How it Works Chapter 15 of Why I Am a Christian

This title is taken from the “big book” of Alcoholics Anonymous, chapter 5, which is sometimes read at their meetings. It explains the basics of the famous “12 Step Program,” and because of its simplicity and clarity, it is helpful to new members in particular. Similarly, this chapter intends to express with some simplicity and hopefully some clarity how the Christian life works. It is a Mystery How the Christian life works is a mystery. This admission may seem to compromise the goal of simplicity and clarity, even bring it into question altogether, but it must be stated, since it is the truth. How a person, from a human perspective, becomes a Christian in the first place is not easily explained nor completely understood by anyone. The Bible is not laid out in a doctrinally systematic format; rather, we find small portions of hundreds of doctrinal points scattered through- out. But when the key points on salvation are put together, it becomes plain that conversion – the new birth, becoming a Christian, being saved (all synonymous terms) – describe a work that God actually does – spiritually, within, for, and to a person. 

Salvation is the one great concern and is therefore the focus of the testimony of both Scripture and Christian doctrine, regardless of denomination. Separated as we are from God, due to sin, only judgment and eternal death await the unconverted. This is the greatest of losses, and God in his love reaches out to us in Christ. 

The Outline 

The following outline is comprised of two points: salvation and sanctification. It is necessary to use such words; we must not be afraid of them, for they contain the essence of how it works. 

Salvation means conversion, or how it is that a person is saved or born again. It encompasses repentance and faith. Sanctification describes the spiritual growing up or spiritual maturation of a Christian. This is analogous to the physical birth of a human being and the natural process of growing into physical maturity. 

1. Salvation 

Before anyone is ever converted, he will hear, or somehow become acquainted with, the basic tenets of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which involve the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The gospel message may be communicated through a book, a film, or a personal conversation, but it is usually communicated through preaching. This is clearly depicted in Romans 10:17: “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (RSV). 

Faith is a gift from God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). No one has faith apart from it being given by the Holy Spirit. This much is clear. No one can repent unless sin 

is seen for what it is, and it is the Holy Spirit who reveals this truth. No one has the capacity to repent and believe apart from the influence of God. This is what is meant by grace – God makes it possible to repent and believe, since no one can do it alone or on their own. 

It is God’s Holy Spirit who reveals to a person that he has sinned against God, who produces a desire to turn from that sin, and then reveals Jesus to be the Savior who is able and willing to forgive all sin. Then the great mystery of conversion occurs. In a way we do not fully understand, a person is “born again.” Salvation is completely a work of God. It does not result from a person’s good deeds. 

Someone might ask at this juncture, “What can I do?” A jailer in the ancient city of Philippi asked this very question of the apostle Paul. The response was, “Believe in the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31). The jailer believed right there and then. How did he do it? Well, we are not told exactly how, except that it was by the power of God. 

So, then, how can you believe in Jesus? You will believe only by the influence of God’s Holy Spirit, which begins with the Spirit of God creating in you the desire to believe in Jesus, just as he did with the Philippian jailer. To go beyond this is to go beyond Scripture itself. The invitation is to repent of your sin and believe in Jesus. Anyone can do this, since the Bible says that whosoever will may come to him. I will add, “Look to Jesus and be saved.” 

2. Sanctification 

Sanctification means to be set aside by God as his own and for his service, and it begins right at the moment of conversion. In fact, each Christian is thoroughly sanctified or made holy by God at the instant of his conversion. This is why Christians are called “saints,” a term derived from the word “sanctified.” A Christian is a saint and is holy, or sanctified, not because of anything the Christian has done, but solely

because of what God has done. God has both placed within every Christian the righteousness of Jesus, and the Christian into Jesus, who is holy and without any blemish or sin. This is not an easy concept to grasp, but it is thoroughly biblical. 

Although the Christian is sanctified and is considered completely holy by God, he still continues to sin. This is indeed paradoxical, but again, it is what the Scripture teaches. This has been the experience of Christians right from the beginning. We have been born anew by the Spirit of God, and we have been given the gift of eternal life, yet we find ourselves sinning. 

Not that the Christian is to continue in sin as a way of life. No, we are to turn away from sin and seek to honor and please God. But there is within us the mystery of sin, something incredibly powerful that will sometimes gain certain victories over us. Nevertheless, despite our sin, the sureness of our salvation is never in question. Our salvation depends on what God has done in Christ and not upon our ability or strength to refrain from sinning. 

Sanctification is a process that continues throughout our lifetime. We go forward little by little; sometimes we even seem to be going backwards. Paul put it this way: “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Paul urges the Christian to “work out your own salvation” while at the same time asserting that God is at work in the life of the Christian to do that very thing. It is a paradox. We cling to both of these truths simultaneously. 

Assurance and Peace 

In reality, it works as we trust in Jesus. This is it in a nutshell; but everything is centered on the fact that Jesus has secured our salvation and sanctification.

Jesus is the source of our assurance and peace. We have eternal life right now, and God is continually working with us, bringing us to maturity in Christ

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