Phase Two of the Christian Life

A Nee-ded Reminder

One of my favorite explanations of any Biblical doctrine comes from a 20th century Chinese author who went by (in English) Watchman Nee. In an exposition of two phases of the Christian life from the book of Romans, He wrote:

“I need forgiveness for my sins, but I need also deliverance from the power of sin. The former touches my conscience, the latter my life…

I need forgiveness for what I have done, but I need also deliverance from what I am.” (The Normal Christian Life, p. 3-4 emp. added)

Nee continues this distinction by using “the blood” and “the cross” as illustrations of Christ’s work (6-7). The blood pays the debt for our sins. But the cross, signifying the death, burial, and resurrection, foreshadows our death, burial, and resurrection from the old man of sin into our new life freed from the shackles of our sinful desires.

To put it in Bible terms, forgiveness of sins is justification. Deliverance from sin is sanctification.

Many people want justification. We know our sins are what condemn us before God and destine us for hell, and so we want them to be forgiven. In our baptism, where we are cleansed by the blood of Christ, we receive forgiveness of our sins. This forgiveness continues until we die, unless we reject the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:26-27).

But fewer people want sanctification. The dying to self and being raised anew part is the more difficult part of the equation, because it lasts the rest of our lives. So many resist this part or try to keep the expectations low so more people can comfortably claim to be Christian, but we have to view deliverance from sin as just as life-filling and joy-giving as forgiveness for our sins.

And that’s the beauty of Christ’s work: He paid for our forgiveness, and His power can and will deliver us from ourselves.

This is what Paul’s line of thinking lays out in Romans 5-8. By the grace of God, Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5). Our sins are washed away with Him when we are buried in baptism (Romans 6). But, as much as we desire to be better, we still need deliverance from our sin (Romans 7). And, in Christ we can be sure He is making us new (Romans 8).

We know we couldn’t ever save ourselves from our sins, but for some reason we think we can deliver ourselves from our sin. Every bit of sanctification starts by prayer and faith. So, each of us must accept and give thanks for the forgiveness we’ve received, and entrust ourselves to His power to deliver us from the sin that still entangles us.

Adam and Eve ate the fruit, yes, but at the heart of the act was the desire to be like God. It’s both the specific sin and the sinful desire we need to have rooted out. You might pinpoint specific sins you’ve committed today or in recent memory and ask for forgiveness for them. But don’t forget to pray for the part that desires to do those things.

For example, it’s not just that we get frustrated with our children, or speak with exasperation to our spouses, or do or say things we know we shouldn’t. It’s the inner person with sin-twisted desires behind all of those acts that God will help us kill. It’s our captivity to the self-centered philosophy of the age that we must ask Him to root out.

This is sanctification. It is telling God “I don’t just want a pass out of hell. I want to be like you. I want to love what you love and hate what you hate. I want to please you in all things. Train my heart to know your ways.” And then, it’s having faith that, just as Jesus’ blood washed away our sins, the power of His resurrection will give us new hearts (Romans 8:11). As we are being sanctified, we can be confident in our salvation (Hebrews 10:14).

This isn’t some added burden to our walk. It’s the path God has given us to a joy-filled life, confident in our relationship with Him thanks to the completed work of Christ on the cross.

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Cited: Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life, Carol Stream: Tyndale, 1957. 1977 Edition.

Check out this week’s Think Deeper Podcast as we explore some difficult questions on the topic of prayer!