Indivisible

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
"For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."
Those who are surrendered and within Christ are on a journey to completion at the return of the King.  In my opinion, a “newborn” Christian is not automatically at spiritual maturity.  I believe that the LORD leads the believer on a discipleship path that grows and grounds in the faith.  Paul tells us in Philippians that the LORD begins the good work in us and He carries it to completion.  We are never left undone.  So, what does a journey to an indivisible faith look like?
I watched my youngest for the first time at gymnastics practice this week.  Her coach did a wonderful job at leading this group of girls.  He improved them on skills they had already learned, showed them new skills, and did the least fun of all athletic practices.  Calisthenics.  I have never known an athlete to express joy for calisthenics.  But I have also never known an athlete or coach to discount calisthenics as a necessary part of training.
Paul explains to us in Romans 5:3 that as we face conflict in this life we grow consistency in our faith.  I see our conflicts or troubles of life as the calisthenics of faith.  It is not a portion of the growth of my faith that I enjoy or look forward to, but like all practices, I know that I can expect it.  As I experience conflicts and troubles over and over, my spiritual strength grows and faith “muscle memory” takes place.  I become consistent in my trust through conflict.
This consistency through conflict is a waypoint on the path.  Consistency through conflict develops character in the believer.  Paul explains to us in Romans 5:4 that this consistency develops strength of character in us. Consistency through conflict is great gain.  And strength of character would also be a great destination if the LORD was done with us at that point. But He is not done at this point.  Strong character is another waypoint on the path.
In Romans 5:4-5 Paul tells us that this character, developed through consistency, and this consistency developed through conflict, develops in us a confident hope of salvation.  A solid faith that will not be broken up.  A faith that is indivisible.  A rock.  Paul tells us in his earlier letter to the Philippians that the LORD will not stop his coaching us on this faith journey.  There is a final destination and the LORD who “began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished.”
We know that we can expect conflict to our faith.  The enemy challenges our faith at every turn.  He hates us and our faith in the LORD.  His attacks give us the opportunity to grow in our faith from the conflict, to consistency in the fight, to character from the consistency, giving to us the confident hope of our salvation.  The indivisible rock of our salvation.
  1. What conflicts are you facing?
  2. Are you consistent in the fight?
  3. What character qualities is the Father forming in you?
  4. How are these character qualities strengthening your confident hope?

--Zine Smith

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