And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
For the last 45 years of my Christian life, longer than many of you have been alive, I have longed to be holy. I have always wanted to be a better man. To be pure, blameless, spotless. To not only be seen as a good man, but to really be one. Over the years I’ve had spiritual peaks and many failures. I’ve had seasons of all systems go, and times of wondering where I am going? I’ve read all the books, listened to the sermons, and had all the talks. I generally know the right answers. Yet still there is a daily wrestle with sin and the longing remains.
I am grateful for this longing.
It has confirmed to me God’s promise that regardless of whether I live up to my self-imposed standard of holiness or not, He Himself will make us willing to obey (Phil 2:13; Ezek 36:26–27). Sometimes on the surface I think I am so unwilling, but I know deep in the recesses of my heart, and when I really examin what I do, I know He has changed me.
Through the years the Lord has given me a grateful awareness of forgiveness and that I am saved by faith. What is opening now however is deeper. It’s an awareness that I have used too much of my own abilities and natural talents to get better. To bear more fruit. To abide. Through willpower and my own strength I have worked to obey Scripture. To love people who piss me off. To do a better job at managing lustful thoughts. All commendable, but not always carried out by faith. Dead works. Lots of grit and willpower. Some victory, but any victory not by faith is not victory. It’s works, self-righteousness, and secretly steals God’s glory.
This is changing.
What I hear the Spirit saying more clearly is stop trying harder. Draw near to Jesus in my imperfection. Grow in drawing near and walk by faith in His strength and power in my weakness (2 Co 12:9). As I turned to Christ by faith decades ago for salvation, I must now continually turn to Christ by that same faith for holiness. Christ is our all. Not only is He our righteousness and redemption for salvation, but He is our sanctification. Yes, even our sanctification.
The Spirit is calling us to draw near to Jesus.
Draw near so Jesus becomes our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. Turn to Christ by faith. Look at His face. The Spirit is drawing you. He has filled us with the fullness of God (Eph 3:19). Walk in faith looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Heb 12:2; Phil 2:13). The God who delivered Israel by His power is the same God who now conforms us into the image of His Son, not by our own strength, but by His power and grace working through faith.
The Next Question
- How are you trusting Christ by faith not only to save you from your sins but also to transform your mind, your will, and your emotions?
- What is the difference between your effort and God’s effort? Can you see where you are walking in self-improvement versus living a supernaturally changed life?
- Tightening up your spiritual disciplines is not the goal. The goal is drawing near and seeing Jesus more clearly. Spiritual disciplines are a means to get there. Where are you more focused on your effort to perfect yourself rather than being with the Perfecter?