When we receive, study, & internalize God's word (the law of the Lord), "there is nothing lacking in it for its intended purpose" (Willard, Rev. of Character, 167); it "restores the soul." Consider this: "Nothing in the Old Testament suggests that what the law does in the human heart is a human accomplishment. Rather, all benefit is ascribed to the law itself and to its giver...The benefit of the law would be a loss if we viewed it as something we must achieve on our own. For in attempting to use the law in this way, we will throw ourselves back into the position of self-idolatry, attempting to exploit the law as a tool for managing ourselves and God" (Willard, 167). The law can become a tool of self-righteousness rather than an instrument of grace.
Willard graciously stated, "The presence of the Spirit and his grace is not meant to set the law aside but to enable conformity to it from an inwardly transformed personality...we cannot separate spirit from law, though we must separate spirit and law from legalism--righteousness in terms of actions" (Willard, 167).
What is the point? The point is that our aim should be obedience to the word of God in the Spirit and power of Jesus. As Christ is formed within us, our actions will be more like His. We cannot produce Christ-likeness anymore than we can save our own souls; it is the work of Christ. Otherwise, we may become proud, self-righteous, and a bigot--walking around thanking God that we are not like "those sinners." We must see for ourselves the depths of our own "total" depravity so that we may catch a glimpse of the magnitude of His grace toward us (refer to Ephesians 2).
Yet, I must remind us that grace is not opposed to effort but achievement. We must continually pursue spiritual disciplines as a means by which God does and will demonstrate His sanctifying work. Only realize that any real growth or success in sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is a product of God's grace working within you. If you boast of your "achievement", you are a "glory-robber," taking credit for something you have not done.
May He fashion within us a heart after His own.
"The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." (Psalm 119:8)
Great post Ben. I am halfway through Jerry Bridges' book, The Pursuit of Holiness, and it he states this about the topic on hand:
ReplyDelete"Holiness is not a series of do's and don'ts, but conformity to the character of God and obedience to the will of God."
So in essence, we are not to be passive in our pursuit of holiness or Christ-likeness. It is true that he is working in us, but it is also true that we have a personal responsibility to being obedient to his will.
He also stated: "The Holy Spirit opens the inner recesses of our hearts and enables us to see the oral cesspools hidden there. This is where he begins His ministry of making us holy."
This is a humbling realization for us all who call ourselves 'Christians'. We need to prepared to be honest not only with ourselves but also with others and God.
The outcomes are not only up to God, but also to us. If His Spirit is working within us, we need to be aware of those workings and findings, and decide how we will respond so that all outcomes will be God glorifying.