As a few of you know, I've had some pretty rough theological problems over the past six or seven months, and while I'm not sure that this entirely addresses my problems, I think these thoughts have at least thrust me back into the process of sanctification, and have granted me a modicum of satisfaction in the answer.
To quickly cover my problem, it is very simple: why does what we do matter? If my theology is correct (that of Calvin, Edwards, Piper, etc.)(and I believe it to be correct based on Scripture), then I have little to no will. Yet I can sin and be punished for this sin. But why would I try not to sin? What is the point behind my efforts? I cannot do good without the strength of God, and my sin is always a perfect part of God's plan, meaning I'm screwed, right? So why try?
Reading this morning, I came across Revelation 19:8 - "the fine linen [of the bride of Christ] is the righteous deeds of the saints." But I thought that my righteousness was Christ's? Right? I mean, Romans 3:11 - "No one is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God." This is true, but I think that this must be pre-justification, because Paul goes on to say in Romans 8 that we are "predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son," and again in chapter 12, that we should "be transformed by the renewal of [our] mind." This suggests that as we are sanctified, it is a process of becoming more and more Christ-like, which is true.
Now I do weird theological things: beyond merely becoming more like Christ, we are becoming more Christ. We are becoming God. "Uh-oh," you say, "Chris Greene just became a heretic. We can't be God, Chris, please don't go there . . . " Ah! but I have proof! Please open your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 5 verses 31 and 32: "'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." So, according to Paul and his divine revelation, Christ and the church will become one flesh. I see this process as a lessening of each individual to the point of nonexistence as God grows and becomes more and more to the point of being the only life left in us. When we are fully sanctified, we will be God. We will think his thoughts as he thinks them, act his actions as he wills them, and truly "live and move and have our being" in him. It is not that Chris Greene is a God, but that Chris Greene no longer exists, and God is all that's left. The ultimate selflessness comes from God's full and final conquering of self. Of course, our participation in God is limited, we do not become part of the trinity, nor may we participate in God's divinity. But we are still one flesh with Christ. I think this is why the mystery is "profound" (even to Paul, who's an absolute beast). We cannot understand how we become one flesh with God, yet do not fully participate in his essence, but it remains paradoxically true. Of course, Genesis 1: 27 ("So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.") has to fit into this as well. The image of God must be more than merely a reflection or representation (which is one possible definition of the word), and rather the form of God within us. When God breathed his life into mankind, it was truly his breath that grants life. We are not merely some reflection of God, but rather "a thing or person in which some quality is vividly exhibited, so as to make it or the person a natural representative of the quality; a type, typical example, [or] embodiment."
Ultimately, this is why our actions here on earth matter; this is why we should pursue good: our good actions are God's. I once stated that when we appear before the throne of judgement that we would not hear our own actions presented before the court, but rather Christ's. This is wrong. We will hear Christ's good works listed as ours, but we shall also hear our own good works (the works of God in us) presented in our favor. Our sins will not be mentioned, but our good deeds will be. And they are our good works. They belong to the part of us that is God.
So life does matter, and we do have a purpose. To glorify the part of ourselves that is God through the good actions of that same part. As God, the will of God is our best interest. What is best for God is best for us, and the process of sanctification is merely the process of replacing self with God.
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