Earthen Vessels
God works with men not by virtually negating them, by substituting himself for his patients by overwhelming their wills, but by infusing them with himself so that they retain their personal agency as sons of God who, in their obedience, stand over against him in full Otherness. Thus, he made us not for robotic slavery but for fellowship with himself.
I have seen much on surrender to God that at least treads on the verge of an enthusiasm I have learned to dislike profoundly, especially since it was so useful to the “fully surrendered” as a means of control. This kind of sanctification is the goal of certain churches I have known, buoyed in their efforts with horrible, simpering hymns like “I Surrender All” and “Have Thine Own Way, Lord.” Also, I have had very bad, very memorable experiences with people (mostly women) who resented my independent habit of mind and tried to break me toward better religion by pointing out my profound deficiencies in Surrendering. (These women are poisonous teachers for boys.) Ultimately, to be sure, we are clay shaped by the hand of God, but he doesn’t do this by un-claying us.
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S. M. Hutchens is a senior editor and longtime writer for Touchstone.
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