A Stage Model for a Deepening Christlikeness: Part 1 - Law -> Transformation

"For this is love for God: that we obey his commands."

— 1 John 5:3

A Deepening Walk with Jesus

As you may have guessed from my posts over the last year, I spend a good chunk of time considering how Christ is fully formed in us.

In Galatians 4, Paul uses a birthing metaphor and gives the impression that he has a role to play in the formation of the Galatians. No doubt maturing in Christ is a communal process. God uses broad and diverse means to bring it about.

One of the difficulties many people encounter, which I have tried to remedy in my letters, is to bring Christlikeness from an abstract, ethereal idea to a more tangible picture, without losing the depth and fullness. I (and many others) have used words like non-anxious and unhurried and transformed and encounter in attempts to capture this misty concept.

Recently, Dan, my partner at Focustsoul, Andrew, a spiritual director, and I have been working on a stage framework to describe the process of becoming like Christ. Over the next few letters, I want to share it with you. This model is still in process which means it may/will change as we keep developing it, but I think it is at a point of shareability and will be helpful for you.

Picture a pie chart made up of four concentric circles with six slices. The core circle is Jesus. We start with the outer circle and move towards Christ with each circle representing a step towards Jesus. As we move inward, we transcend and include the previous circle. Models are limited. The process isn't linear nor consistent nor even. We find that biblical words like those used in the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace...) are wonderful but are so common they are easily glossed over. Thus, we are purposely using words that hopefully will evoke emotion and thought because of their freshness.

With that, let's dive into the first slice.

LAW OF THE JUNGLE

Some may add a circle outside of our model, but we start with an initial state which we call the "Law of the Jungle." In this context we do what we need to do to survive and look out for number one. Do to others before they do to you. Perhaps you remember a time when you lived by this law. Whatever it takes to get what you want, to get ahead, to win or get by, you do it because it is what everyone is doing. It is the way the world works. Anybody who doesn't understand this is a sucker. Another option here is to be the victim. We are the losers, the people who get stepped on. We have little hope and expect the worst. Regardless, as far as we understand it, the law of the jungle is the way the world works.

OBEYING

Then, we have an awakening and put our faith in something bigger than us. God will take care of us, so we submit to him. We are discipled and learn to obey. Do the right thing because God said so. He loves us, created us, and knows best. Only a fool wouldn't obey. The Bible equates love and obedience. Often, at this stage, the Bible is the answer book or guidebook. Whatever situation we are in, the way forward is to find the right Bible verse or story and do what it says. Don't curse, don't be anxious, pray at all times, don't go to bed angry, love your neighbor, don't watch rated R movies, have a quiet time each day, don't complain, and on and on. Obedience brings blessing. We could stay in this space forever.

TRANSFORMING

And some people do, but for those who are open, God calls us deeper. Dallas Willard describes this next space as becoming the kind of people who obey. The move is subtle. We go from focusing on obedience to becoming. We spend time with God, encounter him, and are transformed. My lack of complaining isn't because I know it is a sin to complain (though I do know that), but because I don't even think of complaining. It is not a way I respond anymore. I pray not because I'm supposed to, but because I can't imagine not praying. What else would I do? It doesn't even occur to me that it is something I am supposed to do. Here's a mundane example: I brush my teeth every morning and night. I don't even think about it; I just do it. It doesn't occur to me not to do it. It is just who I am. I'm the kind of person who brushes his teeth twice a day. There was a time in my life when my parents told me to brush my teeth. There was a time when I would forget or didn't want to. That isn't the case anymore.

TRANSCEND AND INCLUDE

It isn't that I left obedience behind. I have moved into something deeper, and my motivation has shifted. I'm not beyond obedience, but relationally, the love of God is moving in me in a deeper way. Note that by using "I" here, I am not meaning me (Duke). I'm on the journey but haven't arrived fully into this space. I'm just referring generally to the person who is stepping into this deeper place with Jesus.

Also, if this is done right, the inner circle and outer circle can be confused by the person in the middle circle. When the person in the obedience stage sees the person in the transforming stage, she feels uncomfortable. She thinks maybe this person is backsliding. He doesn't talk about obedience in the same way. In fact, he doesn't seem to focus on obedience at all. Yet, there is something about him that is intriguing and inviting, but maybe it is dangerous. All she knows is that she is uncomfortable and isn't sure what to think. This will be the case for every slice of the model.

CONCLUDING QUESTIONS

·       What do you think of this slice?

·       Where do you find yourself?

·       How does it resonate with your journey?

Feel free to give some feedback.

And with that we conclude the introduction of the framework and description of the first slice of the pie. In the coming weeks, we will fill in each space.

"Look out for Number One. If you don't, no one else will."

— Arnold Rothstein