Hi friends,
For years I have searched to figure out HOW spiritual formation happens.
Sometimes I have been swayed by teachers who taught me that “it is the work of God” - and this has led me to passivity. If God is going to do it, then what do I have to contribute to the process?
Other times I have been influenced by teachers who taught me that spiritual disciplines are the key to spiritual growth - and this has led me to legalism. If it is up to me, then I need systems, plans, hard work, and accountability to become mature in Christ.
How about you? Have you veered between these two ‘approaches’ to spiritual formation?
This summer I took a class on Spiritual Formation as part of my D.Min. program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Our professor, Dr. Richard Averbeck, drew our attention to 2 Corinthians 3:16-18. I want to share some of his insights with you, mix them in with some of my own, and put it together in my own words (so I take responsibility for any mistakes or errors!)
First, Paul explains that we are being transformed into the image of Christ. This is the deepest work of change that can be imagined. This is not merely learning new information, acquiring new habits, or becoming a ‘good’ person. We are being restored to “better than brand new” as one of my church’s pastors puts it. The perfect holiness that Christ displayed in his life - that reflects the eternal holiness of the Triune God - we will be like that one day! Wow.
This is not a believe now, go to heaven later message. This is a full-scale renovation of our souls.
Second, notice that this is a Trinitarian vision. We look at the glory of Yahweh by the Spirit so we can be like Christ. We worship one God, so it should not surprise us to see the Trinity acting together, with one will, to transform us.
We can be lost in worship here. To be priests of Yahweh, but with unveiled faces? We are given intimacy with God himself.
Third, are we doing the work to be like Christ? No, we see that the Holy Spirit is working in our spirit to transform us. As we emphasize here, it is God’s uncommon pursuit that is primary. It is “from the Lord who is the Spirit” that transformation happens.
How could we make ourselves like Christ?
This is a spiritual work so it depends on the Holy Spirit for its effect.
Fourth, does this mean we have no role to play? By no means!
In light of this reality, our work is to respond to the Spirit’s work in our lives.
For instance, go on to consider 2 Corinthians 4. We see that Paul is perfectly clear that “this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us” - we are clay jars.
Yet, he is actively giving himself to the work of the Spirit in his life, which animates his perseverance, his preaching, and his passion.
To sum it up, we see that God’s Spirit graciously does his work IN us, then AMONG us, so that God may work THROUGH us to reach more and more people with his grace. (The in-among-through framework is from Dr. Averbeck).
For me, this theological vision of spiritual formation is transformative. It brings together the supremacy and primacy of God with the practical response we make to God.
Everything you know about spiritual formation - Bible reading, prayer, serving the poor, fasting, friendship with Christians, hearing the preaching of God’s word, the discipline of study - all of it - you can engage with those practices as you respond to the Spirit’s work in your spirit.
To me, that’s the open secret of spiritual formation.
Let me know. Do you see this in the Scriptures? If so, where else do you see the Bible teaching this is how spiritual formation takes place? Or have I gone astray?