Let's Get to the Heart of Spiritual Formation

If someone were to ask me what Spiritual Formation is, I’d quickly direct them to Romans 8. This chapter is all about life in the Spirit, and it is packed with some of our most beloved lines in the New Testament…

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good...” Romans 8:28

“...we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

Yes, and amen! In order for these verses to truly jump off the page, Romans 8 should be read against the backdrop of Romans 7, which is all about the futility of our default flesh nature. As we walk through the book of Ecclesiastes as a church, we are being reminded each week that all is vanity under the sun apart from our connection to Christ through the Holy Spirit. The distinction between the flesh and the Spirit is summarized like this:

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:8-9

You can have great achievement, perfect church attendance, and know the Bible, and still not be pleasing to God. If you are not born again by the Holy Spirit, nothing you do pleases God. I spent most of my life trying to please God by looking righteous on the outside, and I never had peace. I had a “form” of godliness, but the reality is, I was spiritually void. Only when I accepted Christ's sacrifice for me and His righteousness given to me as a free gift did I find peace. Now, born of the Spirit, I know it is only the works of the Spirit that please Him.

So, if you’re born again, the pressing question is: How do we walk by the Spirit? We do so by returning to our first love, Jesus Christ. In Christ, love is demonstrated not simply through knowledge, but through application. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, and with our ears tuned in to His Word, we can put the sinful deeds of the flesh to death and live for His glory because we see that Jesus is better. Don’t just know the Gospel. Live it. Apply the Gospel to your life. We do this together! Let’s apply our favorite lines from Romans 8 to our lives:

No Condemnation

Where in your life do you try to defend yourself, as if someone else’s condemnation overrides Christ’s declaration over you? Do you wear self-condemnation as a badge of honor? Walking in guilt and shame as a believer is not a sign of humility, but of arrogance. Your sin isn’t more powerful than His blood. Christ has already paid the penalty in full for a believer’s sinful deeds and nature, and He has freely given believers His Resurrection Spirit. There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! 

All Things Work Together for Good

How often do we want the good in our lives to be circumstantial rather than spiritual? We overlook, or at best, devalue the role of suffering in our lives. The ultimate good that Romans 8:28 is getting at is stated explicitly in 8:29…for us to be “conformed to the image of His Son, so that Jesus would be firstborn among many.” This is the heart of Spiritual Formation. Suffering is the catalyst to this formation, yet in Christ, God is never making you suffer to pay for your past sins. He is always using it for your greatest good, making you more like Jesus.

More than Conquerors

What does conquering mean to you? For too many of us, we misapply Romans 8:37 to represent earthly victories or trophies, and in turn, we take our eyes off the grand finale of life’s training ground, Christ’s Return. As we watch with eagerness for His return, life’s priorities start to come into right alignment, and you realize the only lasting prize you have is God’s love over you. Now, you can begin to love others sacrificially. We conquer by simply holding fast to the Gospel of His conquering love for us! One day that love will be revealed for all to see!

Let’s read Romans 8 and ask the Lord to give us a deeper revelation of His glory in Christ so that we can have deeper joy as we walk by the Spirit.

Jonathan Burch, Spiritual Formations Minister