Work in Progress?
Last night, as our family was driving through town, we saw a sign in front of a church building that sparked a great conversation. The sign read:
As a Christian, you are a work in progress.
So, we began to discuss whether or not we are “a work in progress”. It was a great discussion, and I was encouraged to hear my wife, son, and daughter explain how Scripture answers that question for us.
So, what do you say? Are we works in progress? Why or why not?
Hey Alan,
Thanks for your comment on my “Fighting the Fires” blog. Glad somebody other than my mother read it:)!
About your recent blog about being works in progress – I believe in one respect the work in our lives is already done, while at the same time we are works in progress. We have been made holy, but must progress in holiness. We have been made righteous, but must grow in righteousness. We have been sanctified, and are in the process of being sanctified. We are forgiven people, but must confess our sins to receive God’s forgiveness. So it’s a “both/and” thing.
Oh, and God bless you in your seminary work. I’m a New Orleans grad myself (M.Div in 1989; D.Min. in 2006).
Jon,
Welcome to my blog, and thanks for the comment. I’ll post my views on this after a few other people comment.
-Alan
Alan,
Ran across your blog because of your comment on Matt Harmon’s blog.
Good question. I would have to agree with Jon, that it is a both/and. But, it is essential that we realize that the progress is done by the power of the Holy Spirit working it out in our lives and not by any striving, struggling, etc., of our own. What do I mean by that? Well, according to Galatians 2.20, we are already dead (see Romans 6, too). That means we are to appropriate by faith or already obtained (by the blood of Christ) position in the heavenly places (see Hebrews and Col. 3).
Did any of that make any sense? I fear I rambled.
James
Jon and James,
I agree with both of you. And, I was excited when my wife and kids said the same thing when we were discussing this sign.
This is a both/and situation.
-Alan
i would say we’re in process not necessarily progress.