Progressive Sanctification: Growing and Maturing in Our Faith

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Progressive Sanctification:

Growing and Maturing in Our Faith

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"As a result, we are no longer to be children,

tossed here and there by waves

and carried about by every wind of doctrine,

by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects

into Him who is the head, even Christ."

(EPHESIANS 4:14-15, NASB)

INTRODUCTION

To "mature" is to experience natural growth, hopefully to the point of full development. [1] This same idea is found in the main New Testament (NT) Greek word for "maturity" (teleios) which means "brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness; perfect." [2] Christian maturity is a process that begins the moment we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the goal and end of which is nothing less than Christlike perfection. The theological term for this growth process is sanctification.

At the outset, we may rightly ask what is so important about Christian maturity. Why bother with this particular topic? For one thing, maturity is an expression of obedience. All throughout Scripture we find God urging, admonishing, and commanding his people to live lives that reflect mature trust in and obedience to him. Christian maturity is also an investment that pays high dividends, since the mature believer's life is characterized by a sense of control, a sense of confidence, and a sense of courage -- all linked directly to his/her ability to discern the difference between right and wrong, true and false, good and bad, etc. [3] Mature Christians seek to know and apply biblical truth, including establishing their priorities based on what best honors God and furthers his kingdom on this earth. [4]

God's Holiness

Put simply, to be sanctified is to be set apart from sin and set apart to God for his service. "Dedication," "consecration," "purification," and "holiness" are all closely related words and concepts. [5] We see this in both the Old Testament (OT) and the NT. The OT Hebrew word translated "sanctify" (qadash) carries the basic meaning of to "be set apart, consecrated," and it relates directly to God's holiness. [6] It describes the act of dedicating a person or object to God for his exclusive use, as well as the status of a person or object so dedicated. [7] In ancient Israel, sanctification was closely tied to cultic ritual, as through public ceremony a person or object was set apart for God's sacred use and thus no longer to be used for secular or common purposes. [8] Having been thus set apart, the person or object was declared holy. Examples include the Sabbath or seventh day, Mount Sinai, Israel's priests, everything used for and associated with worship and sacrifice, and even the nation of Israel itself. [9]

In the NT, the primary word for "sanctify" is hagiazo, which means "to make, render or declare sacred or holy, consecrate." [10] It "signifies to set apart for God, to sanctify, to make a person or thing the opposite of koinos, common'" [11] Again we note the connection between sanctification and God's holiness. Here, however, we must also take note of the fact that between the OT and the NT there exists a fundamental shift in the way God's holiness is expressed through his people. Whereas in the OT holiness involved isolation from the realm of the secular, in the NT holiness is the ordinary infused by God's Holy Spirit and remade for his service. Hence whereas in the OT era it was more about being transferred from secular to sacred, in the NT era it is more about the secular being transformed into something sacred. Sanctification is the process in which we as God's people are gradually transformed so that our thoughts, words, and deeds bring honor and glory to God. [12]

Sanctification begins with a committed decision to set ourselves apart for God, to live our lives in such a way as to reflect his holiness. Of course, since only God is absolutely holy, we will often find ourselves falling short of his perfect standards. If and when this occurs, we are called not to give up but, rather, to confess, repent, and dedicate ourselves anew. Doing so on a regular basis will call for all the courage and stamina we can muster -- in fact, much more than we can muster. But, as we will see, we are not in this thing alone. God our Father, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Helper are all working to empower, enable and equip us in our Christian walk and witness. They are working to bring about our Christian maturity.

ASPECTS OF SANCTIFICATION

There are actually three aspects or phases of sanctification [13] :

Positional (or definitive). This refers to the immediate results of our decision to follow Jesus, when we are irrevocably transplanted from the realm of sin, darkness, and death, into the realm of righteousness, light, and life.
Progressive. This is the ongoing process in which we cooperate with God in his efforts to make us holy in our every thought, word, and deed. Also termed "practical sanctification," this aspect encompasses the practical details associated with everyday living, and is the one we will be most concerned with here.
Perfected (or ultimate). This phase begins in Heaven, when for all of eternity we will be completely set apart to God.

AGENTS OF SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification involves all the members of the Trinity -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- and believers. [14] In order to gain a fuller understanding of what is involved in our sanctification, we will look at each of these four agents separately: 1) God, 2) Jesus Christ, 3) the Holy Spirit, and 4) Us.

God

As a supernatural work of God [15], sanctification begins with God's dynamic presence and results in his attributes being manifested in and through us. [16] Thus fellowship between us and God is a crucial component in the sanctification process, and anything which hinders that fellowship -- i.e., sin -- will also hinder our growth and development.

Sanctification originated with God. It can be said that in their perfect, prefallen state Adam and Eve were sanctified, since they were created for and set apart to God. However, their sin of disobedience soon resulted in a wall of separation between God and humankind. And since the first human pair were tasked with governing the earth, it too became scarred by sin. Today both humans and the created order still testify to the existence of a Creator, although by itself such testimony is hazy and incomplete -- somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle with several crucial pieces missing. This is due to the fact that we humans are born into this world sinful, imperfect, "unsanctified" [17]

In one respect, the Bible is God's story of his love-filled efforts to resanctify the human race. While still in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve received God's pronouncement of punishment for their transgression. And yet in the midst of his judgment, God hinted at a future deliverer: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" (GENESIS 3:15). [18] This verse has often been referred to as the "protoevangelium" or "the first good news," as it foretells a combat between a seed of the woman (i.e., Jesus) and the serpent (i.e., Satan), with the former emerging victorious. [19] Thus God refused to allow sin to thwart his plan to have a people set apart to himself, a people who in response to his love would love and serve him.

The history of humankind is the history of God's working to bring about our salvation through sanctification. When he flooded the earth, God set apart Noah and his family. When the earth was being filled with nations, God set apart Abram/Abraham through whom to establish a nation uniquely his own, set apart to serve him and be a witness to a lost and dying world. Within Israel itself, there was set apart a special priesthood to serve as intermediaries between a holy God and a sinful people: "The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever" (1 CHRONICLES 23:13).

The priesthood and its associated cultic practices pointed to the holiness of God and served to highlight Israel's status as a sanctified people. Vital to the sanctification process was the system of sacrifices. The animal sacrifices afforded regular and immediate cleansing that prevented sin from establishing a permanent wall between God and his people. While the sacrifices could not make the people holy, they could temporarily remove the stain of sin and thus allow the people to approach God and experience his holiness. [20]

Besides the cultic system, the Law played a vital role in Israel's sanctification. The Law was given by God to guide and direct his people in their daily lives. [21] The Law included but went beyond commandments, as it sought to both convey and instill the nature and character of God. It's important to note that the covenant established by God with his people formed the foundation for the biblical laws. Hence God's relationship with his people was built on covenant, not on law-keeping, [22] and the Law was intended as an aid for helping God's people to live out the implications of a covenant relationship with him. In the process they would mature in their faith and trust in God.

Alas, time and again Israel violated her covenant relationship with God, repeatedly going astray in pursuit of other/false gods. The Law was forgotten. By the time it was remembered again, it had been removed from its covenant context. Now law-keeping was seen as the means of earning a right standing before God. And in response to the many areas of life not addressed by specific commands, there arose a system of interpretation that, for many, became as binding as the laws themselves. The end result of all this was the Pharisaic Judaism denounced by Christ. [23] Paradoxically, the Law, originally intended to separate people to God, had now become a vehicle for separation from him.

Jesus Christ

When Jesus launched his earthly ministry, immediately he began encountering opposition from the religious leaders of his day. Although no one could prove Jesus guilty of violating the Law, his unorthodox style of living and teaching did violate centuries-old traditions that, for many, had become just as authoritative as the Law. Misplaced zeal on the part of Israel's religious elite blinded them to God's message and to God's Messenger.

"'You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves'" (JOHN 5:38-42). The context of these words is Jesus' citing several witnesses to testify to his true identity, including John the Baptist, (miraculous) works, the Father, and the Scriptures (vv. 33-47). Because the religious leaders valued the applause of men more than the approval of God, they had become spiritually blind, deaf, and mute. They simply would not allow themselves to recognize God -- even when he was standing directly in front of them. Their dogged desire for miraculous confirmation of Jesus as the Messiah later led them to overlook the most miraculous sign of all and the only means by which to be made right with God: Christ's crucifixion. Later the apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, reflected this same sentiment: "For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness" (1 CORINTHIANS 1:22-23).

Salvation comes as a result of believing and receiving the Gospel message. "Gospel" is from the Greek euaggelion, which "originally denoted a reward for good tidings; later, the idea of reward dropped, and the word stood for 'the good news' itself." [24] In the Bible this "good news" regarding God and the salvation he offers is enshrined in John 3:16: "'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.'" Salvation is how a person receives positional or definitive sanctification. Along these lines, the writer to the Hebrews asserts that Jesus' death is the sacrifice that sanctifies us and fits us for service (HEBREWS 9:13-14), and that Jesus' blood is the source of sanctification (HEBREWS 13:12).

Salvation is also the first step in the process of growing and maturing in Christ. Our spiritual rebirth is accompanied by both the desire and the power to live a life pleasing to God, the directions for which can be found in the Bible's many and various commands and exhortations related to living a holy life. [25] Having been birthed into God's kingdom, we are now expected to grow. Just as a newborn infant is fully expected to experience physical growth until reaching mature adulthood, so too a newborn Christian is to grow spiritually until reaching complete Christlikeness (see ROMANS 8:29).

Realistically speaking, Christlike perfection in every area of our life is simply not possible this side of Heaven. We hasten to add, however, that rather than serving as an excuse for either laxness or willful disobedience, such knowledge should alert us to the need for constant readjustments in our attitudes and actions as we seek to be God's holy people in our journey through this life. Despite the fact that no one has ever reached the North Star by sailing or flying toward it, it still remains a fixed, tangible point and thus a sure and steady guide. In the same way, our sincere, wholehearted commitment to perfect sanctification, while impossible to reach in this life, will both serve as a sure and steady guide for living the best life possible now and prepare us for the complete sanctification in the life that awaits us.. [26]

Jesus Christ is to be our ultimate example as we seek to mature as believers in him. We will do so only as we repeatedly scrutinize his life and teachings as recorded in God's inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible, seeking always and in every way to pattern ourselves after him. As we mature in our Christian walk and witness, we must be very careful to avoid the ever-present snare of pride. Lest we ever compare ourselves to our fellow fallen human beings and glory in our relative goodness, we should regularly recall the apostle Paul's words to the Corinthian believers concerning their (and our) value and status.

My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame. What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important. God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to him. You are God's children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy. So if you want to brag, do what the Scriptures say and brag about the Lord. (1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31, CEV)

A indispensable component of our growth process is the Bible. Jesus knew, relied on, lived by, and taught the Scriptures of his day -- what we today know as the Old Testament. We need regular, prolonged exposure to the truth found in the Scriptures -- otherwise we will be trying to live the Christian life in our own power. [27] Not coincidentally, reading, studying, and applying the Bible will also prepare us against the relentless onslaught of a fallen world seeking to hinder our growth and development -- and hence our effectiveness -- as the people of God. Such matters were important enough to concern Christ on the eve of his crucifixion:

I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word. (JOHN 17:15-20)

Since Jesus himself was God's Word housed in human flesh (JOHN 1:1, 9-10), there exists a unique relationship between Christ and the Scriptures. The Bible both points to Christ and aids us in becoming more like him. Concerning the connection between Jesus, the Scriptures, and our sanctification, Warren Wiersbe insightfully notes how we can glorify God only by learning the great truths of the Bible, loving Jesus, and living in obedience to God. In that respect, it can be said that the purpose of our sanctification is to accurately represent Jesus before an always-watching world and, in turn, win people to him. [28]

As vital as are Christ's teachings and example, and as necessary as are the Scriptures, alone they are not enough to ensure our sanctification. Which is why Jesus promised to send "the Helper" (JOHN 16:7).

The Holy Spirit

Knowing that soon he would be departing to return to his Father, on the night of his arrest Jesus promised to send someone to take his place. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you" (JOHN 14:16-17). Lest we mistakenly equate the promised Helper with a courageous feeling or a determined mind-set, we should note how Jesus referred to him as "another." This word translates allos, which "expresses a numerical difference and denotes 'another of the same sort.'" [29] When speaking of only two, as here, it means "the other." [30] And so Jesus is promising to send the other who is like himself.

Several important truths concerning the Holy Spirit can be gleaned from these verses: the Holy Spirit is from the Father; he will never leave the disciples; he is the epitome of truth; the world does not have the capacity to receive him; he is (already) known by the disciples -- i.e., to know Jesus is to know the Spirit -- and he abides with them; and he will be in the disciples. What was true for those disciples at that time is just as true for us today. Jesus no longer walks the earth in the flesh, but his Spirit takes up a real and active presence in the heart of every person born anew into God's family. And the Spirit's desire, aim, and goal is to make us holy from the inside out.

Although we sometimes tend to want to limit the Holy Spirit to the NT, he was active throughout the OT period as well. The Spirit was involved in all facets of the creation, from its general planning, to the actual creation of the stars, the earth, the animals, and man. [31] The Holy Spirit was active in the world at large, in Israel's history, and in OT prophecy. [32] Often times he is depicted as something of a supernatural though temporary "energizing power" working on/through those in positions of leadership. [33] A summary of the Holy Spirit's ministry in the OT would include the fact that he was present in certain people, he came upon some, and he provided "a special enablement" to a select few. (34)

But as active as the Holy Spirit has always been, his role and function took on special significance at Pentecost, for that is when he became the vital link between Jesus Christ and his followers. Within the church, the Holy Spirit unites believers in the body of Christ (ROMANS 6:1-10; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-13); appoints and directs leaders (ACTS 8:29; 20:28; 13:2-4; 16:6-10); bestows gifts for service (1 CORINTHIANS12:4-11); provides power for ministry (Acts 1:8; 4:31-33; 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4; 1 The 1:5); encourages (Acts 9:31); establishes growth and unity (EPHESIANS 2:19-22); gives wisdom (Acts 15:28); indwells (1 CORINTHIANS 3:16); intercedes (ROMANS 8:26-27); and reveals Christ's message (REVELATION 2:7). [35]

As if all of that weren't enough, the Bible also speaks of the Holy Spirit as being directly involved in our sanctification. Comparing their old life in the flesh to their new life in Christ, the apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers, "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 CORINTHIANS 6:11). Whereas prior to conversion a person's sinful nature renders him or her incapable of holy living, with salvation comes a new nature that includes a deep and abiding desire to live a holy, God-honoring, God-pleasing life. [36]

In contrasting the old Mosaic covenant with the new covenant of grace, Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians highlights both the means for and the goal of sanctification. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 CORINTHIANS 3:18). The means is God's Word in general and the Gospel in particular, and the goal is nothing less than Christlike perfection. Whereas under the old covenant (OT) the Law was the primary means through which God related to his people, under the new covenant (NT) it is the Holy Spirit using the Scriptures he inspired. What's more, because the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence within every believer, we now have both the desire and the power to obey God's Word. [37]

Writing to the church in Thessalonica, Paul reminds them of how the Holy Spirit was involved in God's calling of them, which resulted in their positional sanctification. "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth" (2 THESSALONIANS 2:13).

And the apostle Peter makes this same point as he ties together positional and progressive sanctification. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those ... who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit ... " (1 PETER 1:1-2).

But how can we be sure we are cooperating with the Spirit in his efforts to make us into mature believers? One major proof is the presence of the fruit of the Spirit: " ... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control ... " (GALATIANS 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit can serve as a kind of Christian maturity checklist, as we regularly compare our life against it. Albert Barnes offers the following practical insights regarding exactly what the fruitful life entails:

Love. "The Greek word agapē means properly 'love,' affection, regard, good-will, benevolence." While it is to be directed toward both God and our fellow human beings, here in Galatians 5 the stress is on the latter, "as the fruits of the Spirit are placed in contradistinction from those vices which lead to strifes among people."

Joy. We can and should rejoice because:
- God loves us
- we are pardoned by him
- we have "communion with the Redeemer" and are "in his service"
- we have been entrusted with the duties and obligations associated with the Christian faith
- God uses the trials and testings we face to refine our faith
- and, of course, to end this life is to begin eternity in Heaven

Peace. "As the result of reconciliation with God."

Long-suffering (NASB: Patience). "In affliction and trial, and when injured by others."

Gentleness (NASB: Kindness). "The word means goodness, kindness, benignity; and is opposed to a harsh, crabbed, crooked temper. ... [The Christian faith] makes no one crabby, and morose, and sour. It sweetens the temper; corrects an irritable disposition; makes the heart kind ... "

Goodness. "Here the word seems to be used in the sense of beneficence, or a disposition to do good to others. The sense is, that a Christian must be a good man."

Faith (NASB: Faithfulness). A Christian is "faithful to his word and promises" and "can be trusted or confided in." The Christian faith "makes a man faithful. The Christian is faithful as a man; faithful as a neighbor, friend, father, husband, son. He is faithful to his contracts; faithful to his promises."
Meekness (NASB: Gentleness). This attribute means "patience in the reception of injuries. It is neither meanness nor a surrender of our rights, nor cowardice; but it is the opposite of sudden anger, of malice, of long-harbored vengeance."

Temperance (NASB: Self-Control). God's Holy Spirit influences the believer to seek moderation in all things, which calls for restraining passions and every "inordinate affection." [38]

As indicated by this list, the fruitful life is far from a passive process. This fact is further attested to by all the commands in Scripture to actively pursue love, joy, peace, etc. [39] Sanctification calls for an ongoing determination to yield ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit. We do so by forming the habit of looking to and depending on God's counsel instead of the world's, and God's strength instead of our own.

As is clear by now, we ourselves have a vital role to play in our progressive sanctification. There is both a negative and a positive orientation associated with sanctification. Negatively, sanctification means being cleansed or purified from sin. Positively, sanctification means living rightly before God and others. [40] God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit have worked, are working, and will work to provide for and guide us in our daily Christian walk and witness. But it remains up to each individual believer to actively, purposely appropriate the attitudes and actions that foster Christian maturity.

The Scripture employs numerous metaphors for the people of God. In the OT we find such figures as: an assembly; a bride; the chosen; a community; a congregation; a flock; a kingdom; servants; a treasure; and a work of God's own hands. In the NT, the most instructive images are those of a body (ROMANS 12:5); branches (JOHN 15:5); a bride (REVELATION 19:7); and a building (1CORINTHIANS 3:9). But beyond these, a plethora of descriptive images are used to convey the unique, all-encompassing relationship between God and his people, including: the chosen ones; the church; the elect; a family; fellow citizens; a flock; a field; a household; a holy city, nation, and people; a priesthood; a temple, a kingdom; salt of the earth; and virgins. [41] Inherent within all of these images is the idea of reciprocal relationship. We are called to an active faith that expresses itself in reliance upon and obedience to our Heavenly Father.

We will grow and mature in our Christian faith only as we yield ourselves to ( = stop resisting and start pursuing) God's will as revealed in the Scriptures. The apostle Paul used the idea of presenting ourselves to God as those with no other choice but to obey him. In the sixth chapter of his great treatise on the faith, the book of Romans, Paul asserts our new status in Christ and how it can, should, and must result in a life of obedient submission to the will of God. Our accepting and being identified with Christ means we are now to "walk in newness of life" (v.4).

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (vv.12-13). The word "instruments" translates hoplon. This word, originally meaning "implement," came to be used for: ship's tackling, cable, rope; tool; weapon; and troops, or camp. In a figurative sense, it is used "for weapons of both offense and defense." [42] Bible commentator William Barclay captures well the sense in which Paul here intends the word to mean "weapons of warfare." Both God and Sin, he says, need people to do their work. If God wants a word spoken or a deed done or a person encouraged, he must use a man or woman to do it. Similarly, Sin is always looking for a person it can use to lead others into sin -- it is always advertising for new recruits. Which leaves us with only two alternatives: we can make ourselves weapons to be used by God in his fight against Sin (with its agenda of darkness and death), or we can make ourselves weapons to be used by Sin in its fight against God (with his agenda of light and life). [43] We are engaged in a fierce battle of cosmic proportions, and every day we experience inner conflict as we decide to serve either God or Sin.

As autonomous as we human beings like to think we are, it is no exaggeration to say that every person is a slave to something. In Romans 6, Paul says that the new life in Christ amounts to trading in one master for another. Of course our old master, Sin, was a cruel dictator who promised much but delivered little, while our new master, God, both promises and delivers more than we can possibly imagine -- provided, of course, we cooperate with his design and purpose in our lives.

... For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (ROMANS 6:19b-22).

As believers in Christ, we are already and not yet. [44] We are already declared righteous and perfect; we have not yet attained total righteousness and complete perfection. Sin remains a very real and present threat. Only by giving our full and unqualified allegiance to God can we break the power of Sin in our lives. Conversely, to deny God is declare our continued allegiance to Sin.

CONCLUSION

Christian maturity centers on the notion of God's eternal plan and purpose to set apart for himself a people to love and serve him before an always-watching world. Since our Heavenly Father is holy, we too are called to be holy in all we do and say. To that end, God gives us his abiding love and power. We have been born anew because of what Christ did for us. Now it remains for us to offer ourselves back to him so that, through obedience to God's Word and by the power of his indwelling Holy Spirit, we can "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 PETER 3:18a).

As C. S. Lewis wisely notes, our maturity as Christians is of monumental importance to God. Whereas we will at times be tempted toward complacency regarding our spiritual growth and development, God has a "quite different plan." We may not experience sinless perfection this side of Heaven, but his plan is to get us as close as possible. [45]

NOTES

1. Merriam-Webster, Inc., Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary, version 3.0 (2003). Electronic edition.