When there are just two choices on the shelf, pleasing God or pleasing self, choose wisely!
True believers "make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or absent from it" (2 Cor. 5:9). Pleasing Christ and glorifying God (1 Cor. 10:31) is one of the major themes emphasized in the biblical counseling movement and rightly so! It's also the central theme in Dr. R.C. Sproul's book on sanctification, "Pleasing God: Discovering the Meaning and Importance of Sanctification."
The only perfect Man who has ever been provides a perfect life example of this life and death commitment. Jesus Christ, God's "beloved Son" always pleased the Father (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 12:28). On three occasions God spoke audibly from heaven and declared that He was well pleased with His Holy, Holy, Holy Son.
When considering the perfect obedience of Christ the hymn writer rightly declares, "Oh to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer, this is my constant longing and prayer; Gladly I'll forfeit all of life's treasurers, Jesus Thy perfect likeness to wear." As those justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone long to obey God and please Christ "in all respects' (Col. 1:10). Unfortunately, the spirit is willing but the flesh is oh so weak (Matt. 26:41). We need the Helper's help more than we often realize (John 14-16). When Christians fail to "walk in the Spirit" we need the LORD's tender mercies and forgiveness (1 Jn 1:7-9; Psalm 32). Thankfully, we worship, love, and serve "the God of of all grace and second chances."
But back to our blessed Lord and Savior. The Lord Jesus made it clear, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work" (John 4:34). As the long-awaited Messiah (John 20:31), the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-14), always yielded His human will to the Father's perfect plan (Luke 22:42). Unlike us, the Son of God is intrinsically righteous, and unlike us, He always trusted and obeyed!
In the aforementioned book, Dr. Sproul writes, "In the Christian life, there is an upward call. One does not move upward in a circle. We are on a line going somewhere. It is moving forward. In a word, there is progress in the Christian life." It's not an easy road or a straight line to glory mind you. It's often, two steps forward, one back. One step forward, one back. Three forward, two back. In John Bunyan's classic, "The Pilgrims Progress" Bunyan understand the many dangers, toils, and snares that stand in the path of every Christian, not to mention, the sin "which so easily entangles us" (Heb. 12:1-3). "But Mr. Bunyan also understood two vitally important truths about the Christian life: we are pilgrims, and we make progress." In the words of Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Commenting on Ephesians 2:10, Sproul adds, "Jesus does not fashion His art on an assembly line. His work of molding and shaping is done with infinite care and patience. We have seen the bumper sticker, 'Be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet.' There is truth in that statement."
Progressive sanctification is a process. It is a gradual process. Run from those who promote unbiblical paradigms of sanctification. Be it from the hyper-grace movement or from those who promise a "second work of grace" followed by sinless perfection/instant sanctification. On this point, Sproul notes, "Rebirth/regeneration is instantaneous. Justification is instantaneous. But sanctification is a lifelong process. It involves a diligent struggle against a multitude of obstacles...It is a journey that takes us through the dark night of the soul, through the valley of the shadow of death, and through the wilderness of temptation." The Puritans really understood this life-long struggle and holy war. Hence, books like John Owen's, "The Mortification of Sin" and Thomas Watson's "the Doctrine of Repentance" and "Heaven Taken by Storm: Showing Forth the Holy Violence a Christian is to Put Forth in the Pursuit of Glory."
Sanctified sweat is to be expected. Along the way we will sometimes succumb to the flesh, the world, and the Tempter's tailor made temptations. The journey and final victory however are certain! "Christ promises to go with us and to bring us out the other side. Our Lord finishes what He starts... The Lord is intensely interested in our welfare and our maturing (Hebrews 12:5-10). He wants us to learn more and more about God and how to please Him. He wants us to find joy in pleasing Him (1 John 5:3; Psalm 119:97; Psalm 19:11)...He wants us to change. He helps us to change. This growth in pleasing God is called sanctification."
