Moral Divinity

The Scripture passage at church this morning was from Luke 24 with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. In the sermon, the speaker focused on verse 16: "But they were kept from recognizing him." He wondered aloud why that would be, why so often in Scripture truth seems to be veiled or people are told not to tell what they have seen, and he posed a possible answer: In order to really get something, we often need to work for the answer. Immediately, I thought of yesterday's blog and my frustration over what I view as a lack of clarity on the subject of sanctification. Today's devotional is similar in nature -- Christ's imputed holiness. If we are truly dead to sin and Christ lives in us, we ought to be like him. There should be a family resemblance. My question is basically the same as yesterday: Why don't I feel like I am dead to sin or that sin is dead to me? Why does holiness not feel like a more natural fit? Why do I so often chafe against what I am called to be and do?

My favorite lines from Oswald today were these: "The Holy Spirit invades me. He takes charge of everything." "Invade" sounds like an alien life force, and isn't that what the Holy Spirit is? The divine nature taking over. I'm all for it. I want to be infused with energy and enthusiasm and love for my fellow man. I don't want to try to summon up holiness from the leftover dregs of my daily life.

So, here's what I've got: God seems to be calling me to figure out what sanctification means for me. I'm going to have to work at it, question, shout, wrestle, meditate, listen and watch. I must have a part in my own sanctification, but I'm not sure what that is. Oswald says that I need to walk in the light and obey all that God reveals. I will attempt to do that -- knowing that the actual holiness is all about a divine takeover -- not something I can conjure up myself.