The Secret for Living the Christian LifeDr. Lee J. Smith

IntroductionGenesis of this MonographOver the last thirty years I have written thirty-nine monographs (essays) on various doctrinal and ethical issues for the benefit of my congregations and myself. [If you would like to see a listing of the titles email me at ljace2smith@hotmail.com]. I always find researching and writing these essays invigorating and challenging. In these last several years I have been contemplating writing an essay on the Christian life-kind of a magnum opus so to speak. To write on such a broad topic has seemed to be such a daunting task that I have put it aside for months at a time. Not only is this a large topic with many facets, but it is one I certainly do not feel qualified to write. I am no spiritual giant. I don’t get up at 4:00 a.m. for three hours of blissful concentrated worship, meditation, and prayer. I am not often emotionally overwhelmed as I contemplate God and salvation. I struggle with temptation and spiritual apathy. But I still feel compelled to put down my thoughts about this enormously important topic and pray that it will be of some help to those who will read it.

About the TitleI must confess that the title of this essay is a tongue-in-check title to grab your attention. There is no magic bullet to successful Christian living. There is no one solitary secret for living the Christian life. Dallas Willard concurs, “There are no formulas—no definitive how-tos for growth in the inner character of Jesus.”[Dallas Willard, Renovation the Heart, p. 94]. Indeed, there are many diverse but integrated aspects of living in a way which pleases God and progresses toward the divinely-intended goal.

Some Definitions and TerminologySo, what are we talking about when we talk about the Christian life? “The Christian life” refers to the life one lives after one has become a Christian, that is regenerated (Titus 3:5), born again (1 Peter 1:3), converted, reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20), become a child of God (John 1:12), saved from the penalty of sin (Ephesians 2:5), become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), one who is in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19, Galatians 3:13),

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given eternal life (John 3:16), justified (Romans 5:1), crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), made an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17), united with Christ (Romans 6:5), in the Spirit (Romans 8:9) a saint/sanctified one (2 Corinthians 13:13), a believer (2 Corinthians 6:15) , a disciple of Jesus (Acts 6:1), belonging to Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:23, John 17:2, 6, Philippians 3:12), adopted (Galatians 4:5), one sealed with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13),indwelled by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) seated with Jesus in heaven (Ephesians 2:6), a fellow-citizen in Christ’s kingdom (Ephesians 3:20), raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1), hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3) delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10), baptized into Jesus (Romans 6:3), and no longer enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6, 18, 22), forgiven (Ephesians 1:7), and elect (Romans 8:33, Mark 13:27, Colossians 3:12). Other synonyms we use for the Christian life include the Christian walk or journey, spiritual living, spiritual formation, transformation, sanctification, and spiritual growth. In the Bible, the Christian life is spoken of as a journey or way with an entry point (Matthew 5:20, 7:13, 21) and a walk or (Romans 6:4, 8:4, 13:13, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 2:10, 4:1, Colossians 2:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Sometimes it is paralleled to natural physical life. We are spiritually born (John 3:3, 1:13, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 5:1), grow (Ephesians 4:15,16, 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 3:18, Colossians 2:19), and mature (Ephesians 4:15, Philippians 3:15, Hebrews 5:14, 6:1).The Christian life is depicted as warfare—engaging the enemy with spiritual weapons to gain spiritual victories (Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, Romans 7:23, 1 Peter 2:11, James 4:1, 1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12, and 2 Timothy 2:4).The spiritual life is also represented by agricultural metaphors—being planted, growing, pruned and bearing fruit (John 15:1-8, Matthew 13:23, Romans 6:22, Galatians 5:22, Philippians 1:11, Colossians 1:10, Hebrews 13:15, 2 Timothy 2:6).It can be pictured as a building with a foundation and super structure (Luke 6:18-19, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11,14, Acts 20:32, Romans 15:20, Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 2:20, 22, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and 1 Peter 2:5).And several times it is compared to an athletic contest—running, boxing, wrestling. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:5, 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1)Each of these ways of talking about the Christian life provides something unique to deepen our understanding of how we should live.

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1. What is the goal of the Christian Life?What is God’s intended outcome for our lives once we have been born again? This question does not have a simple biblical answer. This divine purpose is described in several ways in the New Testament.

1) The ultimate objective of the Christian life is to live in such a way the God is glorified.We have been saved to bring God the recognition and praise he rightly deserves.In Paul’s treatise on salvation in Ephesians 1 he points out that the work of the triune God in bringing us salvation had a united purpose. The Father predestined us for adoption “to the praise of his glorious grace” (v.6). The Son redeemed us “to the praise of his glory” (v.12). And we were sealed with the Holy Spirit “to the praise of his glory.” (V. 14) In verse 18 Paul astounds us by claiming that we are God’s glorious inheritance. As his holy and spotless bride we will be trophies of his grace and reflections of his glory. Listen to these words:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all weAsk or think, according to his power at work in us, to him be gloryin the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!” Ephesians 3:20-21.

“when he (Jesus) comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and tobe marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you [Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel] was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faithby his power so that the name of Jesus may be glorified in you and you inhim, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.2 Thessalonians 1:10-12.

“To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain gloryfor our Lord Jesus Christ”. 2 Thessalonians 2:14

It should be our highest ambition to bring him glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 is allinclusive: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”. See also Philippians 1:9-11, Matthew 5:16, and 1 Corinthians 6:20.

4So, what brings glory to God?

A life demonstrating love and righteousness Philippians 1:9-11A life producing good works. Matthew 5;16A body used for good and not for sin. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20Bearing spiritual fruit. John 15:8Displaying love and acceptance. Romans 15:7Using our spiritual gifts to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10-11Living honorably. 1 Peter 2:12

When we live a godly life, living for God and serving others God is glorified. Though God will be glorified by our future presence in heaven, the way we live now determines how much glory God receives now. And it may be that the “crown of glory” Peter speaks about in 1 Peter 5:4 is a capacity to display the glory of Christ to a special degree throughout eternity.

2) Another way the New Testament speaks of the goal of the Christian life is pleasing God.Pleasing God begins with believing God and the Gospel. Those who are “in the flesh” [unsaved] cannot please God” [Romans 8:8]. Hebrews 11:6 makes this clear, “And without faith it is impossible to please him.” Those who please God are those he accepts. Pleasing God is to be our aim and highest priority. “So whether we are at home [in heaven after death] or away [still living here on earth] we make it our aim to please him”. [2 Corinthians 5:9, See also, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:4]. It should be our concern to discern what pleases God [Ephesians 5:10] and our concern for each other as we pray [Colossians 1:10].As the same time, we must realize that this we cannot do in our own strength [Hebrews 13: 20-21.So, what pleases God? [Parallel concepts include behaviors God finds acceptable and those he approves.]Living by faith. Hebrews 11:6Walking a manner worthy of the Lord. Colossians 1:10Presenting our bodies to God. Romans 12:1Reverent, grateful, praise-filled worship. Hebrews 12:28, 1 Peter 2:5Accurate understanding and teaching of God’s Word. 2 Timothy 2:15Keeping God’s commands 1 John 3:22-23 [in context refers to believing in Jesus and loving each other].

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Limiting our liberty for the spiritual good of others. Romans 14:18Love-motivated generosity. Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:16Caring for needy family members. 1 Timothy 5:4Sexual purity. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3Praying for governmental authorities. 1 Timothy 2:3

3) The Bible speaks of the goal of our lives as being conformed to the character of Jesus Christ.This involves the transformation of the way we think, how we express emotions, and what decisions we make. We must understand this carefully. We are not in a process of becoming divine as the Mormons teach. We will never become “little gods” or possess his “incommunicable” attributes. We will not be sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent. We will not become one with God’s essential being. We will always be created beings not Creator. It is a moral likeness to God that is the goal. In our position in Christ we already are like God, that is godly [2 Peter 14, 2:9], but it is only in life after death that we will be completely conformed to moral character of God. [Romans 8:29, 1 John 3:2]It is only then that we will be totally holy and blameless, righteous and pure in practice as we are now only by in position. [Ephesians 1:4, Philippians 3:9, Colossians 1:22, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 5:23-24, Hebrews 12:23]. But becoming increasing conformed to the character of Jesus (or God) is the goal for this life. God-likeness in the objective. [2 Corinthians 4:11, Galatians 4:19, Ephesians 3:19, 4:13, 15, Ephesians 5:1-2, Philippians 2:5, 3:10, 1 Timothy 2:2, 4:7-8, 5:4, 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:12, 2 Peter 1:3, 6, 7, 3:11].

4) The goal of the Christian life is sanctification.By this we mean living a life set-apart from sin. In the Bible there are three aspects of sanctification. By faith in Jesus we are set apart from the penalty of sin; we have been sanctified. We are set apart by and for God. We are saints. [Acts 20:32, 26:18, Romans 15:16,1 Corinthians 1:2, 3:17, 6:11, Ephesians 4:24, 5:26-27, Colossians 1:2, 3:12,2 Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 2:11, 3:1, 13:12]. Second, in the future, when we are with Jesus we will be totally set apart from even the presence of sin. [Ephesians 5:27, Colossians 1:22, 1 John 3:2, Jude 24, Revelation 19:8, 20:6] Thirdly, as believers we are being progressively sanctified, set apart from the power of sin. This should be our desire. [John 17:17,19, Romans 6:19, 12:1

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2 Corinthians 7:1, Philippians 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 5:23, 1 Timothy 2:8, 4:7, 2 Timothy 2:21, Titus 1:8, Hebrews 12:10, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 2 Peter 3:11].[Note on Hebrews 12:14. Bible teaches dispute whether this verse is talking about positional sanctification or practical sanctification. Arminians point to this verse as saying that one can be lost if he does persevere in shunning sin. Calvinists point to it as confirming that true believers will indeed persevere in living a holy life. Others propose the verse is referring to positional holiness in Christ. This interpretation is problematic in that it is a command [“Strive”] directed to believers. John MacArthur suggests that it is a call to believers to live a holy life so that unbeleivers are drawn to Christ. Our holiness of life will draw people to ChristHebrews (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) 405-406]

5) Spiritual maturity is another way of stating the goal of our lives.Ephesians 4:13-16 clearly says this and defines it as “the measure which is the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Hebrews 6:1 exhorts us “to go on to maturity.” We are to grow up and become mature in our thinking [Philippians 3:15]. See also 1 Corinthians 16:13, Colossians 1:28, 2:7, 4:12, and Hebrews 5:14. Natural maturity means fully-developed in body, thinking and emotions. Spiritual maturity involves having spiritual discernment, wisdom, self-discipline, acceptance of responsibility, completing tasks, prioritizing, and controlling emotions.

6) Knowing Christ is the goal of Christian living.Paul said that his goal was to know Christ. [Philippians 3:10[ What did Paul mean by this? Didn’t he already know Christ (v. 8)? Knowing someone means having a relationship with that person. In what way do we have a relationship with Jesus?Just as in sanctification, knowing Christ (God) has past, present, and future aspects. We come to know Christ/God in conversion (John 8:55, 14:17 [the Spirit], 15:21, Philippians 3:8, Galatians 4:8, 9, 1 Thessalonians 4:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Titus 1:16, 1 John 2:3,4, 13, 14, 3:1, 4:8, 5:20. In the future we will know him as fully as it is possible (1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:2, Jeremiah 31:34). For now, we should seek to know him more perfectly and more deeply. Philippians 3:10, Hosea 6:3

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[Excursus on knowing God in a mystical sense. Throughout the history of the church there has been a school of thought that says that knowing God refers to mystical experiences of God in which one senses God’s presence in a vivid way, hears his voice, and may even see Christ in a visionary way. Some Christians speak of being overwhelmed by the presence of God. There are several versions of this mystical view of the Christian life.The Roman Catholic version, the Doctrine of the Three Ways, views the Christian life as a three-step process: purgation, illumination, and union. [Note. In this portrayal of the Roman Catholic view I am drawing heavily from, Spiritual Passages by Benedict J. Groeschel.] It begins with an awakening. Then, in purgation the believer “brings his or her external behavior, activities, attitudes, and desires into increasing agreement with what he or she believes and accepts as reality.” (p. 76) This requires renunciation of serious sin, then of all deliberate sin, and finally the confrontation of unseen omissions and responsibilities (p.77). This can be spoken of as mortification, which eliminates self-will, self-interest, self-centered thinking, wishing and imagining. (p. 78) The second stage is illumination. In this stage guilt is replaced by sorrow and worry with tears. Good works are the hallmark of this stage. The mind is filled with images. “In the illuminative way the Christian lives on Scripture and is fed through the writings of the saints”. (p. 83) A silence and calm develop in the individual and those advanced in the illuminative way “may come to so profound a union with God that it is referred to as ecstasy.” (p. 85)They become aware of God’s presence within especially by means of the Eucharist. (p. 137)The ultimate stage of the spiritual life is union. The experience of union with God which comes to very few by way of infused contemplation during which one is totally absorbed by the presence of God. (p. 86)“The unitive way includes two distinct contemplative experiences, one of simple quiet meditation and then, the later phase of total contemplative absorption.The later leads to an almost complete overwhelming of the normal psychological processes of the person. In this ecstatic union with God there are three steps:(1) A profound passive recollection leading to great quietness in which all the person’s faculties are held in joyful fascination at the awareness of God’s presence, (2) The overwhelming awareness of the presence of God, and (3) A kind

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of wakeful sleep in which one is conscience but in which all psychological powers have come to rest in God. (p. 176)The Eastern Orthodox understanding of the Christian life is in many respects close to that of Roman Catholicism. For the Eastern Orthodox the principle guide used for directing the Christian’s life is Philokalia, an anthology of writings from the fourteenth and fifteens centuries published in 1782. The basic understanding of the Christian life in orthodoxy is that by means of ascetic practice and contemplation the intellect is purified, illumined, and made perfect. The key disciplines are prayer, watchfulness, and stillness (hesychia). Orthodoxy looks for inner transformation, but “even the inward act of repentance is expressed outwardly with bows, prostrations, and signs of the cross.” (p, xi) Seven themesReoccur in the Philokalia: repentance, the heart, prayer, the Jesus Prayer, the passions, stillness, and thesis (deification). “Deification is at the core of how Eastern Christian understand salvation. Salvation is sharing in God’s life, a participation in the Divine Through the process of theosis we become by grace what God is by nature”. (p. xii, xiii)Progress toward theosis is accomplished by practicing the spiritual disciplines, including standing and praying the liturgical prayers (reciting of the Psalms with prostrations). “At the onset of prayer the intellect is so ravished by the divine and infinite light that it is aware neither of itself nor of any other created being, but only on him who through love has activated such radiance in it (p. 83) St. Diadochos says, “when we begin wholeheartedly to carry out the commandments of God all our organs of perception will become fully conscious of the light of grace; grace will consume our thoughts with its flames, sweetening our hearts in the peace of uninterrupted love, and enabling us to think spiritual thoughts and no longer worldly thoughts.” (p. 47) Also, the continuous repetition of the Jesus Prayer is a key to spiritual development. This prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”. Abba Philemon exhorts, “Without interruption, whether asleep or awake, eating, drinking or in company, let your heart inwardly and mentally at times be meditating on the Psalms and repeating the prayer, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.’ ” (p. 113) Believers are urged not to neglect prostration and to restrain the drawing in of breath through nostrils while praying.)The believer’s main enemies are his passions which operate through his senses—sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. The three principle passions are the love of

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sensual pleasure, love of riches, and love of praise. (p.139) Ascetic practices are necessary for spiritual progress in overcoming the passions . (p.132) So, if the intellect inclines toward God it will provide the body with no more than it needs to survive. (p. 143) And to avoid unchastity, one must fast, keep vigils, work, and avoid meeting people. (p.145)The ultimate goal of the Christian life is theosis (deification). St. Mark the Ascetic said, “The Logos became man, so that man might become Logos.” (p.191)This does not mean that we take on God’s nature or that we are simply merged into the divine, but that in some way we participate in God without becoming God. (p. 200-201) Mysticism and Evangelicalism. Certain aspects of this mystical approach to the Christian life have been adopted by modern Evangelicals, especially in Pentecostalism. This is seen is the emphasis on ecstatic worship experiences, contemplative praying, being baptized with the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues, and practicing the spiritual disciplines. Modern Evangelicals are again reading the writings of the Middle Age Mystics. Boa calls this “devotional spirituality.” Here are two quotes from Boa.

But if we are faithful to the practice of meditating on the gloryof God and the beauty of Jesus, we will love him by beholding him.If we spend time with him, practicing his presence, follow him, and learn from him, we will love him and become like him. (Kenneth Boa.Conformed to His Image, p. 191)

But the heart of devotional spirituality is abiding in Jesus by beingin his presence and communing with him in ever-increasing ways.The more we seek him, experience him, and immerse ourselvesin him, the more we are transformed into his image and likeness.(Conformed, p. 191)]

7) Winning the prize is a legitimate purpose for living the Christian life.Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize associated with the upward call of God in Christ”. Philippians 3:14. The prize in this verse cannot be talking about salvation. Salvation is not a prize to be earned. I believe Paul is talking about rewards. I will come back to this subject later. See also 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 as well as the verses about heavenly crowns.

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8) Another way of describing the goal of Christin living is transformation. Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our mind…” And 2 Corinthians 3:18 assures us that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…”This is a process in which every aspect of our lives is being changed. This transformation will not be complete until Jesus returns or we come into his presence through death. [Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52]

9) The goal of the Christian life is the development of love.If love for God and others is the essence of God’s commands, then it is certainly a worthy objective. Matthew 22:37-39, John 13:34-35, Romans 13:8-10, 1Corinthians 13:8, Colossians 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:10-11, 1 Timothy 1:5,1 John 4:21.10) Attaining wisdom is a goal of the Christian life.Wisdom is skill in living one’s life according to God’s Word. Wisdom is certainly a goal for living. Paul prayed that the believers would manifest wisdom [Ephesians 1:17, Colossians 1:9]. He connects wise teaching with spiritual maturity in Colossians 1:28. He commands us to walk in wisdom. Colossians 4:5, Romans 16:19, Ephesians 5:15. James says we should seek wisdom from God (1:5) and expounds on its characteristics (3:17). In the Old Testament, wisdom is a primary virtue of dedicated followers of Yahweh. Wisdom is commended. Psalm 19:7, 107:43, Proverbs 1:2-6, 2:6, 3:5, 4:5-7, 8:33, 14:16, 23:19, 23, 24:14, Daniel 12:3.2. Motivation for Living a Christian LifeWhat is it that motivates a believer to desire to grow as a Christian? Certainly, the biblical objectives cited above may all serve as motivators. We should be motivated by a desire to please God [Ephesians 5:10], by the prospect of rewards[Philippians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 4:5], by a desire to avoid chastening [1 Corinthians 11:30, 1 Peter 4:17], and by a desire to be a credible witness [Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23]. But it seems to me that two of the most powerful motivators are love for God and gratitude for our salvation.God’s love for us engenders in us a love for him. Nothing motivates a person to please another is the mutual love they have for one another. Granted, the Bible says a lot more about God’s love for us than our love for him, but it seems logical that we would love the one who loved us with an infinite love. Believers are described as those who love God. [1 Corinthians 2:9, James 1:12, 2:5, 1 Peter 1:8]

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[I John 3:17 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 may be referring to God’s love for us, God’s love in us, flowing through us or our love for God.]Gratitude for what God has done for us is a powerful motivator. Hebrews 12:28 urges us, “Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” [2 Corinthians 9:15, 2:14, 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, Romans 6:17-19, Colossians 3:12-17] A chorus from my childhood days said, “After all He’s done for me. After all He’s done for me. How could I do less than give Him by best and live for Him completely after all He’s done for me.

3. Factors in Spiritual LivingThe goal of the Christian life is profound and multi-faceted, but how do we get there? It does little good to know what the goal is, if we don’t know how to achieve it. Before we look at the various factors that are a part of spiritual growth there are three preliminary matters to note.First, we must understand that there is no spiritual growth or life apart from regeneration. You can’t grow if you haven’t been born. There is no spiritual life to develop if you are dead in your sins. Trying to do all those things Christians do to grow to maturity is fruitless if you aren’t a true believer. You must first trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior before you can make him Lord of each aspect of your life. As Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him…” It does no good to cajole people to do Christian things unless they are regenerated Christians. That is why when Paul first came to Corinth he was determined only to speak about “Jesus Christ, and him crucified [1 Corinthians 2:2]. The foundation of spiritual living is our union (identification) with Jesus in his death and resurrection. [Romans 6:1-14, Galatians 2:20, 5:24, 6:14] As Groeschel puts it, “At the center of Christian spirituality is the incarnate Word of God.” Second, it is critical that we understand that living the Christian life is a divine-human process. Without the enablement of the triune God we will never progress toward the goal. Yet, that does not mean that we can just “Let go and let God.” Passivity is not an option. “Quietism”, the teaching that perfection and spiritual peace are attained by “passive absorption in contemplation of God and divine things” is not biblical. The Bible speaks of both divine enablement and human responsibility. Can we progress in our own strength? Absolutely not. Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” [John 15:5] See also Galatians 2:20,

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2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Romans 15:18, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4. Galatians 5:16 commands, “Walk by means of the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Yet, there are literally hundreds of commands in the New Testament directed toward the believer. We are expected to do what God commands us to do. It would be absurd for God to command us to do what is impossible for us to do. It is not either/or; it is both/and. The text which puts this together most clearly is Philippians 2:12-13. Verse 12 is our responsibility, “work out your salvation (deliverance from the power of sin in our lives) with fear and trembling.” But, verse 13 assures us that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”What we cannot justly do is blame God for our lack of spiritual progress. God has given us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness (1 Peter 1:3). If we aren’t progressing it is because we are not responding to his prompting. A phrase I use to describe this divine/human process of spiritual growth is dependent obedience. Just as we serve with the strength God supplies (1 Peter 1:10-11), so we grow by God-enabled faith-based, love-motivated obedience.

Third, attaining to the goal (maturity, conformity to the character of Jesus) is a process. We don’t just suddenly arrive at the goal. It takes a lifetime of dependent obedience. There is no one moment of experience which makes us totally Christlike. The Church of the Nazarene teaching that we can attain a state of sinless perfection by a “second work of grace” is not biblical. Even the great Apostle Paul admitted that he had not yet arrived at the goal. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” [Philippians 3:12] Boa says, “The spiritual life is progressively cultivated in the disciplines of the faith.” [Boa, Conformed, p. 74]So, what tools does God provide for our spiritual growth? What are the measures we can take to keep on progressing? What factors are involved in living a godly life?Trust and obedience [dependent obedience]In the old gospel song we sang, “Trust and obey, trust and obey , for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.” That’s right on!We trust our enabling God and obey his commands. We cannot progress toward Christlike maturity without a deep and growing trust in God. It seems to me that at the heart of our disobedience is a lack of trust in God and his promises. Why do we steal? Is it not because we are not sure God will supply all our needs as he

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promised to? Why do we lie? Is it not partly because we don’t believe God can overcome the consequences we may face if we tell the truth? Someone has said, “It is easier to trust God for eternal life, than to trust him in daily life.” We live with one foot in the world just in case the Bible does not turn out to be true in the end. If we really believe God loves us, we will not be afraid to do what he commands. [1 John 4:16] We cannot please God without trusting him. [Hebrews 11:6] A robust faith is key to living a godly life. Listen to the following verses:“…And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16“The aim of our charge is love which issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly…” 2 Thessalonians 1:3On the other hand, the call to obey God and his commands is clear. This is our responsibility. We have the responsibility to yield ourselves to God, submit to him and present ourselves to him, and obey his commands. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness”. Romans 6:12-13“For just as you once presented your members (hands, feet, eyes, tongue) as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification”. Romans 6:19“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”. Romans 12:1 [The use of the Aorist tense of the Greek verb translated “present” should not be understood as implying a once-for-all-time presentation, but rather iteratively as something to be repeated. [Wallace, Greek Grammar, p.557] As someone said, “The problem with living sacrifices, is that they keep jumping off the altar.”“Submit yourselves therefore to God…” James 4:7

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“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”. 2 Timothy 2:15

The Holy SpiritThe necessity of the work of the Holy Spirt in our lives if we are going to progress toward Christlike maturity cannot be overstated. The ministry of the Holy Spirit relates both to our salvation and to our sanctification. In relationship to salvation, the Holy Spirit convicts us [John 16:7-11], bears witness to Jesus [John 15:26], regenerates us [John 3:5-8, 6:63, Titus 3:5], baptizes us into Christ [1 Corinthians 12:13] indwells us [John 14:19, Romans 8:9 Jude 19, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20], and is the seal God gives us guaranteeing our redemption [2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30].In relationship to sanctification (the Christian life) the Holy Spirit fills us [Ephesians 5:18], empowers us [Acts 1:8, Galatians 5:16], guides us [John 16:13, Galatians 5:18], teaches us [John 14:26, 1 John 2:27, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13], prays for us [Romans 8:26], inspired the Scriptures which is part of our spiritual armor [Ephesians 6:17, 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17], gifts us to help each other [1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 4:10-11], gives us assurance [Romans 8:16], helps us [John 14:16, 26, 16:7], convicts us (though I find no specific Scripture which says this), and protects us [Psalm 143:10].We are commanded to “walk by the Spirit [Galatians 5:16] and be filled with the Spirit [Ephesians 5:18] and not to grieve the Spirit [Ephesians 4:30] or quench the Spirit [1 Thessalonians 5:19].To walk by the Spirit means to yield our lives to the Holy Spirit and depend on his power to produce godly character (the fruit of the Spirit) in us.To be filled with the Spirit is a command; it is something we do not something we pray for. The filling of the Spirit is the ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby he controls the believer as the believer yields himself to God. It is a matter of yielding ourselves to him daily. The results of Spirit-filling are outlined in Ephesians 5:19-21, but would also include enablement for ministering to others.We grieve the Spirit by sin.We quench the Spirit when we turn a deaf ear to what the Spirit is telling us through the ministry of the Word of God through others.

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The Word of GodThe inspired Word of God is essential for spiritual growth. It reveals everything we need to know to become mature followers of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 puts is succinctly, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man(person) of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”. Peter challenges us, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”. [1 Peter 2:2] [Salvation in this verse does not refer to salvation form the penalty of sin, but deliverance from the power of sin in our lives.]Psalm 119:9-11 assures us that God’s Word can keep us from sin.“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you”. Hebrew 4:12 compares the God’s Word to a sword which can penetrate into the deepest places of our lives. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart”. Ephesians 6:17 says the Bible is the sword of the Spirit with which we engage in the spiritual battle and that God’s truth is a belt of protection.“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth”, [Ephesians 6:14],“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” [Ephesians 6:17]Psalm 11:105 calls God’s Word “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”Jesus said that those who hear his word and obey are like a wise man who builds his house [life] on a solid rock. [Matthew 7:24-27]It is the Word planted in the life which produces spiritual fruit. [Luke 8:15, James 1:21]Jesus promised that those who hear and obey his Word will be blessed. [Luke 11:28] He asked the Father to sanctify his followers with the truth[John 17:17]John implied that it was the presence of the Word of God in young believers which made them strong and victorious [1 John 2:14]

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The psalmist says that the Word strengthens us [Psalm 119:28] and gives us understanding (Psalm 119:169]If the Bible can accomplish all these thing in us, we must conclude that we must saturate our minds with Scripture, so that our minds and lives will be transformed and renewed.We are to believe it, trust it, and put our hope in its promises. [Psalm1:1-3, 119:42, 74, 81, 114, 1 Thessalonians 2:13]We are to long for it. [1 Peter 2:2, Job 23:12]We need to read it daily. Meditate (think about what is means and how it applies to our lives) [Psalm 1:2] and fix it in our minds. [Psalm 119:11]This may include memorization, but we must nor assume that memorizing a verse is sufficient. We must understand it, “handle it rightly” [2 Timothy 2:15], apply it to every part of our lives [Psalm 119:67, James 1:22-23, 2:8], find joy in it [Psalm 119:162, 172], proclaim it [p2 Timothy 4;2] and teach it [1Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 2:2, Titus 2:1].

PrayerThat prayer is vital to spiritual progress is clearly taught in the Bible. We are called to pray consistently [Luke 18:1, Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 4:2]. Jesus said his disciples were always to pray and not lose heart, suggesting that prayer is a key to not losing heart [Luke 18:1]. He pointed to prayer as a means of avoiding falling to temptation [Matthew 14:23, 26:41] Jesus himself often prayed. [Matthew 26:38, Mark 6:46, 14:32, Luke 3:21, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 28, 11:1, John 17:9. So did the early church [Acts 1:14, 4:24-30, 6:4,6, 14:23, 16:5, 20:36]. It was one of the basic components of their gatherings. [Acts 2:42]Paul prayed for the churches and asked them to pray for him [2 Corinthians 1:11, Ephesians 6:19-20, Colossians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:25]. He prayed that they would do right [2 Corinthians 13:7], for spiritual restoration [2 Corinthians 13:9], that they would gain wisdom [Ephesians 1:9-11], for spiritual strength, that they would grasp God’s love and be filled with God’s fulness [Ephesians 3:14-19] for increased love and righteousness [Philippians 1:9-11 and for opportunities for ministry [1 Thessalonians 3:10]. He exhorted the churches to pray [Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:8]. See also Jude 20.Prayer should accompany putting on the armor of God. [Ephesians 6:18] It is an

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important part of spiritual warfare. [Mark 9:29] So, what should we pray for when we pray for ourselves? Just about everything, both physical needs [James 5:16, Matthew 6:11] and spiritual ones [Matthew 6:9-13,1 John 1:9, Philippians 4:6, James 1:5] 1 Peter 4:7 suggests that prayer takes self-discipline and clear thinking.Praying for oneself may be selfish [James 4:3] but not always. We are encouraged to ask and promised answers. [Matthew 7:7,11, John 14:13,14, 15:7, 16, 16:23,24,26, James 4:2, 1 John 3:22, 5:14-15]One of the difficulties I found in writing this monograph is that it is impossible to cover every topic thoroughly. For example, I have merely hit a few highlights on prayer. There are whole books written about prayer and practical strategies, types, or techniques for praying well. I recommend reading from the resource list I have given you at the end of this monograph which deal with prayer far more thoroughly. Let me close this section by quoting George Sweeting, former president of Moody Bible Institute: “Prayer is not an easy way to get the things we want from God; it is the only way we have of becoming what God wants us to be”.The Christian CommunityI am convinced that in most cases we will never grow to maturity apart from a regular connection with a local church. The church plays a crucial role in our spiritual formation. One primary text which connects the local church with our spiritual growth is Ephesians 4:11-16.

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love”.

Paul tells us that the risen Christ has given his church gifted leaders (11). The task 18

of these leaders is to equip the body to enable it to do the work of the ministry (12). The intended outcome of this is stable Christlike maturity of all who are part of the body (13-14). As we speak the truth in love to one another we grow up into Christlikeness (15). Each one of us has a role to fulfill in this process (16). There is no idea in the New Testament of a lone-ranger Christian who is isolated from a local church. When a person was saved he became a part of a local assembly of believers.Another important text is Hebrews 10:24-25.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”.

Here we are instructed to think about how to stir one another up to love and good works and to encourage one another. We are not to neglect meeting together, though some had evidently been doing just that. This is not optional; it is a command. The many resources we have today in written form and through electronic media are a blessing but are no substitute for face to face meetings with our brothers and sisters in Christ.So, what do we receive in the context of a local church which helps us grow?1) We receive the teaching of God’s truth. It is in church where we learn about God, his promises, and what he expects of us. Acts 2:42, 11:25-26, Colossians 1:28, 3:16, 1 Timothy 4:11, 13-16, 5:17, 2 Timothy 2:2, 4:2, Titus 2:1. Even our singing has an educational purpose.[ Colossians 3:16]. [1 John 2:27 cannot mean that we don’t need the teaching gifts and ministries of the church, but is disparaging false teaching.]2) The church is where we are exhorted to apply the truth of Scripture to the way we live. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16, Hebrews 3:13.3) The church is where we are rebuked for sin. 2 Timothy 4:24) The church is where we are to be disciplined to bring about our repentance and restoration. In the body there is accountability.[ Matthew 18:15-18, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:7-8, 13:11, Galatians 6:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:6, 14, Titus 3:10, James 5:16]

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5) The church is where others use their spiritual gifts to build us up and where we use our gifts to build up others. Romans 12:6, 14:19, 15:2, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 14:3, 12 Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 4:28, 5:16, Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 6:10, 1 Peter 4:10-11.6) The church is where we find models to emulate, examples of those who are living godly lives. 1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, Philippians 3:17, 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:9, 1 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 1:13, Hebrews 6:12, 13:7, 1 Peter 5:3.7) The church is where we pray for one another. Acts 20:36, Romans 15:30, 2 Corinthians 1:11, 1 Timothy 2:1, 8, James 5:14-16.8) The church is where we have leaders to teach us, shepherd us, confront us, gives us examples, love us, discipline us, disciple us, comfort us, and protect us from false teaching. Acts 14:22, 18:11, 23, 20:28, Romans 12:10, 16:17, Philippians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:12-14, 1 Timothy 3:5, 4:11, 12, Titus 2:7, 1 Peter 1:22, 4:8, 5:2, 1 John 3:11, 18, 4:7, 2 John 5.9) The church is where we find support when we encounter suffering or face persecution. Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Colossians 2:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.10) The church is where we find our identity. We belong to each other. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, God’s temple, and fellow shoulders standing side by side in the spiritual battle. Philippians 1:27. 11) The church should be our back-up when we have needs which we cannot meet by our own efforts. Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35, Romans 12:13, 16:1-2, 2 Corinthians 8 & 9, Galatians 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Timothy 6:18, Titus 3:14, Hebrews 13:16, James 1:27. [Though I will not be commenting on this, it seems clear to me that the New Testament links our attitudes and actions with respect to money with our spiritual standing. How we make, use and share our finances is a good indicator of our walk with Christ.]12) The church even as it worships is spiritually beneficial to us. Worship as a tool for spiritual growth is a novel but legitimate concept to pursue. See Ephesians 4:19 and Colossians 3:16-17.

Of course, churches may fail to do what God intended churches to do. And if churches fail to do what God intends churches to do, believers will not grow as God intends them to grow. That, in part, explains why so many para-churches

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have arisen—to do what local church are not doing. On the other hand, para-church ministries are a blessing, giving churches helpful resources to aid them in the process of discipling believers. For example: discipleship training school, literature, and audio and video resources. But, as helpful as these tools are they cannot replace the local church as the place God intends for spiritual growth to flourish.

The Spiritual DisciplinesThere has been a recent emphasis in evangelicalism on the importance of engaging in the spiritual disciplines. This is, in a way, a return to the spiritual disciplines and practices of the Medieval monastic societies.Utilizing spiritual disciples as a way of spiritual formation is certainly valid, but this way of approaching the spiritual life also has some dangers.First, there can be a legalistic tendency to set up a rigid schedule and feel guilty for not holding to that schedule rigorously. It can turn into a self-centered approach which says, “If I follow these disciplines I can become spiritual”.Second, there is a temptation to pride, seeing oneself as far more serious about the Christian life than others who do not practice the same spiritual disciplines as you do or not to the extent you do [1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Romans 14:1-15:7]Third, the spiritual disciplines tend to focus inward and upward and not outward. One can be so caught up with his own spiritual journey that he may neglect or downplay the evangelization of the lost and the edification of one’s brothers and sisters in Christ. Some medieval mystics believed that a person could not attain the highest levels of spirituality while in close contact with people, so they removed themselves to monasteries and deserts. The classic example is that of Simeon Stylites who for 36 years lived on a platform at the top of a pillar over fifty feet above the ground. Yet, spiritual transformation which is unrelated to one’s personal relationships is truncated and impossible. [1 John 4:20]Fourth, there is the danger of adopting a type of asceticism, where one believes that denying oneself the God-given things of this world will somehow make one more spiritual. One Eastern Orthodox writer said that the soul must learn to spurn sensual pleasures which sounds a lot like those in Paul’s day who were saying, “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch.” [Colossians 2:21]

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Fifth, there is a danger of believing that the apex and goal of the Christian life is mystical experiences of God. In both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox teaching and even in some Pentecostal circles the ultimate goal is to be so aware of God’s presence that one is unaware of the world around oneself. In Roman Catholic thought union with God is the highest goal, being absorbed in experiencing the full presence of God—a trance-like state where normal perception is overwhelmed in ecstatic wakeful sleep. In Orthodoxy, this is called theosis. In Pentecostalism, it is being baptized with the Holy Ghost, a trance-like experience during which one speaks in tongues and has visions.What spiritual disciplines do spiritual leaders and writers commend to us?On the website www.soulshepherding.org Gaultiere says that there is no complete list and that “any activity that helps you grow your reliance on the Spirit of Jesus might make your spiritual disciplines list.” Foster categorizes the disciplines as inward, outward, and corporate. [Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline] He includes the following: meditation, prayer, fasting, biblical study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, public confession, worship, guidance and celebration.Dallas Willard’s categories are disciplines of abstinence and disciplines of engagement. [Dallas Willard, Spirit of the Disciplines] His list includes solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, sacrifice, study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession and submission.Boa [Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image] names solitude, silence, prayer, journaling, study, meditation, fasting, chastity, secrecy, confession, fellowship, submission, guidance, simplicity, frugality, stewardship, sacrifice, worship, celebration, service, and witness.To these Eastern Orthodoxy adds repetition of the Jesus prayer, repentance and stillness—the capacity to be empty of all thought and free from all images. Roman Catholicism would add participation in the liturgical life of the church.Other proponents of the spiritual disciplines approach emphasize engaging a spiritual director to supervise your practice of the spiritual disciplines. I am not going to elaborate on all of these disciplines. Here are some of Gaultiere’s definitions:Secrecy is intentionally hiding your prayers and deeds to please only your God in heavenSolitude & Silence is to get alone with God in a quiet place for some hours or days.

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Fasting is going without food or something else like electronic media for a period of intensive prayer.Sabbath is doing no work to rest in God’s person and presence.Submission is not asserting ourselves to come under the authority of the wisdom and power of Jesus.Soul friendship is participation in small groups, seeking spiritual direction and mentoring.These are not new ideas. These are the disciplines which believers who want to grow have always utilized. What the modern writers seem to emphasize is:1) that the contemporary church has gotten away from these basic biblical disciplines.2) some different and fresh ways to engage in these disciplines.3) the employment of spiritual directors or guides.4) the need for more intentional, intensive pursuit of godliness.This, in a way, is a more intense and comprehensive development of what used to be called “personal devotions” or a “quiet time.” It certainly goes beyond reading a short devotional booklet and having a quick prayer before rushing out the door to go to work. [Some much used devotional tools include “Our Daily Bread”, Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, and Hannah Whitehall Smith’s The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life]. There is nothing wrong with devotional books. Many believers find them helpful. However, the temptation is to become dependent on them or think they are enough.I must confess that I have not practiced these spiritual disciples as these authors insist I should in a formal way. I have fasted a few times in stressful situations. I do not go out in the woods or to a mountain cabin to meditate and pray for a week or two. I don’t go a local monastery to seek out a spiritual director. Perhaps I should be more intentional about practicing the spiritual disciplines. I don’t know.

3. Aspects of the Spiritual Life

What else? There are many other aspects of spiritual living that need to be mentioned. They are not strictly tools for spiritual development, but they are certainly aspects of how Christian should live. Every aspect of our lives needs to be yielded to Jesus. That includes our thinking, emoting, talking, and acting, our

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relationship with others (the opposite sex, spouse, children, parents, civil authorities, employers, employees), worship, financial dealings, and evangelism.How we approach the varied areas of living reveals the degree of our spiritual progress.

Spiritual WarfareSatan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God and whose purpose is to oppose God’s plan in every way. Demons are evil angels who followed Satan in his rebellion. Satan and his demons surround us to thwart our spiritual growth. Satan not only attempts to prevent our conversion [Matthew 13:16, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:26], but he does all that he can to prevent us from being conformed to the image of Christ.He brings persecution to discourage us [2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Peter 5:8-9, Revelation 2:10]He tempts us to sin [Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 22:31, Acts 5:3, 1 Corinthians 7:5, Ephesians 4:27, 6:11-12].He hinders our ministry [ 2 Corinthians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 2:18]. He attempts to deceive us and promotes false teaching [2 Corinthians2:11, 11:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1]He attacks our bodies. [Job 1 & 2, Luke 13:16, 2 Corinthians 12:7]Bible teachers debate whether true believers can be possessed (indwelled) by demons, but all agree that we can certainly be oppressed by demons [Pro: Acts 5:3-4, 1 Samuel 16:143, 28:19, 2 Corinthians 11:4. Con: 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 John 4:4]We must engage in spiritual warfare to defeat Satan’s schemes. James 4:7 exhorts us, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” How do we resist the devil? Some say that we must audibly, verbally confront Satan as Jesus did in Matthew 4:1-11 and 16:23. But Jude 9 should give us some caution in this. I believe it is living a life of dependent obedience which overcomes Satan’s ploys. I would suggest the following measures for overcoming Satan and his demons. 1) Know who he is. He is powerful and as dangerous as an angry hungry lion. We dare not mock him or try to defeat him in our own strength (Jude 9, Ephesians 6:11). He is a master of deception and has more knowledge, power and experience than any person. However, we should not be afraid of Satan. He is not God. His power, authority and knowledge are limited. (2 Cor 12:7,10, Job 1&2).

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2) Realize that his doom is sealed. He is a defeated foe. Rom 16:10, Col 2:15, Rev. 12:11, John 12:31, 16:20, Heb. 2:14, 1 John 3:8.3) Rely on God’s strength.

Jesus is praying for us. John 17:15 Luke 22:31-32.The Holy Spirit indwells us. 1 John 4:4God will protect us. 2 Thess. 3:3.We can seek God’s help through prayer. Matt. 6:13We can be confident of God’s strength to overcome. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

4.) Submit to God and obey his Word. James 4:7 Revelation 12:11.5) Put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-176) Be vigilant and ready to resist him. 1 Peter 5:8,9 James 4:7

When some people talk about spiritual warfare they are almost exclusively talking about casting demons out of people. Is this a ministry we should take up?Some think that evil spirits are the cause of all our sins. We lie because of a lying spirit. We steal because of a stealing spirit. This sounds a lot like the mantra, “The devil made me do it.” To be sure Satan and his demons are always tempting us, So, does this world. Frankly, it is our own sinful tendencies which are the root of our failures. [Romans 7:14-24, James 1:13-15, 4:1] Let me make the following observations:1) Nowhere does the Bible command us to cast out demons. [Matthew 10:8 is addressed to the Apostles]2) Biblical incidents of the casting out of demons are limited to the Gospels and Acts; there is no mention of casting out demons in the Epistles or Revelation.[Mark 6:13, Luke 7:21, 9:1, Acts 8:7, 16:18, 19:12]3) We are not told definitely how demons were cast out. Jesus directly commanded them to come out. [Luke 8:29] The Jewish exorcists in Acts 19 were perhaps mimicking what they had seen Paul do when they commanded the demons to come out in the name of Jesus. Some exorcisms evidently required special prayer. [Mark 9:29]4) That demons do possess people even today has been attested. All mental derangement cannot be attributed to psychological dysfunction or mental illness. Nor would I deny that demons can be cast out today. But this is not emphasized in the New Testament epistles. Our basic problem is sin. If a demon-possessed

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person turns to Christ or a believer repents the demon will be compelled to leave. Casting out of demons may be necessary at times, but it shouldn’t be undertaken rashly or brashly. It should be a last resort. And we must remember Jesus’ warning that demons can return and re-enter a person [Matthew 12:43-45].

Repentance and Confession of SinRepentance is a turning of the mind leading to a change of behavior. It is almost always used in the Bible in a salvific sense of people turning to Christ for salvation.It is used of believers as an aspect of spiritual living in Revelation 2:5 and 3:3, 19, Luke 22:32, and Perhaps 2 Corinthians 7:10. Paul suggests that repentance will be accompanied with sorrow for our sin.To confess means to acknowledge one’s sins, agree with God as to the sinfulness of our actions. It is used in this sense of a believer in only James 5:16 (where the confession is public) and in 1 John 1:9Repentance and confession is modeled by David in Psalm 32 and 51.

EvangelismEvangelism is a central aspect of Christian living. Though God may gift some believers with a special capacity to evangelize [Ephesians 4:11, Acts 21:8, 2 Timothy 4:5], all believers have responsibility to share the Good News with the lost.Peter urges us, “but in your hearts regard Christ as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” [1 Peter 3:15]We are, by definition, witnesses. [Acts 2:32, John 15:26-27, Matthew 4:19]This responsibility was given to us by the risen Christ [Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 10:42] The early church engaged in this. [Acts 1:8, 8:4, 9:20, 28, 11:19-21, 15:5, etc.] Their bold actions enabled by the Holy Spirit brought about the expansion of the church and was the main reason they were persecuted. [Acts 5:27-42]. For his own sovereign and wise purpose God chose to make our witness the means by which people find eternal life [Romans 10:14-17]. Like the Apostle Paul we should have a passion for taking the gospel to the lost which springs out of our gratitude

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to God for our salvation and out of a love for people. [Romans 9:1-3, 10:1, 2 Corinthians 5:20]Jesus said his purpose in coming was “to seek and to save the lost.” [Luke 19:10]He sacrificed the glories of heaven, the display of his divine glory and death on a cross to bring salvation to mankind. [Philippians 2:5-11]. Certainly, it is impossible to consider oneself Christlike or spiritually mature without this same passion to bring salvation to those who are without hope and headed for eternal judgment.I have never forgotten a message recorded by Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators. He pointed out that one of the normal outcomes of growing to physical maturity is the capacity to reproduce. If a mature person does not reproduce it is evidence that something is wrong. Trotman applied the analogy to reproducing ourselves spiritually in others. If we don’t something is wrong.

4. A Few More Questions about Christian Living

1) Is spiritual growth inevitable? Does every believer persevere in doing good works and growing to maturity?Reformed theology teaches the perseverance of the saints as one of its pillars of the faith (The P of T.U.L.I.P). This means that true believers will persevere in faith and godliness until death. Does the Bible teach this? I believe it does. [See my monograph on Salvation.] However, that does not mean that every believer will become mature and Christlike to the degree that he could or should. It is possible to fail to grow. The command to grow to maturity would be meaningless if it just automatically happens. Our sin can be so extreme that God’s discipline can even include the taking of our physical lives but not our salvation. [1 Corinthians 5:5, 11:30, 1 John 5:16].

2) How do different theologies approach spiritual living?It is apparent that different theologies and denominations approach Christian living in diverse ways, both in terms of process as well as in intended outcomes.I would commend to you two books which delineate these differences thoroughly: Christian Spirituality edited by Donald L. Alexander and Ken Boa’s Conformed to His Image.

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3) Are spirituality and spiritual maturity different?Can a believer be spiritual and yet not spiritually mature? Can a believer who is spiritually mature ever act in an unspiritual way? L. S. Chafer points to 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4 where Paul categorizes people into three groups: the natural (unsaved), the carnal or fleshly (believers who are behaving in a human/sinful way) and the spiritual (believers who are living according to the Spirit). [L.S. Chafer, He Who is Spiritual] Whether Chafer is right in his analysis of this text or not, I believe it is correct to distinguish between spirituality and spiritual maturity. One can be yielded to the Spirit as far as he understands God’s will, yet, unexperienced in many facets of spiritual living and in his knowledge of God’s Word. He may be a new believer who is Spirit-controlled but not biblically informed.On the other hand a person who has good knowledge of the Word and who has grown considerably in Christlike virtues may still act in ways which are unspiritual when he yields to sin. That would seem to be the point of the biblical warnings to be spiritually alert [1 Peter 5:8, 2 John 8] and not naïve or overconfident in respect to temptation [1 Corinthians 10:12-13].

4) Does our spiritual growth have any effect on how we will experience eternity?Some people seem to think that the way we live now will make no difference in eternity. So, if we a believer just lives for himself, he will experience eternity exactly the same way as believers who put Christ first in their lives. Everything will be leveled out when we get to heaven. And, even if we should gain some special crown or reward, we will just throw it at the feet of Jesus anyway. [Revelation 4:10-11]This is not the picture I get as I read the New Testament. The Bible speaks of a future judgment of believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ, where our lives will be examined and rewards given appropriately. [1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, 2 Timothy 4:8] The issue at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which will happen when Jesus returns, is not salvation but rewards. This truth is taught in passages such as: Luke 19:11-27, Romans 14:10-112, 1 Corinthians 3:11-16, 4:1-5, 9:24-27, 2 Corinthians 5:10-12, 2 Timothy 4:8, and 1 Peter 5:4.It is possible that a person can be saved and yet suffer loss and shame [1 Corinthians 3:15(This is not a reference to Purgatory), 1 John 2:28]

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The purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ is to manifest the believer’s character and works of service and to reward them appropriately. Are rewards something for us to be concerned about or is it mercenary to desire rewards? It is not mercenary. First, it is not mercenary to desire what God has promised or to desire to avoid “suffering loss.” [1 Corinthians 3:15]. Second, rewards will give us the opportunity to give more glory to God. [Revelation 4:10-11]The believer who lives a godly life will be rewarded for work that is sourced in God, rightly motivated, and accomplished through the gifts and opportunities God gave. Believers who sacrifice and suffer will be rewarded. The believer who serves faithfully will be rewarded. Living and serving Jesus has eternal value if it is motivated by love [1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:12-15], done for Christ[Matthew 10:42], and done to glorify God [Matthew 6:1,2,4, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 10:31, 1 Peter 4:10-11]. What is the nature of these rewards? They include praise [1 Corinthians 4:5], positions of service in Christ’s Kingdom [Luke 19:12-27, Romans 8:17, 2 Thessalonians 2:12] and crowns.The crowns may physical objects, but they are more than just material.[Revelation 4:10-11]. They have eternal value [1 Corinthians 9:25]. Crowns represent capacities to enjoy the spiritual realities of eternal life. They are symbolic of glory, honor and authority. They are related to the work or virtue being rewarded. Here are four crown rewards mentioned in the New Testament with their definitions:

The Crown of glorying. The presence of those in heaven who were saved through our witness. This will not be a prideful boasting, but the joy of seeing them in heaven. [1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, Philippians 4:1]

The Crown of Glory. [1 Peter 5:1-4] A special capacity to reflect the glory of Christ.

The Crown of Righteousness. [2 Timothy 4:7-8] This is not the imputed righteousness of Christ, but a special capacity to reflect the righteousness of Christ.

The Crown of Life. [James 1:12, 1 Timothy 6:12-19] This is not the gift of eternal life which is something we cannot earn, but a special capacity to experience eternal life in all of its fullness and facets.

So, how we live now will have an impact on how we will experience eternity.

295) Does the believer have two natures or one? Traditional evangelical teaching says believer has two natures, one which has the tendency to sin and the other the desire and capacity to please God. Thus, there is an internal battle between the old sin nature and our new nature in Christ for control of our lives [Romans 7:1-25*]. We can be victorious over the old nature as we depend on the power of the Holy Spirit [Romans 8:1-11] and yield ourselves to God [Romans 6:1-19, 12:1-2]. More recent teaching says, “No, we don’t have two natures; we are new creations in Christ, “the old is gone and the new has come.” [2 Corinthians 5:17]. Our identity is no longer that of being “sinners” but of being “saints.”Who is right? In a way, both are right.First, it should be noted that the terminology “old nature” and “new nature” are not in the Greek text of the New Testament. That, however, does not mean that the concepts are not there. After all the word “trinity” is not found in the Bible either, though the truth of the trinity certainly is. So, just because the words are not found in the Bible does not mean that the idea is not there.Second, to a large degree the debate is one of semantics and definitions. Both the advocates of ‘two natures” and advocates of “one nature” believe that a person is changed when he is saved. He becomes something that he was not before he was saved. Not only does 2 Corinthians 5:17 say this but other Scriptures concur. Romans 6 is a very important text for understanding the Christian life. Paul says that we “died to sin” (v.2), that our old self was crucified with Jesus (v. 6), and that we have been set free from enslavement to sin (v.6-7, 18, 22). The words “old self/old man are also used in Colossians 3:9-10. The putting off of the old self and putting on of the new self is a completed action. If understood correctly the putting off of the old self and putting on of the new self in Ephesians 4:21-24 are not commands. A fair translation would be, “the truth in Jesus is that you have put off the old self and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” 2 Peter 1:4 says that we become partakers in the divine nature (not that we become God, but that we share in his moral nature). God affirms, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me”. [Galatians 2:20]On the other hand, both “two-nature” proponents and “one-nature” proponents affirm that there is still within us a tendency and capacity to sin. It is intrinsic to

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who we are as human beings and will be with us until we see Jesus. Whether you call this “a nature” or not it is a reality.Definitions are important here. A “nature” is a complex of attributes or essential qualities which make something what it is. A nature doesn’t do anything. It is not that we are duel persons living in one body. Instead, in one person, we find both a set of sinful characteristics intrinsically ours by virtue of being human as well as characteristics which are ours by virtue of regeneration. Whether these sets of characteristics are “natures” or something else the reality does not change. Saying that we are new creations in Christ Jesus is not saying that sin is no longer present in us. However, sin does not come out of what we are in Christ [1 John 3:9], but out of what we are in Adam. But it is still there. Another important definition is the word “flesh”. This is a complex subject. Let me summarize. The term “flesh” can simply refer to the material body. More often it refers to physical life in the physical body. [Philippians 1:2, 1 Timothy 3:16, Philemon 16]. But, Paul, at times uses the term as referring to the sinful tendency inherent in human nature, which is evidenced in the ways we use our physical bodies. So, the expression “in the flesh” can just mean physically alive[Philippians 1:22, 24, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 4:2], but it can also refer to our unregenerate condition [Romans 7:5, 8:8-9]. Romans 8:1-8 seems to be contrasting unregenerate people with regenerate people.Yet, even believers we must still deal with the flesh as this inherent sinful tendency. This is clear in Romans 7:14-25, 13:14, 2 Corinthians 10:4, Galatians 3:3, and 5:13-26. We are not to walk “according to the flesh.”

*Evangelical Bible teachers debate whether Romans 7:14-25 is talking about Paul’s experience before or after he was saved. I believe the best understanding is to see v. 7-13 as a reference to his pre-conversion life and v. 14-25 a reference to his post-conversion life. I believe John’s MacArthur’s analysis of v. 14-25 is correct. This is Paul speaking as a mature believer. The more mature a believer becomes the more aware he becomes of his sin and how far away he is from being totally transformed into the character of Jesus.I found the conclusions of William Combs most helpful on this debate:

I have sought to demonstrate that it is perfectly valid to speak of the believer as having two natures—old and new—as long as the term nature is understood to refer to a complex of attributes, a set of characteristics, or

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disposition. These natures are not substantive entities and do not act. But the believer himself can be viewed as acting from the perspective of his old or new nature—his disposition may be toward sin or holiness. While some two-nature advocates have used two-nature terminology to present a view of sanctification which is inherently defective, the fault lies with their deficient theology, not with two-nature terminology itself. Two-nature terminology combined with a proper understanding of regeneration and sanctification accurately represents the believer’s struggle with sin as presented in Scripture. [William W. Combs, “Does the Believer Have One Nature or Two?” DBS 2 (Fall, 1997) 81-103]

6) Is abiding a state of deeper spiritual attainment or the state of all saved people?

Some evangelicals teach that abiding in Jesus is a state of having a deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus which goes beyond regeneration, parallel with“being in fellowship.” Abiding is the doorway to the deeper Christian life. Andrew Murray says, “They come to Jesus as Redeemer, but never go beyond the doorway to abide in Him and experience the unspeakable joy of dwelling with the King of Kings.”Others disagree. C Carl Laney says that abiding is believing. D.A. Carson concludes that John 15:1-7 is talking about the union of the believer with Christ in salvation. S. Michael Houdmann concurs, “Therefore, abiding in Christ is not a special level of Christian experience, available to only a few; rather it is the position of all true believers.” [www.gotquestdions.org]Abiding is terminology only used in books authored by the Apostle John. The parallel in Paul’s epistles would be “in Christ”. That all believers are abiding in Christ is particularly clear in the following texts. John 6:565 says, “Whoever feeds on my flesh, and drinks my blood abides in men and I in him.” In verse 54 Jesus said, “He who feed on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day.” A second critical text is 1 John 4:15 which reads, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” And 1 John 4:24-25, If what you heard from the beginning [the gospel, 1 John 1:1-2] abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. The Greek verb translated “abide” [meno] can at times carry the meaning of “to

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continue or remain, persist”, but it may also carry the idea of presence—reside, live, dwell in, lodge in”. It seems to me that the nuance of presence is at the forefront of the use of this verb in John 15 and not of continuance. It is not talking about a state of flitting back and forth between abiding and not abiding but of our continual presence in him.7) What can hinder our spiritual growth to Christlikeness? Bible teachers have summarized our spiritual enemies as the world, the flesh, and the devil. Each of these is a source of temptation to us.The world is that system of ideas, customs, and institutions which are contrary to God and his truth. John summarizes the world as consisting of the lust of the flesh (selfishness), the lust of the eyes (greed), and pride. [1 John 2:15-17] The world and worldly concerns is a distraction to spiritual growth. [Matthew 6: 19-24, 13:22, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 2 Timothy 4:10]. We are both warned against the dangers of the world [Romans 12:2, James 4:4] and assured of victory over it [Romans 12:21, 1 John 5:4-5].The flesh refers to that lingering tendency and capacity in us to sin. Paul lamented the reality of its continuing presence in Romans 7:14, 25. The Bible warns us not to make provision for the flesh [Romans 13:14] or live for fulfilling sinful human passions [1 Peter 4:2-3]. Sin should not reign in us. [Romans 6:12-14]. Being controlled by the flesh is a sign of spiritual immaturity [1 Corinthians 3:1-3]. The key to overcoming the flesh is walking by the power of the Spirit [Galatians 5:13-25On the trouble Satan causes I refer you to the section in this monograph entitled “Spiritual Warfare.”There are many more hindrances to our spiritual growth. Let me comment on three of them.Wrong teaching can lead us away from our spiritual priorities. One such teaching which incensed Paul was legalism. Legalism is putting yourself or others under man-made rules or under rules God does not intend us to follow(the Mosaic Law). On this see Galatians 3:3, 4:9-10 and Colossians 2:20-23. Wrong teaching hinders spiritual growth. Sometimes churches, pastors and Bible teachers focus on “stuff” that is really not important and neglect what is important to our spiritual formation.Another hindrance is a worldly focus. This has to do with what we focus attention on in our lives--our priorities. Paul challenges “set your minds on things above,

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where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Jesus says we need to be “rich toward God.” [Luke 12:13-21]. The things of this world can become so all-consuming that spiritual things are not in our focus as priorities. We don’t pursue spiritual growth. These distracting things can even be good things like work, family, entertainment, and politics. Anything which comes between us and God is an idol. This is a major problem in our Evangelical churches. I once challenged some parents who were totally wrapped up in youth wrestling. I asked them, “From the viewpoint of eternity, what is the point of your sons knowing all about wrestling and little about the Bible?” That was the last time I saw them in church.Unfortunately, a dysfunctional church can hinder our spiritual growth. Dysfunctional churches where Christ’s love is not displayed or churches which have lost their vision for making disciples hinder spiritual growth. So do churches which are filled with discord and disharmony. And churches which fail to clearly teach the Word of God are failing to do what God Christ expects of his church. Honestly, when some churches disband, it is a blessing.

ConclusionWhat does a mature believer look like? A mature believer is a person:Who shows forth the virtues Jesus displayed.Who reflects the fruit of the Spirit. Who loves God deeply and others selflessly.Who has the virtues Jesus proclaimed in the Beatitudes [Matthew 5:2-12]Who demonstrates love and wisdom, trust, and obedience. Who is sensitive to the presence of sin, is willing to repent of his sins and confess

them to God. Who is filled with the knowledge of God’s Word, loves it, and applies it to every

aspect of his or her life.Who is given to prayer and worship.Who is connected to a church, loves God’s people, and serves others in the Body

of Christ.Who shares the Gospel.Who has compassion for the needy and is generous in his giving.Who glorifies God in the way he or she lives.Who has priorities which are aligned with God’s priorities.Who is yielded to the Spirit of God.

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Who lives a live of dependent obedience. Who lives the kind of life every believer should live.

In preparing to write this monograph I took a highlighter and highlighted all the commands of the New Testament Epistles and two of the Gospels. It was overwhelming. I had to conclude that living a godly life, conforming our lives to the character of Jesus in our own strength, by our own efforts, is impossible. We need him and every resource he supplies desperately if we are going to become what he wants us to become and bring him the glory he deserves.

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Resources for Further ReadingThis is not a formal bibliography but a listing of resources for further guidance in spiritual living. It is by no means complete. I have not included on-line resources, of which there are many. These are more general books and I have not included books relating to specific issues like loneliness, fear, family life, suffering, evangelism, or money. I do not necessarily agree with all these books teach. You may have other authors which you prefer or have found helpful. I would suggest you pick out one title from each section and read it prayerfully.

Ancient and Vintage ResourcesA kempis, Thomas. The Imitation of God. Augustine, The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Bonar, Horatius. God’s Way of Holiness.Brainard, David. The Life and Journal of David Brainard.Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of GodBunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s ProgressEdwards, Jonathan. Johnathan Edwards on Knowing Christ. Law, William. A Serious Call for a Devout and Holy LifeOwen, John. The Mortification of SinPascal, Blaise. PensesPhilokia: The Eastern Christian Spiritual TextsRyle, J. C. HolinessRutherford, Samuel. The Letters of Samuel RutherfordSpurgeon, Charles. The Saint and the Savior: Progress of the Soul in the

Knowledge of JesusSt. John of the Cross. The Dark Night of the SoulTeresa of Avila. Interior Castle

ClassicsBlackby, Henry T. Experiencing GodBonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of DiscipleshipBounds, E. M. Power through PrayerChafer, Lewis Sperry. He That is SpiritualChambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His HighestEliot, Elizabeth. Discipline: The Glad Surrender

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Getz, Gene. The Measure of a ManHendricks, Howard, and William Hendricks. Living by the BookHummel, Charles. The Tyranny of the UrgentLewis, C. S. Mere Christianity_________ Screwtape Letters.Munger, Robert. My Heart—Christ’s HomeMurray, Andrew. Abide in Christ______________ Like Christ.Nee, Watchman. The Normal Christian Life.Packer, J. I. Knowing GodPentecost, J. Dwight. Pattern for Maturity________________. Your Adversary the DevilRyrie, Charles. Balancing the Christian Life.Schaeffer, Francis. The Mark of the Christian._______________ True SpiritualitySmith, Hannah Whitehall. The Christian’s Secret of a Happy LifeStanford, Miles. The Green Letters.Strombeck, J. F. Disciplined by GraceTaylor, Howard. Hudson’s Taylor’s Spiritual Secret.Tozer, A. W. The Pursuit of God._________. Life in the SpiritTrotman, Dawson. Born to ReproduceUnger, Merril. Demons in the World TodayMore Recent ResourcesAnderson, Neil. Victory over the Darkness. Arnold, Clinton E. Three Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare.Bailey, Mark. To Follow Him.Bell, Rob. Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith Bennett, Kyle J. Practices of Love: Spiritual Disciplines for the Life of the World Betz, Harlan. Setting the Stage for EternityBoa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image.Bridges, Jerry. The Pursuit of Holiness.___________. The Practice of Godliness.___________ and Bob Bevington. Bookends of the Christian Life.Chan, Francis. Crazy Love.

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Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical Colson, Charles. Loving God.Carson, Donald A. Praying with Paul.Crabb, Larry. The Pressure’s Off.Eldgedge, John. Waking the Dead.____________. Walking with God.Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline.Hull, Bill. Christlike.Keller, Tim. PrayerKraft, Alan. Good News for Those Trying Harder.Manning, Brennan. The Ragamuffin Gospel_______________. Abba’s Child.McLaren, Brian. A New Kind of Christian McVey, Steve. Journey into Intimacy.Merton, Thomas. Contemplative prayer Miller,, Donald. Blue Like Jazz: Non-religious Thoughts on Christian SpiritualityMoon, Gary. Spiritual Direction and the Care ofSoulsMoreland, J. P. Love God with All Your MindNouwen, Henry. The Selfless Way of Christ._____________. The Way of the Heart.Ortberg, John. The Life You Always Wanted.Osborne, Larry. Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God.Packer, J. I. & Carolyn Nystrom. Praying_________. Rediscovering Holiness.Pederson, David. Possessed by God.Peterson, Eugene. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.Piper, John. Desiring God._________. Don’t Waste Your Life_________. The Godward Life.________. A Hunger for GodReeves, Michael and Justin Taylor. Spurgeon on the Christian Life.Sittser, Gerald. The Will of God as a Way of Life.Storms, Sam. Pleasures Forevermore.Swindoll, Charles. So, You Want to Be Like Christ?______________. Growing Deep in the Christian Life.

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Tripp, John David. Quest for MoreWarren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life.Wilken, Michael. Following the Master.Wilkinson, Bruce. A life God Rewards.______________. Secrets of the Vine.______________. Set Apart: Discovering Your Personal Victory through HolinessWillard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines___________. Renovating the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ.___________. The Divine Conspiracy.Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God’s People.Wright, N.T. Simply Christian.Yancy, Philip. What’s So Amazing about Grace__________. Prayer.Zacharias, Ravi. Cries of the Heart.