Black Belt Christianity

 Becoming a mature Christian is like being a black belt. 

Now that I have your attention, I actively practiced Wing Chun Kung Fu, Kali, and Jeet Kune Do in what seemed like a lifetime ago. I was learning how to do the techniques. 

After you learn the movements, you can start to refine them. I can get into a stance, but it’s not refined enough to be stable or fast. It was usually one or the other. 

So you practice getting it right, and it usually doesn’t look like you’re doing anything because the shifts are so small. 

It’s the same with your growth as a Christian. The big word is sanctification—being purified and set apart. 

You learn how a Christian is supposed to live, and you start doing it. But you don’t want to, at first. Later, you do.

An example: adultery. Simple, don’t cheat on your wife—an explicit physical action. You have learned the technique of not doing that. 

Now it’s being refined. You don’t cheat, but you watch porn. That’s okay, right?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that even the desire to have sex with someone who isn’t your spouse is a sin. 

Refining that technique/growing in maturity is stopping that. 

Not going through the actions is one thing. Jesus raised the bar higher to not even have the intent or desire to do something.

It’s naturally impossible, but through the Holy Spirit, it’s supernaturally possible. 

I can’t murder anyone. That’s explicit in the Ten Commandments. However, Jesus says I shouldn’t even be angry enough to want them dead. 

This anger isn’t a quick flash of anger. That’s natural. No, it’s a seething, brooding bitterness against someone. 

A black belt isn’t a master. They’re simply a beginner that knows all the moves and can perform them. Now they refine them to become like their teacher.

Like the martial artist, a Christian isn’t perfect; they’re striving to be perfect like Jesus. We’re all on different parts of the journey, but we should be a little bit better than we were last week.