A Thin Line

"If I tell you I'm good you will think I am boasting. If I tell you I am no
good, you know I am lying." -- Bruce Lee

One of the struggles I have always had as a Christian is understanding the interplay between God and man in man's duty. This is particularly difficult for me as someone who subscribes to the Reformed beliefs of God's Sovereignty.

I think I have it worked it out in terms of regeneration and the ordo salutis. Regeneration first, belief afterwards. Regeneration is the principal cause of belief. No problem so far.

But what about sanctification?

This is where things become murky for me. Paul describes his spiritual regimen saying

"Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man
beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have
preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." -- 1Cor. 9:25-27

This resonates with me. I have a sense of what it means to train seriously. I understand that when everyone wants to go to some restaurant to eat their greasy, disgusting, face-stuffing food I have to say "Go and fatten yourselves up. I'm eating a can of tuna fish and an egg and washing it down with a protein shake." I understand that when everyone is at home watching T.V., that is the perfect time to go out in the pouring rain and run 6 cold, miserable miles.

And when I do that I also understand I'm purging my soul of any love for comfort and idleness. How much more for the eternal soul? Love of ease and idleness cannot, should not exist in my soul.

Yes! I understand this, Paul!

"We proclaim him admonishing and teaching with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with
all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." -- Colossians
1:28-29

This I do not understand. What energy? What power? I understand my power, my ability. I do not believe Paul is telling the Colossian church that there is some universal, prevenient capacity that is distributed to Christians generally which allows them to then strive and struggle and that without this prevenient sort of grace, we cannot do Gospel work.

As I understand the larger Biblical themes of redemptive history, atonement of particular individuals, etc., I understand God to be an active agent in each. He was the one that saw Israel's sin and drew up Assyria to take them into captivity. Hell also, is not a place where sinners "just happen to go." I believe that God actively consigns a person to their eternal fate after judging them for their works. For those punitive acts of secondary justice, I believe God is actively directing the universe. So when it comes to the issue of sanctification, I do not understand God's role.

It is the "I" that performs the action and understandably "I" am due some of the credit. I must make a choice to sin or not to sin. God does not override the will and make choices for me. Jesus does not do a pull-up and then impute growth to my latissimus dorsai muscle. I must work. If I don't do the pull-up my lats won't grow. If I don't discipline my soul and create situations to foster growth, don't take initiatives to stimulate growth, I will not progress.

Obviously, I see sanctification operating under different principles than regeneration. Jesus died on the cross, atoned for my sin and by the Holy Spirit imputed his righteousness-- put a stamp on me that said "Paid In Full." Regeneration operates independently of the will. There is no capacity to desire God or to love God in unregenerate man. A man can no more will himself to new life anymore than a cold, bloodless corpse can will itself to tapdance.

But I am alive now. I am no longer dead. That much is Biblically true. I am alive and I am doing things. If I do, I bear responsibility for my actions no matter the outcome. A baseball player says God's power makes him hit the home run. Does he say God made him ground into a double play?

Where is God, how is God working post-regeneration?

Paul works. But He also attributes his work to God. How? Where? I don't think it's just a rubber stamp he uses to Christ-ify his work. How is God working?

Open question. Looking for answers.