What if transformation...?

In the process of indoctrinating...I mean educating, my boys on movies that matter, we recently watched Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith. They were deeply impacted by the transformation of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader. It blows their otherwise really flexible child minds that someone who started out so good could end up being so bad. As an adult, I could see it coming. It was a slow burn in that young padawan - anger, pride, jealousy. He set out on the path to "the dark side" long before he put on the black suit and sleep-apnea mask.

Now take that whole process - a good person becoming bad - and reverse it, and that's what happens in the life of a Christ-follower.

This is even more mind-blowing, that a bad person can become good. But I see it happening in me.

I started out with anger, pride, jealousy, lust, etc., ad infinitum, but the more of my heart I give over to the Spirit of Christ in me, the more of these He purges. Then He gives me this incredible, otherwise unattainable, gift of righteousness! I don't do righteousness. Trust me, I don't have it in me to be selfless, humble, patient, compassionate. But Christ has righteousness oozing out His every God-Incarnate pore. Christ has humility in spades, patience galore and compassion excessive. And He desires to live out this righteousness in me.

"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."  -Paul

So what is my role in this transformation? Just give in to it. "Remain in Christ" (John 15:4). "Walk in the light" (1 John 1:7). "Offer my body as a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). None of these indicate that I can produce righteousness by trying harder. Nowhere does scripture teach me that I can transform myself if I really want to bad enough.  God transforms me from unrighteous to righteous through Christ at work in me.

I love this truth. but I have something ingrained in me that fights it. I have these habits of thought that repeat, "You screwed up because you're not trying hard enough. Do better. Be good. Do the right thing. Its up to you."

I have to battle this predisposition toward producing righteousness one my own every day and keep reminding myself, there's hope for all of us Siths out there. Only Jesus.