The Place of Spiritual Growth in the Christian Life (part eight)

Regeneration happens at conversion. It is also referred to as the new birth or being born again. Jesus said to the Pharisee, Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of

God." (John 3:3 ESV). Regeneration is not an option. It's essential for salvation and it's also essential for our continued spiritual growth.

Robert S. McGee gives this definition: "Regeneration is the renewing work of the Holy Spirit that literally makes each believer a new person at the moment trust is placed in Christ as Savior."

In the previous post I mentioned that Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit. One aspect of regeneration involves the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (the third Person of the Trinity) in the physical body of the believer. Another aspect is the instant inner transformation of the human spirit by the Holy Spirit. The prophet Ezekiel foretold the new birth: "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV).

So, at conversion, the Holy Spirit enters our body, removes our old, spiritually dead stony heart and replaces it with a heart of flesh. In this passage, I think the word flesh is used not as a description of the physical heart muscle, but as a metaphor for a new spiritual heart that is supple and alive to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here."

The new birth has wonderful implications for who we are now in Christ. First, as mentioned in the previous post, God the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. Because we are imputed with the very righteousness of Christ, sin no longer forms a barrier between us and God. He completely accepts us, forgives us and is pleased to dwell in our hearts. God isn't ashamed of us, therefore we shouldn't be ashamed of ourselves. He lives inside of each Christian, despite the fact our physical bodies and brains are tainted by sin. So, the new birth forms a direct link to our relationship with God. How much more direct can it be when He dwells inside you?

Another now implication involves our new heart. My true identity is the new creation, which is my transformed spirit (small s as distinguished from the large S Holy Spirit) inside me. My theological belief is that my transformed spirit (or heart) is perfect and complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:9-10). When I say this, I'm not referring to my mind and thoughts inside my physical brain. My physical mind is still unrenewed and tainted by sin. There is debate among Christian scholars about whether humans are bipartite (body and soul) or tripartite (body, soul and spirit). John Calvin sided with bipartite and Martin Luther with tripartite. I tend to lean towards the tripartite position, but I don't think it's an important debate.

So, as a tripartite advocate, I believe my soul is different from my spirit. I view the soul as being the mind, will, passions, emotions, psyche -- basically everything that goes on in our physical brain and nervous system. The soul is tainted by sin, even though the spirit is regenerated, perfect and complete. Now, it's not as if my body and soul are independent from my spirit. The three are meant to work together as a unit. Of course, this side of paradise, the unity ain't perfect. In fact, they are at war with each other. Read Romans 7. When we get to heaven and receive our spotless resurrected bodies and minds, then the three parts will work in perfect unity.

The good news for the Christian now is that the sinful flesh (soul) received a mortal wound at conversion. I heard one pastor describe it as a chicken with its head cut off. When you lop of the poor chicken's head, you've definitely killed it, but its body continues to run around for awhile. Likewise, our sinful flesh seems to be alive and kicking, but it's actually in death throes. This is why, in Romans, we are told to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. Unfortunately, the death throes of the sinful flesh will continue until our actual physical body kicks the bucket.

What about the process of spiritual growth? A significant aspect of growth pertains to the process of the soul (sinful flesh) conforming to the regenerated spirit. Here's a key verse: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2 ESV). So, one aspect of spiritual growth has to do with how our fallen mind and soul undergo renewal. This is done by the Holy Spirit, but we definitely have a part in the process. One obvious thing we need to do is read the Bible, so that the truth of God's Word will renew our minds and correct the false beliefs that exist in our brains. The Holy Spirit will take the Word and wash our souls with it. But we need to take the initiative and read or listen to Scripture.

I'll just throw in one final tip on growth that has definitely helped me. It's based on 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  I've overcome habitual sin, not based on blood-and-guts resisting -- but, rather, on confessing my weakness to God. In prayer, I confess to God that I'm unable to resist sin on my own power. Then, as a prayer, I quote 2 Corinthians 12:9, thanking Him that His power is made perfect in my weakness. By doing this, I have experienced specific victory over sin. It's God, not me, doing the work. But I needed to confess my weakness and ask Him for help. I continue to pray this when temptations cross my path. Of course, it's also wise to take another path, if possible, when you see a temptation ahead of you on your current path. That way you can simply avoid the temptation. Just a suggestion.

Over the course of these posts, I've briefly described propitiation, justification, reconciliation and regeneration. They are four key results of the Gospel that occur at conversion, and continue to form our identity in Christ throughout our lives. During my quiet times, I always thank God for these four truths in my life. When I'm grounded in these truths, it really helps me keep my focus on how much God loves me (propitiation), is pleased with me (justification), accepts me as I am (reconciliation) and can change me (regeneration). My brief summary is just a teaser. For a detailed study, read The Search for Significance, by Robert S. McGee. I've read a lot of Christian non-fiction and self-help books and that one tops my list.

I still haven't exhausted this topic of spiritual growth. I'm sure, like me, you're wanting lots of how to's on growth. Again, that's not precisely what these posts are concerned with. I'm trying to put spiritual growth in perspective within the grand scheme of the Christian faith.

This post will be the end of this series...perhaps. But really, spiritual growth is always part of the Christian life and thinking. So it will continue to show up in this blog.

If you really want the nitty gritty on the how to's of spiritual growth, I again recommend a great 10-hour audio series by Dr. John Coe called Spiritual Formation. It is free and you can find it in the Biblical Training website: www.biblicaltraining.org. I like John Coe because he first lays the foundation of our identity in Christ, then finishes with actual things things we can do that will allow the Holy Spirit to form Christ in us.

The Place of Spiritual Growth in the Christian Life (part seven)

Views Lofty and Low has become Now, Then and Not Yet. It's simply a title change. The new title pretty

much covers everything in life. You can interpret it anyway you want. The purpose of the blog remains the same. In the old title, the word "lofty" always bugged me because readers may have thought I was egotistically referring to myself as a lofty thinker with lofty views. In truth, lofty referred to the things of God, not me. The "low" referred to me and you. Although, there is a sense in which Christians are lofty in God's sight. Ah, this leads nicely into today's topic: reconciliation.

A few posts back, I began writing about four significant results of the Gospel in the life of the Christian: propitiation, justification, reconciliation, and regeneration. As mentioned earlier, these four truths are covered in greater detail in Robert S. McGee's book, The Search for Significance. Also, my ideas may not represent exactly what McGee has written, so don't blame him for my wacky musings.

We've briefly covered the first two results of the Gospel. In a sense, each causes the other. Propitiation (Christ bearing God's wrath as a substitute for us) caused justification (God imputing Christ's righteousness to us in exchange for our sin). And because we are justified, we are now reconciled to God. At some point we'll discuss regeneration, which some Calvinists believe occurs first in the sequence of conversion. But in essence, all four happen at the moment someone invites Christ into their heart.

Actually, Christ's death of propitiation happened 2000 years ago, but it doesn't affect someone's life until they believe the truth of the Gospel and are converted. Unbelievers are described as being under God's wrath: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." (Romans 1:18). This is why it is crucial for unbelievers to believe in Jesus, who is the Truth, so God's wrath will be averted from their lives.

Reconciliation is relational at its core. Propitiation and justification are rigidly legal. We could not be brought back into a reconciled relationship with God unless Christ first died for our sins, thus imputing His righteousness to us. Because our sins have been completely atoned for, we can now enter into a beautiful relationship with God.

The old Jewish temple (which once stood in Jerusalem) offers a great illustration of reconciliation. The temple consisted of an outer room, where the sacrificial altar was. This led to a second room called the Holy Place, which led to a third room, the Most Holy Place, aka Holy of Holies. A tall, thick curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Once a year, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies (where God's presence dwelt).

In Jerusalem, on the day Christ died on the cross, something amazing happened inside the actual temple. "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." (Matthew 27:50-51)

The tearing of the curtain had great significance. For one thing, it marked the end of the old covenant, which was based on animal sacrifices. Also, it meant that there was no longer a barrier separating God from humanity. We all could now enter into the Holy of Holies because of Christ's sacrifice for us. All who place their faith in Him become priests who can enter the Most Holy Place, which is God's presence. Hebrews 10 sheds light on this: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of  faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Actually, the whole idea of the temple underwent a drastic change due to Christ's death and resurrection. The old temple in Jerusalem became obsolete and was actually destroyed in 70 AD and never rebuilt. The physical bodies of Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 6:19-20). God dwells within the body of the church as a whole, as well as within the body of each Christian.

This means that Christians are perfectly and wonderfully reconciled to God. He dwells in each of our hearts individually and among us corporately. As the above Hebrews verse states, "...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

We are perfectly reconciled to God and totally accepted by Him. This is the foundation of the Christian's personal relationship with the Lord. It's not based on our performance or good deeds, but on Christ's finished work on the cross. Also, reconciliation is not based on a feeling of His presence. Rather, it's based on His actual presence inside our hearts. We walk by faith, not by feelings. But if you happen to feel Him in your heart, that's awesome.

Propitiation, justification and reconciliation were applied to each Christian at conversion. These  Gospel truths prove that God loves us, is pleased with us, and completely accepts us. They form the Christian's identity in Christ right now.

What does this have to do with spiritual growth? By knowing who we are now (our wonderful identity in Christ), we can more effectively undergo spiritual growth based on a healthy "now" relationship with God. First things first.

Next blog post: regeneration.

The Place of Spiritual Growth in the Christian Life (part six)

If spiritual growth is so slow, why should we even make the effort?

What happens when we no longer seek to grow spiritually?

In part one of this series I confessed that my own spiritual growth has been slow. Over the years, I've heard this same confession from a few pastors and Christian leaders. Often a young Christian will experience a spurt of growth just after conversion, along with an experiential sense of God's presence -- a spiritual high. Then things get back to normal. They have a new world view that has stuck, as well as a solid moral compass, but they perceive day-to-day life with the same five physical senses that unbelievers possess. They (Christians) don't really feel all that spiritual.

Inner growth, for the Christians, slows down as they age. However, there's often an acute awareness of their remaining flaws and sinfulness. Growth slows, but an awareness of sin continues. I would say this is a healthy place for Christians. It can become unhealthy when we allow the awareness of our sin to produce guilt feelings. After all, we are completely forgiven by Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Earlier I mentioned the illustration by Teresa of Avila about how God wants to love and nurture us even among the weeds of our garden (soul). Dr. John Coe takes it further by saying we shouldn't allow shame to cause us to close God off from those weeds. Tragically, like Adam and Eve after the fall, we want to hide from God -- just when we need Him the most. However, the weeds won't be destroyed unless we open these hidden parts of our heart to God. It's an important aspect of our love relationship with Him.

I don't hear a lot of sermons about the "how to's" of spiritual growth. Occasionally it's mentioned, but not with much detail. If spiritual growth is emphasized in a church, discouragement within the congregation will likely follow because the people don't see much maturity happening in their lives. It's kind of like the topic of spiritual gifts. Sometimes I think pastors avoid speaking about gifts because the congregants inevitably start whining about their lack of talent and ability and how they feel useless in the church. Pastors may opt not to open that can of worms. So a rare sermon on spiritual gifts usually just segs into how we should be content with simply being servants. After all, the spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the Church. If you serve, you edify. There is a danger, however, of stifling unique gifts in favor of good ol' worker bees, which are drones.

My cynical side may be coming out. Back to the original question: Why make the effort to grow spiritually if it's so slow? I'll offer a couple of answers. First, we should aspire for growth because it's God's will that we do so. Hebrews 5:12-6:1 reads, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity...."  If God wants us to mature, then we should be faithful to do our part in the process.

Another reason we should push ourselves for growth goes something like this: If you're not moving forward, you're moving backward. Likewise: Use it or lose it. Or: Do or die. So, even though maturity is often slow, our current health as a Christian requires that we continue to seek God's face and practice the spiritual disciplines (prayer, reading the Word, fellowship with believers, confession, obedience, service, etc.). These disciplines help accomplish two things: spiritual growth (which is future oriented) and maintenance (now oriented) of my current faith. My perseverance in the faith might not result in fast growth -- but it will certainly prevent a spiritual disaster. If I don't do my part in cleansing the waters of my soul, then I will stagnate; and if I stagnate, my life will eventually become a lifeless, stinky cesspool.

I guess it's testimonial time. At about the age of 10 or 11 I became a Christian. After that conversion, there were about three times over the years when I entered periods of significant rebellion against God. During those times, I wanted nothing to do with God, the Bible, prayer or Christians. Of course these phases included a fair amount of fleshly sinning. My life became a stinking cesspool. At the end of each rebellious phase, a crisis or epiphany brought me to my senses and I turned my life back to the Lord.

When I think back, a period of rebellion didn't just instantly happen. It would occur gradually. I'd read the Bible less and less, pray less and less, focus less on God and more on the world. Then I'd commit some big fleshly sin and not confess it to God. Before I knew it, I was drowning in a cesspool of rebellion. Of course, God was always waiting with open arms. In His sovereignty, He'd find a way to draw me back.

So, the point is we should always be doing our part to cultivate our hearts for growth. The Holy Spirit is the chief Gardener of our souls, and He asks us to do some of the chores. Sometimes it seems like boring maintenance, with not much growth, but if we fail to do our assigned tasks, the garden will soon get weedier and more diseased.

The same spiritual disciplines that help facilitate growth (which is future oriented), also provide "now" maintenance, keeping our souls healthy in the present. This is an important reason why we should continue to persevere in the slow growth process.

Oops, I was supposed to write about reconciliation, which is the wonderful result of propitiation and justification. Perhaps next time.