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Spiritual Formation does not occur through a checklist.
That is to say, we do not become conformed to Christ simply because we spend an extra 5 minutes reading the Bible every morning.
We don't become more Christlike by fulfilling a check list of dos and don'ts.- Went to church: Check!
- Shared the Jesus picture on facebook: Check!
- Had my quiet time: Check!
- Donated to the homeless guy on the street corner: Check!
- Put on Christian radio in the car: Check!
(Didn't go to the bar, didn't wear yoga pants outside, guarded my eyes from that TV commercial... etc.)
Spiritual Formation does not occur in a vacuum of independence. It doesn't happen in a space we carve out once a week to put our church face on and perk up our ears to listen to the preacher.
It just doesn't happen by anything we try to do.
Especially anything we try to do half-heartedly.
Spiritual Formation begins and ends with Christ's work in us.
I am beginning to find more and more that Christians say they are saved by grace, but live as if it is by works.
If salvation is a gift of God, truly a God oriented, God beginning, God finishing action... then why should we expect discipleship to be our work?
" And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." -Philippians 1:6
Now don't get me wrong here, works are important, works show evidence of our faith. And honestly all those things listed above are good things!
But those do not guarantee spiritual formation. Those things in and of themselves do not provide fullness of life and conformity to the image of Christ.
There is no secret formula.
Works aren't discipleship.
Checklist Christianity is not the Gospel.
Checklist Christianity is not Jesus.
Checklist Christianity is not true conformity to Christ.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi these words:
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. (Philippians 3:1-9)
You see, Paul had it all... if there ever was a formula, if there ever was a list of things to do to become a good, growing, deep, Christian that would be it.
- He did everything right, even the things he had no control over, like being circumcised on the right day... nevertheless he could boast that he was!
- He could trace his lineage back to Benjamin.
- He was a Pharisee, so that meant that he had the Torah memorized... MEMORIZED. The first five books of the Bible (you know, the books we like to skip) he had down pat!
- He was zealous, he worked to crush what he believed to be heresy.
- He was righteous, in that he uses the word "blameless" to describe how he stacks up to the Law of Moses.
And yet, he says it is all rubbish, garbage, excrement... compared to knowing Christ. In fact, he even calls the people who are still living by the set of rules, the lists of dos and don'ts, the laws and rituals... he calls them dogs. And he tells the church to watch out for them.
Spiritual Formation does not occur in a checklist.
Spiritual Formation occurs when we are eagerly expectant and desire Christ... more than anything else.
Spiritual Formation occurs in the community of messy, broken people who all desire Jesus together.
Spiritual Formation occurs when we say no to sin and the things that distract us, not to check off some box so we can feel good about our lives, but so that we can cling all the more closer to Christ.
Spiritual Formation occurs when we take the words of Jesus seriously and we obey, not out of fear, not out of some sense of duty, but out of love.
It's strange, the things that seem to keep me from Christ the most are not sins, but the neutral things.
For you, maybe it is a sin that you need to become free from, and though Christ gives us freedom, it does take work on our end so we don't fall into its entanglements over and over again.
But for me, it isn't sin so much as it is the good things of this world that I focus all the too much on.
"Let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back." -Hebrews 12:1b
You see it? There are two things mentioned here. The things that get in the way AND the sin that holds us back.
Are there any things (even good things!) that keep you from thinking of and honoring Christ with every part of your being?
If I want to be conformed to Christ I need to remove some things in my life to make space for Him to do the work in me. I'm running a race, sure, and yes I need to remove the hurdles and the objects in my path, but it is God who is building my racetrack in front of me. I don't know where I am going, I don't know how many turns I may have to make, how many hills I may have to climb, but I see Jesus ahead of me beckoning me to continue on further and further and my eyes are on Him.Spiritual Formation does not occur through a checklist.
If we are looking at our own lists of things to do, and not do, we aren't looking at Christ.
Spiritual Formation occurs on the racetrack of life, the dirt and sweat and energy that race takes, and on where our hearts, our minds, and our eyes are focused on.
In lieu of quotes to think through or a prayer to pray through...
This week:
Meditate on Psalm 63 and Philippians 3. Spend a week reading through those passages and daily ask yourself these questions:
- Why not me?
- Why not us?
- Why do we not desire Christ like King David desired Him?
- Why do we not desire Christ the way Paul desired Christ?
For some that looks like slowing down and intentionally doing different things to be still before God.
For some that looks like taking a step of faith and serving people, to be willing to do anything that is asked of you.
For some that looks like selling all of your possessions and giving them away.
For some that looks like getting up a little early every morning just to acknowledge God and thank Him for another day of life.
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