Hopefully Helpless

Sanctification and perfection are two very different aspects of the human life. One of them is a reality. The other, well, it is a delusion - albeit a commanded one (Matthew 5:48). C.S. Lewis, I believe, took this command the wrong way. He was not reformed, and if anyone took the time to read his introductions, he wanted people to know that he was not a theologian. Why, he would say, would God command something He had no intention to perform? Lewis, I love ya man, but I have to disagree with you on this point...sorry.

Perfection in the Christian life, though commanded, is never attained. Romans 7 makes this clear (among scores of other passages). And, our hermeneutic, places the command nicely in the context of our dreadful human condition. We are commanded though, through sin, we lack the ability. Humanism has no place here. And our court system plays the Pelagian strings far too often. If we ought, we can. If we cannot, we ought not. Those are the lyrics - nice huh?

Sure, they are all fuzzy on the computer screen and in the scholastic circles of our liberal seminaries, schools, and coffee shop charades. But place this upon the conscience of a lunatic, and you will soon find him in your home in the late hours of the night. And once caught, he need not worry. He was unable to keep the law you understand - he therefore, ought not to keep it. Sorry.

Back to perfection and sanctification. Here is the unrestful news for you on The Rest of Sunday. Perfection, though commanded, is impossible for you. You cannot reach the top of this mount. Carry oxygen with you, carry plenty of water in your CamelBak; and even take some of those little gel pack thingies. Whatever you like, take it with you. But, you will soon find yourself with weak knees, burning legs, a thumping heart - just a few steps forward. And down you go, rolling, as it were, to the bottom. Only now you are bruised up a bit; starting again in worse shape than the first attempt. But hey, your CamelBak is still in tact right? That's what you bought it for - keep truckin!

So you see the ridiculous nature of the attempt. Sanctification is not perfection. We see a glimpse of this in 1Jn 1:8 - "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Wow. This is interesting. You can walk in light and be a sinner (albeit a justified one). If the truth is in you, you will say that you do, in fact, have sin. This is the beauty of the Christian life. Well, bitter-sweet. We do not like sin, but we find joy in repentance and confession. I say this, b/c I think it is important for us to know what growing looks like. It does not look like sinlessness. That is reserved for Christ - and awaits us in glory (when we are finally and completely united with Him - when the "not yet" is finally NOW).

Our sin humbles us. Our sin throws us into the arms of the sinless One. It shows us, in those times when we are so close to our Lord, just how strong HE really is. How does a man [David] who can't keep his pants on (2Sam 11), not take advantage of a virgin when she is placed in his bed 'to keep him warm?' Doesn't the Apostle say that His [God's] strength is made 'perfect' in his [Paul's] weakness (2Cor12)? Interesting.

What does growth look like? It is hopefully helpless. It is the war and struggle against sin and the utter forsaking of it. It is weeping b/c of it and the tears of joy that come with repentance and faith in the only Redeemer - Jesus Christ. When we look for perfection, we must realize it is alien to us; not at the top of the mount, but seated at the right hand of God. Here is the kicker. Are you ready?

We are 'now' seated with Him (Eph 2). There is a 'now' and a 'not yet.' He is all that we need. He lived the perfect life and gave it freely to His own. He died the death that was due our sins (past, present, and future). And now He lives to make intercession for us. He is even with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28). This is our hope Christian; all-the-while we are helpless.

What does sanctification look like? Not perfection. This is no license to sin (Rom 6). But it is license to glory in Christ; the sinless One. You are free to love and cherish Him. And you are free to hate sin. The enmity, when you became alive, became so great, and so murderous, and intense, that you will never see peace [with sin] until you are glorified. You will fight it and kill it, by the Spirit, until you take your last breath.

What is that fighting in you? What is that struggle? Here is your rest. It is war. It is enmity graciously placed within you (Gen 3:15), to war with that which is not holy, and to love [and be at peace with] He who is holy. Sanctification looks like struggle. It is hopefully helpless. For when we are weak, He is strong. Onward Christian. Make war. Hate sin. Love Christ. Have a sanctified day.