The character & power of Christ - in me/you? Yes!

POSTLUDE 

Now it is time to look back and to look forward: back to what we have studied in this book, and forward to our life, which lies ahead of us, where we will move onward in time to become the persons we will ever be, for eternity. In this book I have tried to clearly present the path of spiritual formation, the authentic formation of the human person, as seen in the people of Jesus Christ through the ages. 

I have tried to gently ignore the many vessels of spiritual formation that litter the historical and contemporary landscapes and concentrate on the treasure: Jesus Christ himself, living with increasing fullness in every essential dimension of the personality of the individual devoted to him as Savior and Teacher. The renovation of the heart in Christlikeness—that is, in humanity as God always intended it—is not something that concerns the heart (spirit, will) alone. 

The heart cannot be renovated if the other aspects of the person remain in the grip of evil. “Willpower”—even inspired willpower—is not the key to personal transformation. Rather, the will and character only progress in effectual well-being and well-doing as all other essential aspects of the person come into line with the intent of a will brought to newness of life “from above” by the Word and the Spirit. 

The path of renovation of the heart is therefore one in which the revitalized will takes grace-provided measures to change the content of the thought life, the dominant feeling tones, what the body is ready to do, the prevailing social atmosphere, and the deep currents of the soul. These all are to be progressively transformed toward the character they each have in Jesus Christ. 

This is what we call “putting on the character of Christ”—or in Paul’s language, “putting off the old man and putting on the new man.” And as it transpires, the individual or group more and more effectively acts for the good things they intend; and the will itself evermore broadens and deepens its devotion to good and the God of the good. 

Of course this is, in reality, the great race of mortal life, run before the “great cloud of witnesses.” We are come as spiritually alive beings “to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festal assembly, and to the church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 12:1,22-24, PAR). 

To run this race well—to hear at the end, “Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, be in authority over ten cities,” (Luke 19:17)—is to become the kind of person whom God will welcome to participate with him in his future governance of all creation (Revelation 22:5). “You were faithful over few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21, PAR). 

The joy of our Lord is the use of power for good. He loves to create and sustain everything that is good. That is to be our joy as well. To run the race well, to be faithful over few things, is our part. And as we look at the road ahead, we must deal with details. That is, we must take the particular things that slow us down and the sins that entangle us, and put them aside in a sensible, methodical way (Hebrews 12:1). 

We remove their roots from our minds, feelings, and so forth. We are neither hysterical nor hopeless about them. We find out what needs to be done and how to do it, and then we act. We know God will help us with every problem as we take appropriate steps. So our running is also with patience. We take the long view of the race that is set before us. We don’t try to accomplish everything at once, and we don’t force things. If we don’t immediately succeed in removing a weight or a sin, we just keep running—steadily, patiently—while we find out how it can be removed in God’s way. 

All the while, we keep looking up at our Teacher, who we know gave us faith to run in the first place and who will bring us safely to the end (Hebrews 12:2). We concentrate on his thoughts, feelings, character, body, social bearing, and soul. We are constantly learning from him, and he shows us how to let the weights and sins drop off so we can run better. As we run we sense divine assistance making our steps lighter. We realize truth more strongly, see things more clearly. We find greater joy in those running with us, our companions in Christ and those who went before and are coming after. His yoke is easy, we find, his burden is light. 

As our “outer man” perishes, our “inner man” is renewed on a daily basis (2 Corinthians 4:16). And no matter what the difficulty, we sing as we run, “Deliverance will come!” But, as we look forward, now is the time for specific planning. Individually we must ask ourselves what are the particular things we need to do in order to bring the triumph of Christ’s life more fully into the various dimensions of our being. 

Are there areas where my will is not abandoned to God’s will or where old segments of fallen character remain unchallenged? Do some of my thoughts, images, or patterns of thinking show more of my kingdom or the kingdom of evil than they do God’s kingdom—for example, as they relate to money, or social practices, or efforts to bring the world to Christ? Is my body still my master in some area? Am I its servant rather than it mine. And if I have some role in leadership among Christ’s people, am I doing all that I reasonably can to aid and direct their progress in inward transformation into Christlikeness? Is that progress the true aim of our life together, and are there ways in which our activities might be more supportive of that aim? Is the teaching that goes out from me appropriate to the condition of the people, and is my example one that gives clear assurance and direction? Is “my progress evident to all”? (1 Timothy 4:15, PAR). 

Whatever my situation is, now is the time to make the changes and undertake the initiatives that are indicated by the studies we have made in this book. Spiritual formation in Christlikeness is the sure outcome of well-directed activities that are under the personal supervision of Christ and are sustained by all of the instrumentalities of his grace. This aching world is waiting for the people explicitly identified with Christ to be, through and through, the people he intends them to be. Whether it realizes it or not. There is no other hope on earth. 

And that, of course, is where we stand: on earth. Strangely, perhaps, it is only spiritual formation in Christ that makes us at home on earth. We are pilgrims, of course, and we look for a better city (Hebrews 11:16). But we are content that this is not yet. Christ brings me to the place where I am able to walk beside my neighbor, whoever he or she may be. I am not above them. I am beside them: their servant, living with them through the events common to all of us. I am not called to judge them, but to serve them as best I can by the light I have, humbly and patiently, with the strength I have and the strength God supplies. 

If it is true that our ways will at some point part for eternity, I shall love them none the less for it. And the best gift I can give them is always the character and power of Christ in me and in others who really trust him. Beyond that I look to God for the renovation of their heart as well. I know that, no matter what comes, he is over all.

Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ (pp. 253-256). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.