Since my last blog post, I have celebrated another birthday; I’ve noticed over the years with each birthday that passes my perspective changes, what I thought when I was younger I can no longer stand. This is why I use the term spiritual perspective in my blog; the Christian faith gives us a different view on every aspect of life and that isn’t always easy.

Maturity helps us see things from another perspective. In the winter finale of Greys Anatomy they shared a wise perspective, “Sometimes seeing life through a different lens, opens a new world of possibilities.”

Holding onto childish dreams can hinder us from growing up. Last year I discussed how God grows the saints. This year I will explore more what it means to live as mature Christians.

Mature faith gives believers a diverse lens to look at life. While salvation is instant, sanctification isn’t; sanctification is the process of the Holy Spirit removing the old selfish parts of our lives, the Holy Spirit performs heart surgery on every real believer (John 17:17; Gal.2:20).

During the first Christmas, upon the arrival of Jesus on that silent night, the old beliefs about the Messiah and Israel’s role in the world changed. Not that God changed, but the lens God’s people looked through changed.

I am not a fan of the term “Christian worldview”, because Christianity doesn’t have the world’s priorities: the two cannot mix.  The light and dark don’t mix! We see through a different lens.

Lens?

Lenses are powerful. One of the definitions states, “Something that facilitates and influences perception, comprehension, or evaluation.” Lenses change how we see things, for the better.

As we age our eyes change and need a little help, and no I do not wear bifocals! I can still remember when I got my first pair of glasses in middle school. I was amazed how much clearer everything was, I could see things that were there all my life but struggled to focus on with my natural eyesight. Do you think I would go back to seeing things without glasses now? Nope!

This principle applies spiritually as well. Without the Holy Spirit, we tend to view life through a selfish lens. What can I gain from this? What will make me happiest the quickest? Our sinful nature affects our perception of life.

After my accident how I viewed things I used to enjoy changed. Because of my faith, I look at them through a spiritual lens instead of a selfish lens, especially when I’m on my knees.

I want to reiterate this is none of my doing, but a supernatural work of God changing me on the inside. This sanctification is a validation of salvation, it is God re-conforming us to the glory of Himself.

We have a sinful nature that has distorted our perspective; it is sanctification through the Holy Spirit that God uses to set us apart from this fallen world. Being set apart as God’s original plan for His people, we were never meant to be part of this world, great or popular (Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 14:2, Psalm 4:3, John 15:19).

This is what makes false teachers so dangerous, they focus on worldly things and have turned from the Gospel of Christ, their gospel is of earthly greatness and wealth! Because to them, that is winning. The Apostle John says these teachers were once in the church, but have left it because they truly weren’t sanctified (1 John 2:18-19).

He specifically says if anyone loves this world and the things of it, then the love of the Father is not in them (1 John 2:15-17). These people still look at life through a worldly lens and are still in love with it! The blessings we seek aren’t of this world; we take our refuge in God; besides one day there will be a rapture to take us away from it!

Love of the World!

Last year, I heard my pastor preach a series of sermons on the love of the world, he explained the difference between true Christian love and this world’s system and its version of love as described in 1 John.

I believe a better word would’ve been the “lusts” of the world. True love is others-focused and it’s hard, whereas lust is self-centered. You cannot truly love, yet be focused on self. Two Christian fundamental teachings verify this; love God with all your heart and love others as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39) and the fundamental teaching that our hearts are flawed with sin (Jeremiah 17:9). My King was born today to bring deliverance from the lusts of this world.

That is why believers need to be sanctified; our flesh still has a sinful nature. The apostles went explained the differences between the fruit of the flesh and Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23, 1 John 2:15-17.) If you are hell-bent on chasing dreams and what you want, then you are bent on going to hell. Is that okay?

As we look back through the history of God’s people, the takeaway is this (Jeremiah 29:8-12.) It’s okay to have dreams but don’t let your dreams have you. Sanctification refocuses our lives from an earthly perspective to a forever lens (Matthew 6:19-21, Philippians 3:17-19, Colossians 3: 2)!