The Old Has Gone, the New Has Come!

One thing I love about being here at the recruit depot at Parris Island is that it gives me a glimpse into the process of mere boys becoming US Marines.  You see platoons of recruits with their drill instructors as they practice drill, go through obstacle courses, PT, and oh so much more.  It's a painful process and it is by no means easy.  Not everyone makes it through.  Part of the purpose of boot camp is to tear down the boy and build him back up into a man who is worthy to defend his country.  The training destroys old habits and instills new ones that make the Marine disciplined and ready to meet new challenges.  By the time they graduate after 13 grueling weeks of training, they are "smartly disciplined, physically fit, basically trained Marines" (according to the drill instructor pledge.)

Today while driving around on base seeing the recruits march around, I thought about how as Christians we are constantly in training as well.  We are in training to become more and more like Christ everyday.  This process is called sanctification, and is something God promises to work out in us.  King David understood this when he said, "Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  When we profess Jesus as Lord we are justified by faith before a holy God.  The old is torn down and the Spirit begins a new work in us.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  How glorious this truth is!  The rubbish of our lives is wiped away; our inequities are blotted out.  Our sins are forgiven and we are given freedom in Christ.  Jesus opens his arms to us and bids us come, be like him.  "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, 'Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16)

Paul's words to the Philippians are also true for us when he says, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."  By our daily pursuit of Christ we are transformed into his image.  2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Let me be clear; we are not saved by our own efforts to be holy.  Salvation comes through Christ's redemptive work on the cross, and our faith in Him alone.  Through our profession of Christ we become justified before a holy God, but sanctification is the process by which we are transformed into the likeness of Christ. "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

The last sermon we heard Mark preach at the Harbor was encouraging believers to press on towards the goal of Christ-likeness.  I loved how Mark said, "No one drifts towards holiness; we must train as if in a race."  How true!  Though the Holy Spirit is always at work in our hearts to bring us closer to the image of Christ, we must also pursue holiness through spiritual discipline.  We have to recognize that sanctification is a process that continues our whole lives.  Never do we become spiritually perfect, but we can strive towards the goal of becoming more like Jesus everyday.  We do this through the study, and meditation of scripture, prayer, worship, service, and stewardship.  (I will elaborate more on the spiritual disciplines in a later post.)  

Just like Marines, we are in training.  As Christians we are preparing for an eternity of glory with Christ.  How is your training going?