“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
+Philippians 3:12-14
The Steady Climb: Growing in Christ
The process of sanctification is a slow, steady upward climb. Many times we expect immediate results and are disappointed with the lack of growth (like me!). However, God works over the long haul to make us more like His Son Jesus Christ. In fact, for those of us who have given our lives to Christ, God promises that He will make us more like Jesus, bearing his divine image over the course of our lives (Rom. 8:28-29). In our current, fast-paced, have-it-now culture, we are consumers who expect immediate results. With the world at our finger tips, we want what we want, when we want it, and we want it NOW! This mindset is contrary to the teaching of God’s Word and the outworking of His plan for our lives. The grace of Jesus Christ permeates our hearts the moment we believe in him for salvation (Rom. 5:1-2). The Holy Spirit lives within us and continually molds us to Christ-likeness through every phase of life. This is the process of sanctification. It is not an immediate, all-at-once change. We are sanctified over the long haul and God promises to finish what he starts in us.
God Finishes What He Starts
Just as a sculptor chips away at a stone slab, God chips away at our hearts to create a unique masterpiece that He planned before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-4). The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” What a promise! God finishes what He starts. He does not leave us unfinished, incomplete, half-holy. He completes us, fashions us into Christ’s image, and crafts a wonderful masterpiece over the course of our earthly lives and into eternity. His grace is the chisel that carves into our hearts of stone to create hearts of flesh. Our hope is God’s promise to make us holy. The power to change resides in the promise of God. Trusting in His promise to make us holy frees us to resemble our perfect Savior. If you are like me, and wrestle with sin every day, moment by moment, then this is the best news possible! Because Jesus died and rose again from the cross, He returned to heaven and now sits at God’s right hand of power. King Jesus is coming back soon and he will have his victory! Part of his victory plan is making God’s children holy as he is holy. He will return, set up his kingdom, defeat sin and Satan and reign victorious over all creation (Rev. 21:1-8). Now that is good news! Between the “already and the not yet,” God is working in us his perfect holiness. Right now we are incomplete, full of sin and longing for our heavenly home. God will have the victory. We can climb the mountain of His holiness one step at a time with the power of his Spirit inside us and with the company of the church around us. Let’s continue the slow, steady climb together.
Do You Know Jesus?
This hope is only for those who have repented of their sin and turned to Jesus in faith as the Son of God who died in their place and rose again to conquer sin and death. Do you believe in Jesus? Have you turned from your sin? You can do so today by praying in faith, asking Jesus to save you from your sins and to be Lord and Savior of your life (Rom. 10:9-10). This is the best decision you will ever make. God bless.
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