Someone lent me a book by C S Lewis recently. On reading it, I was reminded that C S Lewis (1898-1963, who gained a triple first at Oxford and become a Literature Professor at Cambridge) has been a real blessing to me. He has such a wonderful ability to translate doctrines and our faith into practical terms. Using common examples from everyday living, often expressed in challenging language. C S Lewis has helped me to see many things, which Scripture and God is revealing, more clearly.

I hope that nobody will take offense at my reproducing a sample of his writings. My intention is mainly to share my delight in his words.

Lewis speaks out below about being born again and Christ being formed in us:

Put right out of your head the idea that these are only fancy ways of saying that Christians are to read what Christ said and try to carry it out… They mean something more than that. They mean that a real person, Christ, here and now, in that very room where you are saying your prayers, is doing things to you…a living man as much a man as you and still as much God as he was when he created the world, really coming and interfering with your very self; killing the old natural self in you and replacing it with the kind of self he has. At first, only for moments. Then for longer periods. Finally… turning you into a new little Christ, a being which, in its own small way, has the same kind of life as God; which shares in his power, joy, knowledge and eternity.

“Make no mistake,” he says. “If you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in my hands that is what you are in for… You have free will and you can push me away. But if you do not push me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs me, I will never rest, nor let you rest until you are literally perfect – until my father can say without reservation that he is well pleased with you”.

That is what you are in for. And it is very important to realize that. If we do not, then we are very likely to start pulling back and resisting him after a certain point… The job will not be completed in this life: but he means to get us as far as possible before death.

When a man turns to Christ and seems to be getting on pretty well… he often feels that it would be natural if things went fairly smoothly. When troubles come along… he is disappointed… God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher level: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnecessary… What on earth is he up to? (Imagine yourself as a living house). The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but he is building a palace.

If we let him – for we can prevent him, if we choose – he will make… us into… a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine.

Christ being formed in you – it’s the ultimate personal experience of the kingdom of God.

This particular writing of C S Lewis may seem to be provocative. But I don’t think that he intends to merely deliver a “hard” message to drive people away from Christ. The reality is that there is a “cost” to becoming Christians. And there is also much to be “gained”. Everyone getting to know Jesus intimately needs to study the cost and benefit of such a relationship. Count the cost, or to come to a careful and wise decision. (If Jesus is who he claims to be, it is a great deal!)