Spiritual Formation and the Upward Life
Today I had to give a brief blurb for Student Life on what the Upward Life has to do with Spiritual Formation. I thought I'd throw it up here for your consideration.
By the gospel of Jesus Christ, spiritual formation is God’s work of restoring His image in us, so that we can enjoy full fellowship with Him, and out of that fellowship, work with Him in making the whole earth a theatre of His glory.
A key element in humanity’s identity as the image of God was their relationship with God. Genesis 3 tells us that God “walked in the cool of the garden,” seeking fellowship with Adam and Eve. In this garden, His presence was tangible, constant, and a source of awe, joy and security for the keepers of the garden. Doubtless Adam and Eve were in constant conversation with God as they sought to discover and invest in the potential of this first family and the incredible ecosystem assigned to their care. With Him as the source of their life, they were to multiply and fill the earth, so that wherever they were, the glory of God was sure to be too.
But under Satan’s influence Adam and Eve were tempted to take on the rulership of their little part of creation on their own terms, apart from the presence of God, and without regard for His wisdom and purposes. As a result, they found themselves pitted against God, against one another, and against the very ground they were meant to cultivate, a condition that we have all inherited.
The gospel is God’s plan to not only erase the shame and consequences of sin, but to begin the restoration of humanity to its original role in creation, as His representatives, working in fellowship and partnership with Him to spread His glory throughout the earth. The Upward Life is the nurturing of that essential fellowship with God that empowers our lives of obedience in the world. It is restoring the respect and love that God deserves in our hearts and minds, so that all that we do is infused with His presence, wisdom and love.
We have chosen to break down the Upward Life into two major topics. The first topic is “A Life of Worship and Devotion.” Just as we were originally created to constantly delight in God, so now in the gospel our capacity to see and know God, especially in the person of Jesus Christ, has been re-established. As His people, we are invited to revel in that restored relationship… to recount and celebrate, often and in all manner of expressions, His character, His purposes, His story of redemption, and most of all, His presence with us. Even more amazing, we are invited to claim His promises to us, calling on Him continually and persistently in prayer for all our needs, according to His will. Beyond mere religious activities, God’s intent is that our hearts would be continually inclined to bring honour and fame to God in the way we think, speak, and act. As you undertake this chapter of your spiritual journey this year, I invite you to think of worship and prayer as re-learning your capacity to “walk in the cool of the garden” with God, so that He can teach and inspire you to do His will in your unique corner of creation, for the good of all.
The second topic of the Upward Life is “Godly Decision-making.” Satan’s primary tactic for tempting Adam and Eve to take things into their own hands was to undermine their trust in the goodness of God. But in the gospel, we have an undeniable demonstration of the trustworthiness of God, so that we can say, as Paul says in Romans 8, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Jesus Christ is the full expression of the Love, Wisdom, Truth and Authority of God. Because of this demonstration, we are invited let Jesus Christ be the Lord, the Leader of our journey, and to let His way of thinking and acting become our way of thinking and acting. In spite of the struggle, Scripture promises that as we allow our minds to be renewed through the experience of Christ’s presence and the teaching of His Word, we will become more and more able to do His will. Paul expresses the desire I think we all have for you, our students, in Ephesians 5:15-17: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is…. be filled with the Spirit.”
All this is echoed in a verse we are familiar with, Romans 12:1-2: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (everything you do and say) as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This process of renewal, focused on Jesus Christ, is what restores the image of God in us. This is expressed so well in our theme verse for the year: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect/behold/contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
I hope that this year becomes a fresh experience for you of what it means to live the whole of your life in fellowship with the God who created you, and who is now re-creating you by the power of the gospel. May we learn to bring glory to Him by enjoying His presence and trusting His leadership, and may He continue the process of restoring us to our full potential as His representatives in this world.