From Sanctuary of the Soul: Journey into Meditative Prayer by Richard Foster:
But our being born from above, of necessity, includes our being formed from above. Being spiritually born is a beginning – a wonder-filled, glorious beginning. It is not an ending. Much intense formation work is necessary before we can stand the fires of heaven. Much training is necessary before we are the kind of person who can safely and easily reign with God.
How many of us started the Christian life (or as pastors/leaders have taught it to others) as one whose goal is to receive forgiveness of sins, and then just try to hold on and not screw up too much until we get to heaven? This stands in stark contrast to the gospel of Jesus which Foster touches on here. Our salvation begins with forgiveness of sins, but that is only like the ticket one purchases to get into the show. The real action (and joy, and beauty, and gospel-life) happens as we are transformed inch-by-inch into the likeness of Jesus. As Foster rightly points out, we are meant to reign with God (a theme throughout Revelation, among other places), and God is making us fit for this reign. Or in the phrase used here (borrowed, I believe, from C. S. Lewis), we must be changed before we can stand the “fires of heaven.”
As pastors and leaders especially, think what difference is made by the gospel we preach in the types of Christians are formed in our churches.
