Assimilated into Holiness

“Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:23-24 NLT)

For the last few decades, I’ve helped several immigrants learn English. Many of  them have come to the U.S. as adults. Most of them already know how to read, write, and speak some English. However, their accents, their limited vocabulary, and their difficulties with grammar become major barriers to communication. They imagine that when they sound like an American, they will feel more Americanized. In my experience, the crossover is much more intrinsic; it is when one starts thinking in English, when one starts looking at things from an American perspective, that the change happens. This may or may not ever happen to someone who moved to this country as an adult.  

Many Christians strive to look and sound spiritual. They go to church weekly, quote Bible verses, and surround themselves with Christian paraphernalia. They might delude themselves and others into thinking that they have made a conversion. However, until a life is renewed from the inside out, the change is superfluous. True followers of Christ think from God’s perspective. Our thoughts and attitudes are influenced by the Spirit. These changes may be subtle at first. We develop new habits. Our values shift. Eventually we become assimilated into holiness. In time, we willingly renounce our old identities and are able to see ourselves in a new way: as  beloved and belonging to God.