Re-examining The Idea Of "Christian Progress" ~ Vocation (Part 5)

"How does the one who has died and is being made new, the one who has been taken off his or her own hands, enter into the battle in this world? The answer comes in the concept of carrying out one‟s vocation as a Christian in the tasks and occupations of daily life. We always get nervous about what we are to do, it seems. The magnificent hot-air balloon syndrome seduces us into thinking our sanctification consists in following lists of pious dos and don‟ts. That always seems more holy. But it is in the nitty-gritty of daily life and its tasks that our sanctification is hammered out.


Precisely because of the totality of the gift, the new being knows that there is nothing to do to gain heaven. Thus the Christian is called to the tasks of daily life in this world, for the time being. Students, for instance, are sometimes very pious and idealistic about “doing something,” and so get caught up in this or that movement “for good.” It never seems to dawn on them that perhaps for the time being, at least, their calling is simply to be a good student! It is not particularly in acts of piety that we are sanctified, but in our call to live and act as Christians."

Taken From Gerhard Forde's Article On Lutheran Sanctification


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Next and Last Posting In This Series: February 9th of 2012