I think we often confuse what progress is as a Christian. There isn’t anyway to chart, as we would like, how ‘far’ we are as a Christian. We tend to love black and white lines, charts, graphs, anything that can make us feel good about ourselves. We’re not made holy by what we do or don’t do; that puts redemption on our own shoulders. I think we look to ourselves saying: “if only I had self control to not do this or that.” While self control has its place, I think we need to look at our root desires and how they have changed. I can control myself all the days I damn and make myself look like a saint, but my desires and heart are corrupt and hateful.


Christianity is not about our image. God works through broken people like me, like you. It’s not an issue of perfect self control, rather our root desires changing and our habits conforming to our new desires. Redemption is an ongoing process that never ends. Our sin never ends in this life as we can never be perfect in a sinful world in sinful bodies. Our self control doesn’t make us holy, rather the passive righteousness given to us by Christ does.
mmmmm…