This is only our second post on what is intended to be a blog all about what God is doing or has done in our lives. The only reason there hasn’t been more posts, is for a lack of time (definitely not for lack of material). God has been so gracious to us these last couple of weeks, teaching and growing us as only our faithful heavenly Father can. I’ve found Phil. 1:6 such an encouragement and challenge: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” I like the NASB translation of this verse, because of that little word until (it is there in the original too). God isn’t just going to make us more like Jesus on the day that Christ returns – He is going to continue working on making us like Jesus until Jesus returns. This was part of God’s plan in saving us in the first place (Rom. 8:29) and becomes the foundation for many of the commands to be conformed to Christ (see Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:24).
Why is this encouraging? Firstly, because it promises that Christians can and will change. That is an undeniable fact and a promise that any believer can camp on. God is in the business of making us like his Son. And even though we may not always see the result, the fact is that God is making you more and more like Christ. Another encouraging thought is knowing that one day, even with all my current imperfections and sins, I will be perfectly like Christ. 1 John 3:2 explains it like this: “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” That should just absolutely blow your mind – and bend your knees in worship.
Why is this challenging? Because real Christians have changed and should continue to change. This is the other side of the coin. On the one hand, we are encouraged because we have the promise and power to change in the gospel. On the other, we are challenged because we have the responsibility and the resources to change in the gospel. Don’t separate the two. If we don’t become more and more like Jesus, we aren’t real Christians. Does this mean that real Christians attain sinless perfection this side of heaven? Not for a moment. As explained above, that will only happen once we see Jesus “as He is”. But, until then we should strive to become as much like Him as we can this side of heaven. As Robert Murray McCheyne famously prayed: “Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made.”
How does all this fit in with a typical day at our house? Each day we are learning that we have not reached sinless perfection yet – amid my pride’s best attempts to convince me otherwise. My wife will tell you: “He’s not there yet.” I pray that she’ll be able to honestly add: “but he is on his way.” It also reminds me to show grace (something I haven’t done to well, but hope to do better). My wife isn’t there yet either – but she is on her way. And maybe, just maybe, it will serve her better (and glorify God more), if I prayed instead of grumbled, encouraged instead of shot down and taught instead of ridiculed. After all, I’m to love her like Christ loved the Church… “that He might sanctify her” (Eph. 5:25-26). I’m not there yet, but I pray that I’d at least be on the way.
