“How we are saved is closely linked to the question of what we are saved for.” – N.T. Wright
Why did God choose to save you? Or me? Or anyone? There are a number of reasons one could give, but in this post, I’m going to discuss only one of them: we were saved to be sanctified.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” – Romans 8:29
Now when this verse is read, the typical debates for and against a Reformed perspective on election and predestination are usually not far behind. However, I want to pass over those arguments and simply focus on the actual, expressed point of the verse.
We have here a great mystery revealed to us. The Lord has given us insight into one of the reasons for our salvation. According to this verse, the Father chose and saved us is in order to sanctify us, which means to make us more and more like His Son. To become molded more and more into the image of Christ is the reason the Father saved you and me! That is amazing, and puts a whole new spin on what it means to live a life in the pursuit of holiness. (Hebrews 12:14)
We know that our justification is solely a work of God (our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters would refer to this as initial justification). The only thing we unholy sinners bring to God is our sin. He saves us (and saved us) by His grace alone. Our sanctification, however, is something that involves our cooperation.
“We can’t save ourselves by pulling on our bootstraps, even when the bootstraps are made of the finest religious leather.” – Eugene Peterson
Indeed.
“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.” – Hebrews 12:13-14
God commands us in Scripture to pursue holiness and sanctification, and to cooperate with Him in that process.
“The hole in our holiness is that we don’t really care much about it.” – Dr. Kevin DeYoung
Now, turn back to Romans 8, but this time go back a verse. You will see Romans 8:28 in a whole new light.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
What Paul tells us is that God the Father is using everything that happens in our lives to conform us more and more into the image of Jesus and that that is what is good for us! If God is working all things together for our good, what is the one thing that is better for us than anything else? Our sanctification – to be made more and more like Christ.
We see then that Romans 8:28 is not a fluffy, cotton-candy verse that only belongs on a Hallmark card. No, this verse is weighty and deeply theological. God the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, communicates to us that the purpose of our lives is to become more like Christ. What higher calling could there ever be?
Life is often difficult. The road of discipleship to which we’ve been called is not easy, nor is it without its bumps and curves. But the One who called you is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24) and if he began the good work of salvation in us, He will complete it fully. (Philippians 1:6)