We’re all in a formation process all of the time. Some of us are formed by Christ, to be more like him. Some of us are being formed by the world, to be more like the ruler of the air.
In my last post I used the Star Wars universe as an analogy for spiritual formation. Each person needs to be in an intentional apprentice relationship, much like Luke Skywalker experienced first with Obi Wan Kenobi, then with Yoda. The Jedi Order had formalized a process of leadership development in which a Master was partnered with a Padawan, or young disciple, in order for the Padawan to learn and grow and become a master him or herself some day.
The Jedi fought on the Light Side of the Force, for everything that is pure and just and right. But there was a Dark Side which tempted young Anakin Skywalker, who eventually became the arch nemesis Darth Vader. Anakin is particularly gifted and is placed as a Padawan under Obi Wan Kenobi’s leadership. Eventually, however, Anakin’s ambitions get the best of him and he finds himself under the influence of Chancellor Palpatine, who is actually a Sith Lord, one who works for and with the Dark Side of the Force. Palpatine manipulates Anakin’s ambitions to serve the Dark Side, eventually turning him into Darth Vader, the murderous anti-hero of the original trilogy.
So, not only is there a discipleship process which leads to spiritual maturity and reproduction, but there also is an anti-discipleship process that forms people in a worldly set of values and principles, preying on the inherent fallenness of humanity and leads to selfishness, sin, and self-destruction. The enemy is real and he wants nothing more than to destroy life.
Who is forming you?
Paul wrote to the Romans, warning them, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV). I happen to believe that if you’re not in an intentional spiritual formation process whereby you are being formed in the image of Christ, you most likely have succumbed to the opposite project of being pressed into the world’s mold. The end game of which is destruction.
We’re all in a formation process. Which one do you choose?