Colossians 3:1-17 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor
free, but Christ is all and in all.”
What a great book about the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ by Dallas Willard on “discipleship”. In it he states that the term “spiritual formation” refers to the process of shaping our spirit and giving it a definite character. It means the formation of our spirit in conformity with the spirit of Christ. Of course, it involves the Holy Spirit in action. Spiritual formation in Christ is the process whereby the inmost being of the individual (the heart, will and spirt) takes on the quality or character of Jesus himself.
Such a process is not a matter of the human spirit or heart only. Spiritual formation is a whole life process with change in every essential part of the person. It does not aim at controlling action and outward activities. Spiritual formation is holistic process reworking all aspects of the self. So, you have spirit (will), mind (thoughts and feelings), body, social relations, and soul. The spirit, heart, or will is the executive center of the self. It is where action ultimately comes from. But, it does not operate in isolation from mind, body and soul. Thought is a subdivision of the mind, therefore we have to have transformation of our thought life. If you are on the throne of your life, you won’t want to think about God. God gives us the power to put Him out of our minds. You have to seek Hi. He is acting. We are not waiting on Him. He is waiting on us to respond.
Our culture constantly excites to lust. But, you have to change all that in spiritual formation. You have to change your feelings. By sin, all have fallen short of the glory of God, but I hope you will realize that the sad thing is not just that we fell, but what has been in our minds all along. Spiritual formation isn’t just action control. In the Great Commission, it is the Christian church’s goal to make and teach disciples surrounded in the triune reality to do everything Jesus said. Is that your plan and agenda? If it is your goal, you will find a way to bring theological integrity and spiritual vitality together. Nothing works like genuine faith and trust in God.
Willard states that grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone, but that you can have new life now in the kingdom of God, if you trust Jesus Christ. It is the life of regeneration, resurrection and justification, which is absolutely vital for our sins have to be forgiven. But, justification is not something separate for regeneration. And regeneration of the spirit naturally moves into sanctification and glorification. If you preach a gospel that has only to do with forgiveness of sins, you will be stuck in a position where you have faith over here and obedience and abundance over there, and no way to get from here to there because the necessary bridge is discipleship.
Let’s continue it excellent teaching on spiritual formation in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment