You cannot make yourself go sleep. You can close the curtains, put on your pajamas, fluff your pillow, get in bed and shut the lights off, but that is all you can do. As soon as you start to think, “I need to go to sleep right now!” you are in big trouble, because the more you think about going to sleep, the less likely it is to happen. Focusing on sleep is completely counter-productive. The most you can do is to put yourself in a position to sleep. After that, sleep comes at its own time, not at your bidding.
I believe that holiness comes in a similar way. No one cannot manufacture a holy life on his or her own. In fact, focusing on being good is more likely to produce pride rather than holiness. All anyone can really do is put themselves in a position to be made holy.
I think that is the point that Jesus is making in John 15 when he says to his disciples, “I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit”. Spiritual growth is not based on doing more or trying harder. Rather, we are changed as we stay close to Jesus. Just in case they missed the point, Jesus ends this verse by saying, “Apart from me, you can do nothing”.
This concept is important because, over the years, I have heard people say, “When I get my life together, then I will make spiritual things a priority and start going to church”, but that is not how works. You do not become holy and then come to Christ; rather you come to Christ to be made holy.
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading and worship are important, not because they prove that we are “good people”, but because they keep us close to the one who can transform us and re-make us in his image (Romans 12:1-2).
The key is to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:5-7) and everyone is welcome to do that.
“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
I believe that holiness comes in a similar way. No one cannot manufacture a holy life on his or her own. In fact, focusing on being good is more likely to produce pride rather than holiness. All anyone can really do is put themselves in a position to be made holy.
I think that is the point that Jesus is making in John 15 when he says to his disciples, “I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit”. Spiritual growth is not based on doing more or trying harder. Rather, we are changed as we stay close to Jesus. Just in case they missed the point, Jesus ends this verse by saying, “Apart from me, you can do nothing”.
This concept is important because, over the years, I have heard people say, “When I get my life together, then I will make spiritual things a priority and start going to church”, but that is not how works. You do not become holy and then come to Christ; rather you come to Christ to be made holy.
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading and worship are important, not because they prove that we are “good people”, but because they keep us close to the one who can transform us and re-make us in his image (Romans 12:1-2).
The key is to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:5-7) and everyone is welcome to do that.
“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
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