Not Just Forgiven, But Transformed!

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

One of the dangers of the Christian life is the temptation to exaggerate some valid teaching of the faith to the point where it denies other, equally valid, teachings of the faith.  One example of this process in action is curious habit of some believers who insist that God declares us righteous yet who strenuously deny that he actually makes us righteous.  For some inexplicable reason, such Christians believes that for us to actually become “participants in the divine nature” as St. Peter says we do (2 Peter 1:4) would somehow rob God of glory.  The classic image of such “salvation” is that of snow on a dunghill: God’s purity allegedly covering us in some mysterious legal sense, while we remain objectively the sinful filth we always were.  In contrast, Catholic teaching retains the sensible balance.  Yes, God calls us beloved even when we are not loveable (much as a parent loves his screaming brat and sees something beautiful despite the red face and shrieking).  But the whole point of the love is to make us truly loveable, not to leave us screaming brats who are “good” only in some enigmatic “legal” sense.  In other words, God promises not only to “help us” and “uphold us” in our moments of brattishness but to “strengthen us” so that we will live out the life of Christ in our lives and be conformed to his image.  We’re not just forgiven but transformed.  Today, let us thank God for his forgiving — and transforming — grace.

Avatar photo

By

Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.

Subscribe to CE
(It's free)

Go to Catholic Exchange homepage

MENU