Rules, rules, rules! Do you ever feel that Christianity is nothing but legalism—the constant pressure to obey a long list of rules and obligations? If so, you’re missing the heart of what God wants to do in your life. Laws and rules tend to work from the outside in. The Holy Spirit works from the inside out as He forms our lives into the image of Christ. We call this life-long process “spiritual formation”.

As mentioned in my last post, there is no clear standard definition for spiritual formation. However, borrowing from the always perceptive Dallas Willard, we can affirm that, “spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself.”[1]

Personally, I like to define spiritual formation as the intentional process by which a Christian grows into spiritual maturity through both an abiding relationship with Christ, and interaction with other Christians. The process of spiritual formation is intentional on three primary fronts.

1. The person being formed seeks to know and walk with God.

2. Those around the person being formed seek to help him or her grow into the image of Christ.

3. The Holy Spirit, who dwells within the heart of every true believer, ever works to transform the character of the person who has been accepted and indwelt by God through the cleansing work of Christ on the cross.

 The Apostle Paul put it quite well when he wrote to the Corinthian church:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NASB)

Whether we call it “spiritual formation,” “discipleship,” or “Christian growth,” three primary ingredients are necessary:

1. Relevant biblical instruction that touches the core issues of life, aligning the believer with the dynamics of God’s design.

2. Personal interaction with wise, loving, and mature Christians which allows the person to work through the struggles involved with the processes of healing and growth, and the empowerment to step out into fresh areas of service to God.

3. A personal desire to walk with God. Until such a desire is birthed, the discipleship process will be either non-existent or filled with frustration.

From a biblical perspective, the gospel was never viewed simply as a message about going to heaven. As awesome as eternity in heaven will be, salvation is also about deliverance from sin and the process of growing into maturity.

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete [mature] in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. Colossians 1:28-29 (NASB)

Spiritual maturity is always God’s goal in the life of a believer. Of course, like the concept of spiritual formation, Christians often struggle to define spiritual maturity. Not recognizing the inside-out nature of the maturing process, Christian leaders then become “behavior modification experts” who attempt to use external laws and rules to accomplish their purposes. Their innate desires are generally well-intentioned, but their methods backfire–having the exact opposite of the intended affect.

photo credit: photo credit: Allison Espino via CreationSwap

The following 7 characteristics of a spiritually mature believer are drawn from the 4^th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church:

1. A continuous, abiding relationship with God through faith in Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

2. “Self-initiated” service to God that is defined by the call and giftings of God in the individual’s life.

3. An other-centered lifestyle that seeks to build up and unite the entire body of Christ.

4. An accurate understanding of the core Christian doctrines.

5. A humble lifestyle characterized by giving.

6. The courage to graciously speak and stand for truth.

7. The ability to navigate intensely difficult circumstances without caving in emotionally.

 God uses external circumstances to do an internal work that then has external manifestations. In perusing this list, most of us quickly realize that we have a long way to go. If you are anything like me, you should gain a lot from my blog series on the life of King David!

[1] Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard, p 22