Lent 31: Holy Spirit
What does it mean to live a holy life, a life that is different from the worldly desires that wage war against our soul? How can we live so non-believers actually notice and ask us the reason for our hope in Christ?
The community we live in is surrounded by Hutterite colonies. Their presence is noticed when they come into town. They dress differently. They talk differently. And they drive very large vans that can be filled with many, many women (and of course men). I don’t know a lot about Hutterites, but from what I have gathered, they live differently from the typical Evangelical Christian. The colony is guided by a strict code of practice enforced by a patriarch. Everyone’s life aligns with roles that perpetuate the colony’s future. But, if one deviates significantly from the faith, expectations and roles of the colony, and one refuses correction, that person is shunned.
It seems to me that the idea of grace is missing.
The balance between grace and works is a tough issue to work through. On one hand, people can misrepresent grace so much so that it doesn’t really matter what a follower of Christ does anymore. Since the forgiveness and love of God is always present, any lifestyle is acceptable. And it doesn’t matter if one is doing the right thing or not. After all, that follower of Christ has fire insurance for the world here after.
On the other hand, people can become so fixated on doing the “right thing” that it comes a burden. The fear of failure, condemnation of others and God’s wrath seems imminent. I have experienced this myself. I have lived a huge portion of my life trying hard to follow the “straight and narrow” with my own strength, so I would be approved by my parents, my friends, my church and my God. I’ve felt internally condemned when I wasn’t doing enough. After all, if I tried a little harder, I would experience the abundant life those mature Christians were talking about. And God would love me instead of being angry.
So what is the key to balance? The idea of grace is present in the Bible. The concept of “working out your salvation” is also there. How does one reconcile the two ideas without compromising the importance of either? One of my favorite books of late is Christianity for the Rest of Us by Larry Osbourne. It is a book that keeps me grounded, especially when I am tempted to sway with the pendulum on issues of spirituality. The author’s perspective assists me in answering the question, “How do I live a holy life while experiencing God’s grace?” Osbourne writes,
The community we live in is surrounded by Hutterite colonies. Their presence is noticed when they come into town. They dress differently. They talk differently. And they drive very large vans that can be filled with many, many women (and of course men). I don’t know a lot about Hutterites, but from what I have gathered, they live differently from the typical Evangelical Christian. The colony is guided by a strict code of practice enforced by a patriarch. Everyone’s life aligns with roles that perpetuate the colony’s future. But, if one deviates significantly from the faith, expectations and roles of the colony, and one refuses correction, that person is shunned.
It seems to me that the idea of grace is missing.
The balance between grace and works is a tough issue to work through. On one hand, people can misrepresent grace so much so that it doesn’t really matter what a follower of Christ does anymore. Since the forgiveness and love of God is always present, any lifestyle is acceptable. And it doesn’t matter if one is doing the right thing or not. After all, that follower of Christ has fire insurance for the world here after.
On the other hand, people can become so fixated on doing the “right thing” that it comes a burden. The fear of failure, condemnation of others and God’s wrath seems imminent. I have experienced this myself. I have lived a huge portion of my life trying hard to follow the “straight and narrow” with my own strength, so I would be approved by my parents, my friends, my church and my God. I’ve felt internally condemned when I wasn’t doing enough. After all, if I tried a little harder, I would experience the abundant life those mature Christians were talking about. And God would love me instead of being angry.
So what is the key to balance? The idea of grace is present in the Bible. The concept of “working out your salvation” is also there. How does one reconcile the two ideas without compromising the importance of either? One of my favorite books of late is Christianity for the Rest of Us by Larry Osbourne. It is a book that keeps me grounded, especially when I am tempted to sway with the pendulum on issues of spirituality. The author’s perspective assists me in answering the question, “How do I live a holy life while experiencing God’s grace?” Osbourne writes,
Am I willing to let God change me? Really change me? Not just empower me to do his will, not just show me his will, but actually change – from the inside out – how I feel and what I want. I’ve found that in many cases this is the missing piece to spiritual growth. Most Christians understand that God is supposed to provide us with the power to do the right thing, but we’ve shortchanged his promise to also provide us the desire and motivation to do the right thing. (pg. 85, see Philippines 2:12-13)
Contrary to what so many of us have been lead to believe with sermon illustrations and Sunday school stories, the greatest sign of God’s work in our life is not a pattern of rugged self-denial and dig-deep obedience. It’s wanting what God wants – then going out and doing it. Just like Jesus in Gethsemane, we may face a struggle to get there at times. But ultimately, if we’ll honestly give the Spirit permission to do his inside-out work, he’ll align our will with his. I find this to be extraordinarily encouraging. If spiritual growth wasn’t an inside-out job, only the few, the strong, and the mighty would have a chance. But thanks to the gift of the Spirit, there’s hope for the rest of us. (pg. 89)