God is patient with us; we will be patient with the process of God in us.
The work of Jesus in our lives to bring us to salvation is compared to the birth of a new baby (John 3).
On the one hand, the scriptures teach that every thing is brand new, your sins are wiped away, and you are made right with God. We might think of two new parents who hold their baby for the first time and say to each other, “perfect, beautiful, amazing.” The doctor and parents will fill out a birth certificate, it is legal, official, legit. Interestingly, the Bible often uses legal language to describe our standing before God our Judge who sees us as innocent and free from guilt because he accepts the work of Christ on our behalf.
While we marvel in that moment of new birth, on the other hand, parents know that having a child is not only a moment but also a huge process. The love of a mom and dad, the mystery and sacrifice of pregnancy, the battle and critical moments of labor, the nervous care for a newborn, the rapid growth of the first years, the toddler years, elementary school… you get the idea – the process is huge.
As a church we are affirming that salvation is both instantaneous and progressive. Yes – there is a moment when all of heaven rejoices at a newly born-again Christ follower, AND yes – the process before, during, and after — is huge. Legally speaking the Christian is brand new, sinless, perfect, holy, and right with God. Practically speaking God has brought us a long way and we have a long way to go.
Most of what we get to be a part of as a church is the growth process of the Christian life. We will get excited about people making commitments to follow Christ but ultimately it is God who registers the born again in Heaven. He is so patient with us in the practical process of salvation in our day-to-day lives. We are confessing that as Christians we lay no claim on perfection because we know that God is still working on us. We are committing to be patient and understanding of what God is doing in you!
It would be nice if all a mother-to-be had to do was make a decision, raise a hand, pray, sign a card, and then presto – open your eyes here is your baby! It would be nice if our children came from the womb ready-made for the world, (picture a newborn cleaning his room, putting his clothes on, brushing a tooth, walking to the fridge for a jar of baby food, getting a spoon from the drawer, grabbing the newspaper, and sitting at the table for a conversation and cup of coffee…) but then life would be void of all the amazing experiences we have with our children. What would they need us for? Where would the bond be? How would the value of life be changed? Would it be less rewarding, less meaningful?
We are building a relationship with our Heavenly Father who is giving us an opportunity to live a life of amazing experiences with him. He loves that we need him, depend on him, trust him, learn to obey him, find meaning in him, and grow in him. As a church we desire to help people in that process.
Directional Lines 