The term “spiritual formation” is often mistaken for many different things in Christianity. Some say it is discipleship; some say it is sanctification, but it is both and neither of those things. Often clouded by misconceptions and differing understandings, Richard Averbeck defined it well, “as the ministry through which we seek to stimulate and support the ongoing spiritually transforming work of the Holy Spirit in and through the personal lives, relationships, and ministries of genuine believers so that we all progressively become more conformed to the image of Christ according to the will of God the Father.”[1] A great shortened version of that to remember is that it is the process of becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the greatest examples of biblical spiritual formation that can be tracked throughout the New Testament writings is found in the likes of Peter. Peter first appears in scripture in Matthew 10:2 as the first apostle. He was described as reckless and emotional in his decisions. Yet, he had some of the most significant early moments of faith in Christ (Matt 14:28). In these early years of Peter, it is written of his great spiritual understanding by confessing Jesus as the Messiah. Within a few verses, he rebuked the same Messiah he just identified (Matt 16:16-23). He told Jesus that he would die for Christ, then the next day, deny Christ three times (Matt 26:33-75). He was unpredictable, yet Jesus saw something in him. Peter transitioned through time from being emotionally driven to steadfast and the one the Holy Spirit empowered to lead the Church (Acts 1-12). Finally, in his epistles, which were written much later in his life, Peter did not write like one driven by his emotions but one that had focus and intention in his writings. They were deliberate and focused on Christ. Peter’s life is a perfect example of how the power of the Holy Spirit empowered him to become more like Christ. Few biblical accounts give this opportunity level to see that happen gradually.
Becoming Like Christ
What does becoming like Christ mean? Darryl Dash said it happens through eight habits: “Make time, rest and refresh, engage the Bible, speak with God, worship and belong, care for your body, simplify and prioritize, and go the distance.”[2] That is more of a process than a definition, though. However, he mentions the most significant resources for identifying Christ: The Bible and prayer. Often called Christlikeness, it is the actions and way of life attributed to Christ. Being like Christ has an extensive list of characteristics, but a few are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, hope, humility, obedient, and generosity (1 Cor 13:13, Gal 5:22-23, Phil 2:7, Luke 22:42, 2 Cor 8:9).
That long but still incomplete list can be daunting to try to emulate. Most would say it is impossible by man’s power alone (shadowing the need for the Holy Spirit), so why do it? If one were not a believer, there would seemingly be no point other than practicing these things because it gives one a false sense of moral agency, but as a believer, this is not just a good idea but is imperative to the faith. This brings forth the need for one greater than ourselves.
Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
How does something so challenging get accomplished? By understanding the objective. If the focus is to grow in Christ, it is wrongly placed. To grow, one must abide (John 15:4). This is the beginning of understanding how to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Growth in Christ happens through the power of the Holy Spirit, which works through believers as they spend time in the presence of God, abiding in him. Dr. Stephen Lowe and Dr. Mary Lowe identified five types of growth that can correlate to abiding—physical, emotional, social, moral, and spiritual.[3] Physically, it manifests through hospitality.[4] Emotionally, it is through love and kindness.[5] Socially, it is through sharing burdens, honoring, and living peaceably with others.[6] Morally, it is by eradicating lying, gossip, and slander.[7] Spiritually, it is confessing sins to accountability partners, praying together, and being there for others.[8]
Abiding in Christ does not just look like sitting in a quiet room listening to worship music, praying, and reading the Bible. It is actively choosing to live a life that allows growth through the Holy Spirit—choosing to be like Christ sets believers up to be like Christ. If you have not noticed, all the growth types listed above require others. Just like Jesus instructed to abide in him in John 15:4, the rest of John 15 talks of the great importance of staying connected to the vine of Christ and the network of the body of Christ through the Church. Christianity is not a solo sport and does require others. The power of the Holy Spirit often works through believers to help support other believers.
In both 1 Corinthians 3:6-11 and Mark 4:26-29, scripture talks about the truth of growth. It has never, and will never occur through the power or the actions of mankind, but through God, who is the one who makes all things grow. We can toil and strive and try to be excellent in our own eyes, but we will never be able to become more like Christ without understanding the roles in spiritual formation. We abide as instructed, obey, and take the actions we can to allow God to grow believers, but He is the only one to bring the increase. A believer’s responsibility in spiritual formation is to put themselves in the position to succeed while understanding that only God makes it happen, thus freeing humanity from onerous comparison.
[1] Richard E. Averbeck, “Spirit, Community, and Mission: A Biblical Theology for Spiritual Formation,” in Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 1 (2008): 27–53.
[2] Darryl Dash, 8 Habits for Growth: A Simple Guide to Becoming More like Christ (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2021), 1.
[3] Stephen D Lowe, and Mary E. Lowe. “Allelon: Reciprocal Commands and Christian Development.” Christian Education Journal 7, no. 2 (2010): 281-298.
[4] Lowe, and Lowe, Allelon, 281-298.
[5] Lowe, and Lowe, Allelon, 281-298.
[6] Lowe, and Lowe, Allelon, 281-298.
[7] Lowe, and Lowe, Allelon, 281-298.
[8] Lowe, and Lowe, Allelon, 281-298.