2023-01-31 A Meditation on Purity of Thought

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Php 3:12 ESV)

The soldiering march has a side effect, which is remarkable as we tend to think betterment, purity of thought in Christ Jesus, is a consequence of labors. We suppose we would have to tackle head-on our discipleship each day, yet we’ve reached a place where we are nonchalant in Christ Jesus. We’ve reached a place where we are motoring about our days with nary a thought towards personal betterment. We have a burgeoning fruit called a pure mind in Christ Jesus. This is not because of any deeds of penance nor the fruit of a day’s project, but is an unforeseen mystery wherein Holiness eeks out a foothold in our lives precisely because we’ve addressed the greatest of impurities: works-righteousness.

So as not to over-complicate, works-righteousness is a dastardly poison that all of us are familiar with. It is the thought that we can be mini-gods, decreeing good works as a way to vouchsafe our coziness with God the Father. It is the thought that by devoting time to “thinking deep thoughts” towards Holiness, we can begin to pick up the slack.

Works-righteousness therefore is a manifest enemy, and yet how, we ask, is my nonchalance going to ascertain a victory? How is my wild plainness of speech and calmness of disposition, somehow earning anything at all? I certainly do a few things simply as routine: a few minutes of bible study each morning, a habitual prayer or dialog of thought regarding how loved ones and people generally in my life are coping. I try to acknowledge my own decrepitude, and to be stark, harsh even, towards indulgences of food or comforts. But all these are hit-or-miss. All these are not what make me over as, yes, potentially, a good person. That comes out of left field. That comes precisely because I do not try to “will” myself into holier digs.

So the soldier becomes the victor even as the battles lie ahead and not behind. The battle to be full-on, gregarious, spirit-led, manifestly anointed as victor and duping sin into retreat, is a battle done and done. Somehow this war, now, is over bureaucratic entrenchment, perhaps, the many pictures of corporate inefficiencies and pride. But we fight with joy, because we were counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the gospel. We adore a Heavenly Host that does peer in on the footsoldier regarding just their non-works-righteous insight or opinions; we have democratically elected leaders; we have genius at the helm, of some sort, and vitriol or panicky clutching on other fronts. We see beyond the lard and into a strange giftedness of purity of thought via looking elsewhere. We look elsewhere, and thereby tame our better angels into allowing a Christ to form us. We look elsewhere, and thereby tame our wicked clutching into allowing rivers of goodness to overflow our hearts.