For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9).
Grace provides salvation. O.K., what is salvation? Generally, it seems, salvation is understood as being rescued from the power of sin so that when we die we will go to heaven. Thus, one person might say he got saved on such and such date (or, in the case of churches of Christ, he would say that he was baptized on such and such date). In this case salvation implies a destination (namely, heaven).
So, we might say that when he got saved that he had his ticket punched to get on a train that is going to heaven. He now sees himself in a saved condition. The debate that follows regards whether or not he can get off of the train, and whether he had any involvement in having his ticket punched. However, in both cases salvation is about a destination (which is why I have used the train analogy).
However, let’s consider for a moment how the New Testament uses the term “Salvation”. Salvation has a much more holistic sense about it. In a previous post I noted that the term “Salvation” (Greek SOZO) is used by Luke to speak of people being healed of sickness as well as being forgiven of sin. Salvation is about becoming whole. Salvation is about becoming.
Specifically, salvation is about becoming like Jesus. This is what we hear from Paul.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son… (Rom. 8:29)
My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…
(Gal. 4:19)
Salvation is formation into the image of Christ. This formation, of course, is a process. Salvation is clearly couched this way in the New Testament. Sometimes salvation is understood as accomplished (Eph. 2:5, 8), sometimes as occurring (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15), and sometimes as something not yet attained (Rom. 5:9-10). It is now and not yet.
This formation is a matter of God’s work in us, to be sure. Peter tells us that it is God’s power in us that gives us everything for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). But he then says…
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-8).
We are told to “Make every effort” and to “Add to”. A similar notion is found in Paul who encouraged Christians in Rome to…
“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2).
In other words, God began a work in us that we are called to participate in. This is what spiritual formation is all about. It is about developing practices in our lives that hone the gift God has given us so that we will take on the character of Christ. As we do so we allow the Spirit to work in us so that we bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
This thread is all about spiritual formation (as can be noted at the bottom – “Filed under Spiritual Formation”). I have begun this thread with a discussion on grace because it is sometimes thought that grace and one’s efforts at spiritual formation are somehow in conflict, as if one’s efforts at spiritual formation are “Works theology”. I hope that I have shown that this is far from the case.
