For any who aspire to maturity
Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last. Those three terse statements are strung together, but each on its own is worth hours of thought. In unison, they pack a powerful punch. Sadly, many who profess His name are not living with eternity’s values in view. That is not normal; not what God designed. “Christ…died for all, that they who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15). That verse describes a reasonable—a normal—response to His sacrifice. Can we say it describes the goal of the average Christian? Or are we content to go with the flow?
Should we be satisfied if we live only up to, or slightly above, the average level of the believers we know? Do we dare rate ourselves according to such a standard? Those who do lack wisdom. “Measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, [they] are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12). Any comfort gained by that unprofitable exercise will shortly evaporate—in His presence.
What is the average?
“All seek their own [interests] not the things which are of Jesus Christ” (Php. 2:21). That was true of a good many in Paul’s time apparently, and the average condition of some who professed to serve the Lord. There were exceptions in the past, of course, and there are today. Take Timothy as an example. He was not an apostle, not so wonderfully endowed with gift as his mentor, and, on top of that, a man who had to battle with a naturally timid spirit. Yet he shared Paul’s ambition to “press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” The apostle went on to say, “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…” (Php. 3:12-14). Timothy was “like-minded.” There will always be overcomers. Am I working along that line?
The attainment of the average Christian needs to be replaced in our minds by another standard. Read the challenging words that follow the above quotation about pressing toward the goal. Paul is not trying to lay a burden of guilt on believers who have just begun the race but is challenging those who are already part way down the track. He says, “As many as are mature, have this mind.” They are the ones who need to avoid spiritual stagnation. For example, true elders must not console themselves by thinking that their position means that they are spiritually superior to most of the congregation or at least are on par with their peers. That attitude, so common among scribes and Pharisees in the gospels, must not find a place in my heart.
What is normal?
Abraham was superior in faith to those around him. But he was not encouraged to measure his spiritual attainment in contrast to that of his nephew Lot, but to “walk before [the Lord] and be perfect” (Gen. 17:1). What the Lord calls us to do, He enables us to do. He does not expect to reap where He has not sown. His commands are not grievous to anyone who is indwelt by His Spirit. Therefore, what He sets as a norm is within our grasp and is a “reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). He has given to us all things that belong to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). It is surely fitting for us to pray, “O Lord, help me to be a normal Christian.”