There are two ways to describe what happened to the shattered plate lying on the floor. One is in the passive voice; the other is in the active voice. One would be an irresponsible answer to the owner of the plate who discovers it lying on the floor; the other would be to take responsibility. The guy who dropped the plate could say, “It fell from my hand,” or he could say, “I dropped it.”
Both constructions form true statements, but one sentence is better than the other. To say “It fell from my hand” might seem like the better option in the moment. Let’s say another family member upstairs slammed a door, and the guy carrying the plate was startled by the sound, resulting in the fumble. Given this added circumstance, the fumbler might want to pass at least some of the blame off upon the originator of the jarring sound. Or maybe the owner of the shattered plate has questioned the fumbler in a harsh tone, perhaps with an angry face and with such excessive volume that the guy who dropped it feels afraid and wants to protect himself. So he emphasizes the accidental nature of the slippage; he chooses to say, “It fell from my hand.”
But who is responsible for the loss? The truth is that we ought to be more careful and sure handed with other people’s things than to carry them so loosely that a mere noise upstairs would “cause” us to drop something. Furthermore, we shouldn’t be so high strung and jumpy that noises affect us that way. Moreover, we shouldn’t be so fearful and timid that angry faces and angry words make us wilt like a drying flower. No, the appropriate—and godly—answer to the question is that the dropper is responsible for dropping it. If he was getting slugged in the face when he dropped it, then, no, he is not responsible. But in the above scenario, he is responsible. Therefore he should word things this way: “I dropped the plate.”
Such ownership should be followed with a sincere expression of being sorry. To be “sorry” doesn’t mean to break out in tears, but “sorry” does come from the same root as “sorrow”; it means to show a sign of emotion, some compassion for the one who suffered loss. This expression of being sorry should then be followed by an apology. An apology is a “defense” (1 Peter 3:15) and an “excuse” (Romans 1:20); both “defense” and “excuse” are translations that come from the root “apologia”—apology—in the Greek New Testament. To “apologize” means to recount the events, explaining what happened, owning the sin or error or mistake in one’s own actions, and stating, or at least implying, that what you did is now a learning experience that should result in better outcomes in the future.
If the guy who dropped the plate speaks in the active voice, saying, “I dropped it,” and he then expresses being sorry and gives an apology, then he can move forward in good conscience. If he’s a Christian, then he is likely to be a good and growing one.
But I am convinced that the greatest danger we face after being saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is getting stuck in our own irresponsibility. If justification is a free gift—and it is—then what incentive do we have to progress in righteousness? After all, “I’m already saved!” Since Christianity is not a performance based religion (it’s the only one that’s not), it is quite possible for Christians to go on sinning, letting grace make up the difference between irresponsible and responsible behavior. Christians can sometimes become very irresponsible people.
Christians who remain irresponsible after being saved have failed to duly consider that genuine salvation takes us further than justification. To be declared righteous is a glorious start to the Christian life. Justification is also a matter of eternal rejoicing. But salvation includes elements that precede our justification, for example, the accomplishment of our redemption at the cross of Christ, where Jesus said, before any of us were even born, “it is finished” (John 19:30). Salvation also includes elements that follow the moment of our justification as God applies the redemption He accomplished to the individual lives of believers. We are positionally sanctified (John 3:2-3) the moment we believe, which then initiates a life-long process of progressive sanctification (John 17:17). This progressive sanctification finally reaches its mark when we are glorified (Romans 8:30) at the moment of our death (2 Corinthians 5:8) or at the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:17), whichever comes first.
All this to say, salvation includes sanctification, not “just” justification, so to speak. And if we are not pursuing holiness, then we are not saved (Hebrews 3:6, 3:14, 12:14). Christian, you have a responsibility to grow in godliness:
2 Peter 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Pursue holiness. Practice godliness.
Decide today to take responsibility for your own sanctification. Our effort doesn’t take away from God’s work of sanctification. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). When we work out our own salvation, it is because God is at work. It is only because He has given us His Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:2) that we stand to make progress.
We can really start moving forward in sanctification when we learn to start saying, “I dropped it.” That sense of responsibility is often the missing ingredient when a Christian starts to feel “stuck” in their walk with Christ. Each of us needs to relearn responsibility and be reminded to say, “I am responsible for my own motives, thoughts, words, and actions.” We will continue to progress in godliness only if we learn to take responsibility for our failures. We must take responsibility for our own sanctification.
