Not Works But Character

I took me years before I truly understood the meaning of growing in Christ. I praise God that He revealed to me what it really means to grow in Christ. A lot of believers miss the point when they live the Christian faith. I, myself, believed that conformity to Christ is the key but my lifestyle spoke more of works than character. Whenever I did not meet my goals, I would feel so crushed and useless before God. What I did not understand is that in the beginning, we are already powerless. Our works are important. Obedience is important. Meditating on the truth and discovering the revelations of God in your life are important. Ministries are important. Missions are important. But all these things are meaningless if we are not growing in Christ-like character. To live in conformity to Christ and wear the fragrance of the Gospel all the days of our lives is the most important thing. Christianity is not just about doing the right thing and avoiding the wrong thing. It is about living under the lordship of God and humbly wearing the magnificent attributes of Christ. As Paul Washer says, "Christianity is not just about what we do. Its about what we are." If we serve in Church yet our lives remain in the world, have we not nullified the meaning of Christianity? Have we not made our cries for revival senseless?

Being active in Church is not all there is in our faith. It is being spiritually active in every moment, wherever we are, as we maintain a close communion with God and live in accordance to the likeness of His Son. Though good works are the fruits of our faith, we are not to be work-centered men. We are to be men and women of God. Men and women who like Christ, dwell in His presence and live by His Word.

For us, the elect, making Christ a reality in our lives is a continual but victorious struggle. It is a struggle because by doing so we go against our former selves. We are also powerless in such struggle. Unless the Spirit empowers us there will be no true movement in our lives. However, it is also a victorious scheme because it is the Spirit that does the work. If God's Spirit is at work, what more can we expect other than victory? We may fail at times but victory will come in the end because our faithful God will finish the work He began in us.

To enter the Christian life is by faith alone in Christ. To live it is to fully submit to the power of the Spirit as He builds Christ-like character in our lives. All of these ultimately lead to worship.

As converts of the true Gospel, we can hold on to the promise that He would finish the work of regeneration, making sure that all the elect perseveres in the end. As a carpenter chips away the ugly blots of wood in his handicraft and finishes his work with a pleased smile, so will God chip away our badness as He supernaturally recreates our hearts and upon completion, look at His great work, pleased as in the day of creation. Isn't it great? Its not enough that we are free from the condemnation. We are also transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus! What overwhelming reality! And after our character has been made perfect, we would be free from our vile flesh! We, the unworthy, would be fully made acceptable in the presence of God. It wouldn't be long before the Spirit completes His work on earth and the judgment of God passes. After which, we would be completely free from all this corruption. There would be no more mourning over sin. There would be no more preaching. There would be nothing else to do but the very thing we were created for: to worship and adore God, the great and glorious Being who is infinitely worthy of praise. What great hope! What great future! What great God!