There’s an interesting idea that I find myself daydreaming about off an on. It’s the idea that none of us are Christians, instead we are all becoming Christians. At first glance this may seem like nothing more than a slippery semantic twist. ”Oh I get it” you say to me with a knowing wink, “we say we’re not Christians but we really are. We just say we’re not, so people will think we’re humble.” To that I would reply, “Nope. It’s not really humility as much as an acknowledgement of the reality that as human beings we’re an awfully mixed bag.”
There’s a big theological word called “sanctification” that basically says we are works in progress. We are literally becoming saved. Doesn’t Paul say something about working out our salvation with fear and trembling? I think somewhere in our evangelical scramble to assure everyone that they’re really saved and going to heaven we lost this idea that it’s a process. We’re on a journey. We’re literally becoming Christians.
Next time someone asks if you’re a Christian I think an interesting answer would be “Nope, but I hope to be someday.” Not to be tricky or evasive but to be more honest about the reality of our religious lives.
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