Anyone who puts their faith in Christ is once and for all declared righteous by God. Romans 4:5 “However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”
The implications of that are enormous! Our behaviour doesn’t effect our righteousness before God (good or bad). We can never be condemned as a result of sin. Good works are irrelevant to our standing before God.
But, to those who have been made righteous, God also gives this command: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15). His plan for us is to grow in personal character and hatred of sin to the point where we are completely like him (1 John 3:1-2). This will certainly happen for every believer (Romans 8:30), although perfection will only fully come at Christ’s return, or the believer’s death.
God is calling us as his children into conformity to Christ. Ultimately we are all conformed to something (parents, political view, peer pressure). The only way we can be truly free is to conform to Christ and his character.
2 Cor 3:18 says the transformation is God’s work- that is it is is grace at work in us. But, unlike justification, we have a part to play with our works. See Col 3:5-10
Dan highlighted 5 keys to growing in holiness:
1) Expect Change. Remind yourself that you have been called to reflect God’s perfect character. Sadly we’re very used to explaining away our unchanging sinful behaviour by claming “that’s just they way I am”. God’s called you to change!
2)Pray to Change. Matt 5 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled”. It’s a prayer God loves to answer.
3) Embrace God’s discipline. Heb 12:10 God disciplines us as a loving father does a child. He does that so we may share in his holiness. As God is sovereign, his discipline logically includes anything he allows to happen to us. He can use all things to shape us for our good and make us more like him.
4) Bias to Action. James 5:13-14 When trouble or sickness comes, the believer needs to take hold of it and take appropriate action- not just get despondent or bitter.
5)Take a long view. James 1:2-4. Consider all hardship and difficulty as progress towards the long term goal of your complete maturity and perfection as a believer.
Questions
1) The gift of righteousness. Remember the circle. Did that illustration speak to you? Is permanent righteousness as a gift something you find hard or easy to accept?
2) In Ephesians 6 we’re commanded to take up the Breastplate of Righteousness- what does that mean and how can that help us to live as a Christian?
3) Be holy. What do you think it will look like for us to one day be completely righteous in behaviour as well as in name? Will we all just become clones?!
4) What things make us hungry for growth in personal holiness? How do any of the 5 points Dan mentioned help in pursuing spiritual growth?
5) How would you like to see your character grow in the next 12 months? Pray for one another
