ~ but Paul resounds, slicing through the adulterous smoke: "HOW SHALL WE WHO DIED TO SIN LIVE ANY LONGER IN IT? OR DO YOU NOT KNOW??? -that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?? Essentially, only stupid people sin. (Which makes at least yours truly stupid, unfortunately). Sin, for the Christian, is (or at least should be - if not there's something wrong) misery. In fact, it is misery, whether that fact enters our consciousness on any given occasion. 'Cuz here's the thing: the work of the Christian is to make reality real. By obedience, we're to put to death (mortify) what is already deceased (the flesh), put on what we already own (the virtues), and overall become what we are (holy). No wonder we call it already/not yet.
Oh, and how do we do all this? One simple word God continually impresses upon me: obedience. Obedience is making reality real in our experience.
1 comment:
Ahaha, I remember this story...the first time I heard it was actually from the book "Safely Home".
Actually, Jerry Bridges/Bob Bevington mention aspects of this thought in the book "Bookends of the Christian Life"...the first bookend mentioned is the righteousness of Christ, which "From God's point of view, the first bookend is permanently in place. . .we're clothed in His righteousness, so that as God looks at us in union with Christ, he always sees us to be as righteous as Christ himself. And that changes everything." They go on to say(paraphrased) 'we then need a renunciation and reliance. Renunciation of our performance as what gains us acceptance before God. Reliance on the perfect substitution of Christ as the sole basis of our standing with God--on our best days and worst.'
Also, as a testament to the truth of your words(^_^), Romans 8 goes on to say much the same thing that you said. =)
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: /He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit/. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live 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...For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father."" (Romans 8: 1-6, 13-15)
As a thought for those that might struggle with the thought "but I'm not obedient!" or "I need obedience to be obedient!", or something of the like--in other words, if you see your strength as insufficient to complete the purpose that God has for you: making reality real. Let me give you this encouragement: Yeah, your strength is insufficient. But just as Cara reiterated, we are already perfect. We have all we need in Christ; God has given us exactly what we need for life in Godliness! But it takes a step forward in faith to help bring this truth to your sight. Just like patience. You see, when someone prays for patience, it is often a goofy prayer. "God, give me patience now! I need patience right now, so I can do what you want me to do!" Don't you see the silly blindness of this? To answer this prayer, God in grace and kindness will send you circumstances that test your patience.=) Patience requires you to be patient before you gain patience--it is a choice to make daily. God has already given you patience, but you need to step forward in faith and act on that; by being patient you see that God has given you patience.
In much the same way, to be obedient--to make manifest the perfection of Christ that God has already given you--requires a step in faith, to act in the power given you--you do not have to constantly ask God for these things that He has already given you; that would just be silly! =)
So have faith! Our God has already won the battle, he has created us anew! He has given us all we need and credited us with Christ's righteousness! Praise Him! =)
--Josiah C.
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