Become

In reading through Corinthians, today I came across the famous passage in 2 Corinthians 5. “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (vs. 21) Essentially, the verse says that Jesus, who isn’t in the slightest bit sinful, took upon the sins (cause we all have sins) of those who reconcile, or put faith in, God. So that we can be righteous like Jesus is, in Jesus’ name, and be close with God, perfect and holy.

It is a wonderful, foundational, hope-giving, life-pumping, life-changing verse that is so solid and true it can be clung to in any situation (and should be!). It is an essential break down of the gospel and glory of Christ – the circumstance, means, and outcome of salvation and God’s sovereignty. Everything can be summed up and given reason, purpose, hope and life with this verse. It is not the only of its sort though (see also Rom 5, Eph 3, Col 2, Heb 10). I speak of this fundamental gospel verse now because it fits in a funny way with something I’ve been pondering a lot lately. Namely, the stages of a Christian’s life that are summed up in the words justification (being declared righteous by God – saved from the penalty of sin), sanctification (the process in which we are separated from the power of sin) and glorification (the time/act when God completes our separation from sin). The word in 2 Corinthians 5 that brings this into summation to me is “become” – “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”. To become the righteousness of God - a word that means instantly, operationally, and conclusively!

Let me try to explain what I’ve seen in the last couple days reading through the end of 1 Corinthians and the beginning of 2 Corinthians. I am not trying to give a full explanation of these three stages but am simply, and briefly, giving explanation as I see fit according to this part of scripture.

Justification. Paul, as he begins to re-explain the gospel before going into the topic of resurrection, says in 1 Cor 15:3, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” Christ died for our sins as according to the Scriptures. Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years prior to Jesus, is likely one of “the Scriptures” that Paul is referring to. “Out of anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities” (vs. 11) and again, “because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (vs. 12) Justification is a legal term before it is a theological one. Meaning to “show or prove right”. This is exactly what Jesus has done. He has removed from us, in the courtroom of God the great Judge, the penalty of sin by bearing it for us. We no longer carry with us the penalty of sin in Jesus’ name – he has “proved us right” in his own righteousness and sacrifice. God the judge looks upon Jesus on the cross and declares us free from the penalty of sin – which is death, the eternal sort. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself” (1 Cor 5:17,18) Paul here explains that we are free from the penalty of sin in Jesus, therefore a new creation, in Jesus.

Sanctification. Now here we come across a term that certainly suggests a lot. There are varying opinions on the proper meaning and usage of this word – based mainly on the time, extent and means by which sanctification happens. I wish, as much as I am able, to leave that behind and use this term to speak of what Paul speaks of in 2 Cor 3:12-18, “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Paul begins this section with Moses and the veil over his face (referencing Exodus 34) because he is emphasizing the glory but the hopelessness of the old-covenant. Not to say the old-covenant was imperfect, it was perfect, but because of the nature of man it was unachievable. So this veil lies over their hearts when the old covenant was read because they did not understand that it was through faith and sacrifice of the heart that one is saved. Not through the law. Legalism’s glory was fleeting, as was the shining of Moses’ face. Paul goes on to say that the freedom is brought on by the Spirit of the Lord and here we stumble across what I see as being a blatant and important description of sanctification – the process by which we are removed from the power of sin. True sanctification is done by the Spirit, and in Jesus’ name, not by law and not without justification first. We observe Christ in Scripture, and pray to God by the Spirit and thank Him for His Son and we are transformed into the image of Christ by loving law not just abiding by it. In this we are transformed into an image that resembles Christ more and more. As Christ was perfect and completely adhered to the law in His perfection, holiness and strength, as we love and worship Him in truth, with unveiled faces full of faith, we get sanctified. Sometimes very painfully but always with joy. I work in the service industry and am asked hundreds of times everyday, “How are you doing?” It is often that I wish to say, “I am on the long, narrow, painful, humbling, road of sanctification and I am in agony. But I consider it joy because I am saved by Christ, and I love to please Him with devotion to following Him.” I realize how short I fall of the glory of God, and long to reach it and cling to Christ for my shortcomings. Sanctification and legalism should not touch although they run parallel roads – and they lead to very different places. Seeking Jesus should lead to a joyful, heart-driven legalism that sprouts from faith and love and not from law (although the law will faithfully and joyfully be sought after) or a desire for self-glorification through proud, seemingly self-saving religiosity. Faith, not works, is the source of sanctification. It is not instant, nor is it always constant (though it should be), and it, unlike justification and glorification, is not always very present. I love that I am a Christian and thank God for the distance that He’s taken me down on this path of separating from the power of sin, and I pray that as I look to Him more and more through prayer, His word, church, and devotion I would behold Him in His holiness and be transformed evermore to His likeness that I might be an example of Him in this world and a pleasure to Him in my satisfaction of Him. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” – 2 Cor 4:16-17

Glorification. Oh how I love this! My heart leaps at the thought of it. Glorification: the time when God will complete my separation from sin. The aforementioned verse explains that this light and momentary affliction (life as a Christian!) is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. The glory of the presence of Christ but also our freedom from these sins and completely and forevermore being declared righteous in His blood and substitution for our wrong! 1 Cor 15:51-53 says, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’
‘O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?’ "

Death will lose its sting. We will put on the imperishable bodies of righteousness, of Christ-like glory (in His name). Well, this glorification sounds wonderful - a joyful completion of the pain of sanctification and as a result of the act of justification but when shall this happen? We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. At the last trumpet, when Christ returns, the dead will be raised and those who have been justified by faith in Jesus will be glorified and made holy, as God is holy. Just like a hardworking student striving for the day of graduation, who walks on the podium and receives, in completion, what has been sought after, and truly, what matters – both for the purpose of the student and for the glory of the school in the student’s success and reward. Although, of course, in the case of glorification we stand before God and in the work of Christ are declared holy, and are able to fully, wholly worship God in truth and oneness. “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Cor 15:49)

So we look back at this word become. In the verse that says, “that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” And I encourage you to ponder this word and all that it suggests. It’s beginnings and sources, it’s hardships and fire, and it’s wonderful finish and accomplishment and glory. To become the righteousness of God - a word that means instantly, operationally, and conclusively, or perhaps better stated as justification, sanctification and glorification. Let this finish with instruction and encouragement from Paul on how to strive, think and live. “But thanks be to God, a who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor 15: 57-58)