Public or Private Relationship with Christ

Dallas Willard says the following about spiritual transformation:

Spiritual transformation into Christlikeness requires a conscious, clearheaded and public commitment to living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. That is, a decision to give our lives to him as his constant students, learning from him how to live all aspects of our lives as he would live them. Evangelism should be understood as a call to receive the gift of such a life.

I like that phrase "conscious, clearheaded and public." I think we desperately need to keep that in mind. We can't wander into Christ. We can't guess our way into Christ. And we can't just be privately committed to Him. If a commitment to Jesus is real, it encompasses all of us.

Can you ever really meet Jesus, interact with Him and His Gospel, and never be the same?

Can we ever really receive His gift of salvation, make Him our Leader/Lord and not do that in a way that is "conscious, clearheaded and public?"

If this is true, what does a personal relationship with God through Christ look like and can we have only an exclusively private relationship with Him?

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit gives life to those who believe in Christ, and guides the Church on earth. The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son in every way, being the third person of the Trinity. The Spirit was at work from the beginning (I Pt. 1) and it was the Holy Spirit that descended on Jesus following His baptism (Lk. 3). In the same way, followers of Jesus are indwelt with the Holy Spirit immediately after receiving Him as Savior and Lord. This makes them capable of becoming like Jesus, saying what He said and doing what He did. The Holy Spirit is present at every step on our spiritual journey, calling people to God (inducting), bringing understanding, preserving and protecting in Truth (indwelling) and guiding God's people in mission and ministry (empowering).

Even before the truth is accepted, the Spirit guides people toward salvation (Acts 10). This grace from God is mediated by the Holy Spirit to all people so that all have the opportunity to be saved. Thus, the Holy Spirit causes the Truth to be revealed to people who are outside of Christ so that they might come to know Him. The Spirit then inducts people into the faith. Once they receive Christ, one is guided and taught by the Holy Spirit (Lk. 12, Jn. 16, I Cor. 2, etc.) so their faith can grow and deepen.

The Holy Spirit enters into one's life so that they might be transformed into the image of Christ, becoming more and more like Jesus. Every follower of Jesus experiences the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (Holy Spirit baptism). All are called to “repent and be baptized” so that this indwelling might come (Acts 2) and this indwelling is a gift of God to all who say yes to Jesus. The evidence of this work is in the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5). Therefore, the authenticity a person's conversion to Christ is seen in the work of the Spirit in his/her life. This indwelling of the Spirit is the power to: (1) do good works, (2) follow in obedience and (3) bring unity among all God's people. The Spirit also infills God's people (the Church) to serve the Lord through the manifestation of gifts that build up the Body (Rom. 12, I Cor. 12, Eph. 4). This infilling is for all people too, but may look different in each person and in differing circumstances.

If this is true, then the Holy Spirit is not optional and isn't limited to just the higher class of Christian. In fact, if this is true, the Holy Spirit is present even before we are aware of Him, drawing us to Christ. However, once one received Jesus the Spirit's role changes to become the central, driving force of our life - all of our life.

Christians of different denominations debate this all the time, but is there any other essential thing left out of this description?

Signs of Life

“What is the primary purpose of man? To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” - The Westminster Confession

This ancient line seems to sum up the main point of what it means to be a Christian. Since I am a recipient of the wonderful and gracious love of God through Jesus, I have received the forgiveness of my sins, the redemption and salvation of my soul. Having received this gift, my only possible response is gratitude. I am thankful for what I received. Out of that growing sense of thankfulness a love grows for God and for other people. And out of that love grows a sense of purpose for living. I live then to glorify God with my life and enjoy His loving presence along with others.

"The glory of God is man fully alive." - Irenaus

God granted me the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ in order to make me fully alive. I understand that I was dead apart from Him. Now I am alive with Him. That is real life and God wants me to experience a full and real and everlasting life with Him.

“I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit Who begins to interpret to me what Jesus did; and does in me subjectively all that Jesus Christ did in me objectively.” - Oswald Chambers

God wants me to have this full life so much that He granted me His Holy Spirit to live in my life. He did this immediately upon receiving His gift of salvation. And it is the presence of the Spirit that is making me alive and showing me how to live this full life.

Where do I see these signs of life? I see them in the way I talk to people. I see them in the values I try to uphold. I see them in the way I handle my money. I see them in the way I treat people. I don't mean to say that I have arrived or that I am even way ahead. What I mean to say is that I see them most later, when I reflect on how I handled something God's way verses how I would have handled the situation before, my way. Those are real signs of life aren't they?

Where are your signs of life?