For those of use who come under the umbrella of the Church of the Nazarene within Christendom the doctrine of holiness or sanctification is essential to who we are as a community of believers. This being said, and while holiness is a core value in the Church of the Nazarene, I nor anyone else in the Nazarene church is not naïve enough to believe that we are the only church that calls its community to a life of holiness. Holiness is essentially a call to “Christlikenss” and I would imagine and hope that all who call themselves Christians are committed to living a life that reflects Christ.
Ever since the Christmas season ended my mind began to look towards the Lenten season and I began to think about this ancient Christian tradition and think about the reason that it should have a place within our church; A church, who for the large majority of its existence did not fully embrace this Christian practice. It was when I stopped and examined this Christian tradition with the core values of our church that it was made clear to me that the discipline of the Lenten season is a faith journey that calls us into the very likeness of Christ himself. This journey of faith, which begins with Ash Wednesday, is a call for all believers to not just walk with Jesus, but to walk LIKE Jesus. It’s easy to walk with someone, but still do our own thing. To walk like someone with an attitude of total surrender is a call to abandon one’s self and commit our will to the one we are trying to imitate. I hope we are imitating Christ.
Ash Wednesday is a sobering reminder that outside the grace of God we are nothing but mere dust. Furthermore, we must allow the grace of God to take control of our lives so that God can do a new work in us. If we allow him, the grace of God through the work of the Holy Spirit has the power to make us a new creation; a new creation which has been redeemed from chains of sin and is free to live a life that honors God. Being made a new creation doesn’t mean we must stop confessing, in fact, I would argue that confession is a part of being a new creation. When we allow the Holy Spirit to rule our lives we are giving him our will (or should), which then allows the Holy Spirit to examine our lives and point out anything that may be out of line with the character of God. It is Ash Wednesday which presents us with a great opportunity to be reminded that outside of the grace of God we are sinners and that there are times in our Christian walk that we’ll have to join together and embrace prayer of a more famous sinner: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
It is my prayer that beginning tomorrow and throughout the Lenten and Easter seasons (really, for the rest of our days on this earth) that we will not just walk with our Lord, but that we will walk just like him. Christ’s 40 day journey in the desert is a reminder that to walk like Him is not an easy road, but it can be traveled through God’s grace. God wants to make you a new creation, are you willing and ready for this life changing transformation?
I'm willing and ready. It's going to be a great walk. Thanks for reminding us that a "walk with" must also be a "walk like." Good thoughts.
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