The Goal of the Christian Life

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What is the goal of the Christian life, and how do we help one another get there?

One old catechism says that our chief goal in life is to glorify and enjoy God forever. How true that is and at the same time challenging. Scripture says that we were created for God’s glory and to proclaim and praise Him (1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 1:11-12; 1 Peter 2:9). We exist to worship God, and in order to be genuine, our worship must come from the heart. It must be a genuine expression of our real feelings. We adore God above everything else, and we desire to submit to his every command.

How do we help people, each other, get to the goal of spiritual maturity? We can’t! No reason for panic... God designed us to be molded and shaped through a power beyond our own. We can only present ourselves as willing vessels to the Living God... He does the transformation. It is God who changes people’s hearts; it is God who converts the soul, who leads people to repentance, who touches people with love and grace. We can describe God’s amazing love and his astonishing grace and we can set an example of adoration and dedication to our Savior, but after all is said and done, it is God who changes each person’s heart.

Yet another way to describe our goal in life is to become more like Christ—and here I think we can identify some practical ways in which we can help one another as we grow toward the goal of maturity in Christ.

It is God’s plan for each of us that we “be conformed to the likeness of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Even in this life, we “are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Paul labored with the Galatians “until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). He told the Ephesians that our goal is “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

In Christ, we have a new identity and a new purpose for living. The new self is “to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). We are to be like Him “in true righteousness and holiness.” In our behavior and in our devotion to God, we are to be like Jesus Christ. What a concept!

Be Transformed...
How is the transformation accomplished in our lives? Paul tells us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Our new self “is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10). Both heart and mind are involved. Behavior is then a result or reflection of the melding of mind and heart in attitude changes. These three work together in those who are being transformed by Christ.

The mind alone is not enough. If only the mind is involved, we may be like demons who know truths about God but do not obey him. Simply knowing the truth is not enough. We must not only hear, but we must also do (Matthew 7:24).

Behavior alone is not enough. If we go through the motions without really believing in God, we are play-actors. And even if we believe in God and do the right actions, if our heart is far from God, our worship is in vain. If we sing God’s praises without really feeling any affection for him, we are hypocrites.

In short, we need right beliefs, right actions, and right emotions. If the heart is right and our beliefs are right, then right behavior will be the result. We want right behavior, but we need to remember that it is the result of other things, and not the ultimate goal.

Now, since God has organized His Church as a community wherein we grow together... how do we help one another grow toward our Christian goal? How do we help one another become transformed to become more like Christ in righteousness and holiness?

Steps in the Journey...
I see three or four steps in the process. First, there is conversion by hearing about Christ. We can preach the gospel—and woe to us if we do not!—but God is the one who must soften the hearts and produce a response in the hearer. We should paint the gospel message as clearly as we can, in as many ways as we can, with biblical terms and with modern terms, but we do not claim credit for the effectiveness of what is truly God’s message. We just want to be faithful stewards, delivering the truth... that God so loved the world that he sent his Son to rescue us from our sin.

Second, there is nurture. Jesus commanded his disciples to make more disciples, to make more students, to teach them the things he commanded. Paul instructed Timothy, Titus, and others to teach the truths of the Christian faith. Doctrine is important, and this is an area that Scripture specifically instructs us to work on. Every church leader should strive for accuracy in doctrine, as defined by Scripture. Nothing short of purity in doctrine is acceptable if God is to be involved.

I really wish that doctrinal understanding could be easier to achieve. We all desperately need to distinguish essential doctrines from nonessential doctrines. We cannot make every doctrinal conclusion a test of true Christianity, and fellowship. Correct understanding of doctrines are essential for a person’s salvation, and the church must be the faithful transmitter of God’s message.

Third, in addition to doctrinal nurture, there is also nurture of the heart. This is why Christian growth should occur in community with other Christians. Social experiences, or the things we do together, help us grow emotionally. These may be positive emotions such as love and forgiveness, or the negative emotions that result from stress and anxiety that inevitably comes with interpersonal relationships among imperfect humans. These painful feelings probably help us grow much more than the positive feelings do as we learn to cope with them and work through them with God’s loving support and help.

The social/emotional nurture cannot be done in a book—it is done locally, through small groups and other informal relationships, guided and modeled by pastoral leadership. Elders help people grow not by doing everything for them even if that were possible, but by teaching and equipping members to do it themselves, for “one another”. The best quality of pastoral care is found in small groups. Members who choose to be in a small group are in effect choosing to get themselves more intimately involved in the pastoral care of the church. Small groups help make a church healthy.

Behavioral Changes...
When members are growing in doctrinal understanding, coming to know God more, and in emotional maturity, coming to love God more, they will be growing in other ways, too. Their behavior will be changing. They will be treating one another with more love, patience, joy, peace, humility and forgiveness. They will be avoiding sexual immorality, greed, and dishonesty. The more we know and love God, the more we want to live, think and act like Him. The heart change comes before our change in behavior. The heart change is what causes our behavior to change. The heart change is what gives room for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

These behavior changes are rooted in a changed heart, but the process is often slow. Elders have a responsibility to continually encourage behavior changes so that Christians new and old, strong and weak, will be encouraged to live up to the new life God is creating in them. God is working in us, but he does not do it for us. He changes our hearts and gives us what it takes to respond to him in righteousness, but he expects us to exercise the faith to use this “freedom to obey” that he has won for us.

People who flaunt sin of any kind, can not be members of a faith community in good standing. Certainly a body of believers welcomes repentant and struggling sinners, but not unrepentant, uncaring ones. Our model is Jesus Christ, who welcomed all manner and type of sinner, but did not welcome people who thought they had no need for repentance.

As we strive to imitate our Savior and Teacher, Jesus Christ, we need to look especially at his relationship with the Father, and his relationship with the people around him. His relationship with the Father was characterized by prayer and by his thorough knowledge of and reliance on Scripture. Prayer and personal study are at the core of Christian spiritual growth. Why? Not as another “duty” or legalism, but as the way of being with God so that we can hear his voice in our lives and be reminded of our true condition. We are redeemed from sin, we belong to him, our salvation is secure in him, he loves us infinitely, he is our ever-present Helper and he will never leave nor forsake us.

Jesus was committed to people—he loved the lost, and he castigated people who thought they were religiously superior to others, a feeling that usually stems from a works-oriented approach to worship. He was committed to a close relationship among believers—his disciples related not just individually to him as students to their teacher, but also to one another. Jesus formed them into a group, a body, that would in time give itself mutual support, a community that would reach out to others and invite them in.

It starts with you. If this is not where you are in heart and mind, then it’s time to allow God to Renovate you in mind and heart so you can truly experience the joy of growing in Christ-likeness. Spiritual maturity is the goal of the Christian life.

Dealing with and Surviving... Temptation

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"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man..."
1 Corinthians 10:13

The word temptation has come to mean something bad to us today, but we tend to use the word in the wrong way. Temptation itself is not sin; it is something we are bound to face simply by virtue of being human. Not to be tempted would mean that we were already so shameful that we would be beneath contempt. Yet many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to suffer, simply because we have refused to allow God to lift us to a higher level where we would face temptations of another kind.

A person's inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.

Temptation comes to me, suggesting a possible shortcut to the realization of my highest goal - it does not direct me toward what I understand to be evil, but toward what I understand to be good. Temptation is something that confuses me for a while, and I don't know whether something is right or wrong. When I yield to it, I have made lust a god, and the temptation itself becomes the proof that it was only my own fear that prevented me from falling into the sin earlier.

Temptation is not something we can escape; in fact, it is essential to the well-rounded life of a person. Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else - what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations -He sustains us in the midst of them.

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." - Hebrews 2:18

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." - Hebrews 4:15-16

[Excerpted from the 1935 devotional classic... My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers]

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Satan and his demons stalk the path of every believer, offering all manner of enticements to lure the Christian away from an obedient and faithful walk with Christ. No one is immune to Satanic attacks, and no one is completely successful in countering them either (I John 1:8, 10).

Unfortunately, some Christians succumb to temptation so often that they see no hope for victory. They give up and give in without much struggle. This is an unfortunate condition, born of despair, and it blinds the believer to the marvelous provision God has made for overcoming temptation.

The first thing the Christian must learn is that God does not lead us to sin. The Apostle James clearly condemns the attitude of blaming God for tempting circumstances (James 1:13-15). God may test His children, a process designed to purify and strengthen, but He does not lead us into sin. Without exception, sin results when temptation strikes a sympathetic chord in the human heart, and man has no one to blame but himself. Sin is and always has been “an inside job”... emmanating from within us from desires born in the heart.

Blame has to be fixed at the source, us, if we are to be forgiven. Our age is one in which blame is passed to society, to the pressures of the times, or to some other faceless, nameless creature. If one is to be forgiven, you must first humbly admit, "I have sinned." As long as you look for someone or something else to blame, you will be totally helpless in combating temptation.

The Christian needs to recognize the role of Scripture in overcoming temptation. The Psalmist stated, "Thy Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalms 119:11). When God's Word becomes an integral part of a believer's life, it fortifies that person against temptation's power. Christ Himself demonstrated the Word's power when He submitted to Satan's temptations with a quote from the Old Testament (Matthew 4:7). A systematic, prayerful study of Scripture is an absolute prerequisite to defeating temptation. The Word not only warns of Satan's methods (II Corinthians 2:11), but it empowers against attacks (Ephesians 6:11-17).

Another essential to victory is to avoid temptation. On several occasions, Christ told His disciples to pray that they might not fall into temptation (Matthew 6:13; Luke 22:40). Some believers understand that temptation is not the same as sin, so then feel that they can enjoy the enticements of temptation without any harm. This behavior becomes a type of game - seeing how much titillation one can 'enjoy' without falling into overt sin. Such an attitude is sinful in itself, for it fails to take seriously God's commands for holiness in attitude as well as in action. One of the most crucial passages concerning temptation is I Corinthians 10:13.... "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it."

This verse is God's guarantee that He will never allow Satan to go too far. The temptation's intensity and the escape route will be uniquely tailored to the individual, and will not exceed your capacity to handle the circumstances.

Knowing there is a way of escape, and using that way of escape, may be quite different things. If one is ignorant of God's Word, one will likely not recognize the escape when he sees it, for he won't know how God works. Whether or not he uses the escape, though, the believer can never truthfully claim that the temptation was so strong that he had to give in to it.

Another promise is that no one in this universe is uniquely tempted. While no two people are exactly alike, the temptations confronting each individual are basically the same as have confronted others throughout the ages. Consequently, the Bible can say that Jesus Christ was tempted in all points like we are, and even suffered in those temptations, but did not sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15-16). He is, therefore, a sympathetic Savior, knowing from His own incarnate experience the pressure that temptation can exert.

Since no one is uniquely tempted, Christians can help and learn from one another. Merely knowing that another Christian has overcome greed, for instance, may be just the assurance that someone needs to make another attempt to overcome it in his own life. The Christian who has grown in one facet of spiritual life is responsible for helping other Christians who have not yet grown in that area. In this manner, Christians can edify or, "build up" one another in their faith (Ephesians 4:15-16).

The Scripture contains no promise of help in overcoming temptation for those who are unsaved. Indeed, until one repents of his sin and accepts by faith Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and submits to baptism for the “forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38) he has no capacity for pleasing God. But those who are saved may appropriate the power and wisdom of the Word, relying upon God's grace, and can therefore experience victory, even over Satan's most subtle and compelling temptations.

Abusive Misuse of the Power of Love...

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Of all human emotions, love is the greatest of all. Love has the power to do more to influence human relationships than we can comfortably comprehend. There is a sense that love even eclipses both faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith, trust and hope are stimulated by love; all three will abide, but love is the greatest because it will empower the Christian into greater adventures of trust and the realization of never-ending promises.

Love is a fantastic emotion, from both divine and human perspectives. But it can be abused—and frequently is. It is perhaps the nature of our human imperfection, that things most precious are sometimes that which we most abuse—and so it is with love. Love never fails, and yet it often fails us in our relationships. Why? Let’s reflect upon two broad categories that will illustrate how love is so often abused.

Love as a Rationalization
Love is abused when one entertains the notion that he can get by with doing evil under the guise “God loves me, therefore he will not condemn me.” Legions of Christians embrace this myth. That is why, in the viewpoint of many, rarely ever does a person die totally lost. It is alleged that God simply would not permit a person he has created and loves to be lost. His love is too marvelous for that.

If that is the case, why did Christ have to die? If Heaven’s love covers sin unconditionally, the death of the Savior was absolutely for nothing! The entire thrust of the Bible is opposed to this misguided idea.

Our mistreatment of others also is rationalized under the umbrella of love. If you love me, you won’t fret that I borrowed your car without asking. If you love me, you won’t insist that I repay the money I owe you. On and on the excuses go—each buttressed in the name of “love.”

What a gross abuse of “love” it is for two people who are not married to become sexually intimate, using the rationale, “We love one another.” God has forbidden sexual relations outside of marriage; the sin is called “fornication” (1 Corinthians 7:2). Human emotions or hormonal urges, does not negate God’s sacred law.

“But we were in love” is a common rationalization of those who would justify adulterating their marriage, or the marriage of another. “Love” is never a license to sin.

Love as a Defense Mechanism
One of the most common misuses of love is the attempt to ward off a kindly Christian chastisement with the charge, “You are not a loving person.” Such a disposition not only reflects a serious level of stubborn ingratitude, it evidences a manifest ignorance of scripture.

Remember this text: “My son, regard not lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved of him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines” (Hebrews 12:5; cf. Proverbs 3:11). Should we complain and pout when hardships come our way (which could be providential admonitions)? The mature child of God will be thankful, even in times of stress and anxiety, that the Lord loves him or her.

It is not uncommon for youngsters, in their immature way of evaluating the events of life, to feel that their parents do not love them, because of restrictions that are placed upon them. They will learn better when they have their own children—if they don’t destroy themselves by their youthful foolishness before they reach that point.

Elders who attempt to lead the church in disciplinary procedures against wayward members of the congregation are frequently accused of being “unloving” (1 Corinthians 5:5). How insensitive ungodly people can be, their understanding almost totally bereft of what true love involves. Paul once inquired of the foolish Christians of Galatia: “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). He might well have phrased it like this: “Do you think I no longer love you because I tell you the truth?”

Preachers are often criticized similarly. “He doesn’t preach with love!” Perhaps some do not. Frequently, however, this is a defense mechanism expressed by those who don’t want to hear the truth and realities of God’s commands for Christian living.

A minister of God can spend his days and nights helping people; he can teach them rich truth, listen patiently to them in times of trouble, give them assistance in hours of financial crunch, help them in days of family crises, and assist them in burying their dead—occasionally with minimal gratitude. But when he feels the need to admonish them, because of a weakness or worldliness in their lives, suddenly he has become “unloving.” Condemn the preacher, the teacher, the elder as unloving and you are then free from responsibility for your actions and attitudes.

Sin, sinful thoughts contemplation of sinful pursuits all cloud a person’s vision. Flirting with sin distorts reality. It generates a defensive, retaliatory disposition in most all people. It turns true love, the agape kind, that which acts in another’s best interest, into something ugly and hateful. There is nothing more painful to the loving person than having his or her love rejected... there is nothing so wretched as rejecting true love.

Jesus gave His people, the people who become His Church a very serious command as recorded in John 13:34....”Love one another, As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. This command is not an option among Christians in brotherhood, as embellished by the word “must”.

All Christians should work to see themselves as Christ sees us and then see one another through the “eyes of our Lord and Savior”, redeemed from sin. Let’s always be seeking to do the right things without using that which binds us together, “Love” as an excuse for condemning others and carnal living. If your mind and heart have on occasion used "love" improperly, then it's time for serious renovation of your mind and heart!

The Longer we are Christians...

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What generally happens to Christians the longer they are Christians? You might think this is an odd question. Most people’s response to this question might be defensive and answered with other questions. Such as... “Why would you ask such a question? Isn’t it obvious what happens to Christians the longer they’re together in faith communitites?”

Maybe the answer is more clear than we care to see. Here’s the real question.... and maybe it’s more of a learned observation... Do Christians become more separated from non-Christians the longer they are Christian? Want to make the first question a bit more edgy, try this one... How does this reality impact our God given responsibility to be “salt and light” in our communities?

The irony is that we are on a mission for Jesus, the Great Commission to be specific. That command of Matthew 28:19-20 is not optional for Christians, nor can we simply ignore it at some point in our walk with Him. The older in age and more mature we become as Christians and hopefully wiser, the less contact we seem to have with non-Christians. How then do they get to see and experience Jesus in us? I am talking about actual relationships and friendships where trust and dialogue are built with people who get to know us personally, not just an infrequent street witnessing type of a thing to strangers.

Christians in fellowship together, growing to maturity together for a long period of time tend to find comfort, trust and security in the friendships of other Christians. This is not a bad thing nor is it out of harmony with God’s plan. But all to often we find ourselves cloistered from the real world. Doing so, relegates the real mission of outreach... to the sinners around us... to conversations among ourselves and ultimately to the back burner. We talk about a lot about evangelism, but do little to effectively move out of our comfort zone to really reach people. It's harder to reach total strangers than people we know such as... neighbors, coworkers, people you are in friendly and frequent contact with.

Instead of circling in closer with just Christians as we get older and more mature in our faith, shouldn't it be the opposite as we grow older and wiser? As the Bible clearly admonishes... we must maintain Christian community in the midst of being on mission for Jesus. We all need the benefits of Christian community. Close relationships and togetherness with other Christians should be a time of preparation to reach "outward"... not just inward.

It is ironic.... that when we mature and know Scripture and Jesus better and are transformed all the more by the Holy Spirit - that we spend less and less time involved with non-Christians who desperatdely need to experience the living God through his interaction with His people.

It's hard to "salt and light" to a hurting world if our salt is in the pantry and our light in the closet. We can’t win souls to Christ if the only relationships we value are entrenched in our Christian sub-culture. We need to be seasoning as salt and shinning and reflecting Christ as light out there, anywhere, everywhere, so the lost can see the power of God work in real people.